Kitchen Design
Kitchen Island Stools and Pendants That Pair Up Perfectly
Get ideas for island seating and lighting looks to combine in your kitchen
Waffles and maple syrup; a book and a cozy throw. Some things are better in pairs. If you’ve been on the hunt for just-right kitchen-counter stools or island lighting, maybe it’s time to take a step back and think about how those key pieces work together. Take a gander at these stylish duos, then share your own favorite pair-up in the Comments.
With smaller-scale pendants and elegant Cherner chairs, this kitchen features a similar combination but in a more urbane form.
Shop for midcentury-style bar and counter stools
Shop for midcentury-style bar and counter stools
Leather Bar Stools + Globes
Low-profile leather bar stools look sleek yet warm, making them a good choice for a range of kitchen styles. In the space shown here, designer Alethea Sadowski paired them with midcentury modern globe pendant lights with black and brass details.
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Low-profile leather bar stools look sleek yet warm, making them a good choice for a range of kitchen styles. In the space shown here, designer Alethea Sadowski paired them with midcentury modern globe pendant lights with black and brass details.
Browse leather and faux leather bar and counter stools
If you already have a bold feature — like this cement tiled island — keep things simple and streamlined with leather stools and clear glass globes. Clear glass pendant lights are breezy and modern without adding any distracting elements to the room.
Find clear glass kitchen island lighting in the Houzz Shop
Find clear glass kitchen island lighting in the Houzz Shop
Brass Globes + Walnut Bar Seats
Love the globe lights, but want a look that’s a bit more formal? In this space, designed by Barbara Milner of South Hill Interiors, brass globe pendant lights are paired with walnut Cherner counter seats for a dining room-worthy combo. Milner chose the pendant lights because they are dramatic without overwhelming the space.
Shop for brass globe pendant lights
Love the globe lights, but want a look that’s a bit more formal? In this space, designed by Barbara Milner of South Hill Interiors, brass globe pendant lights are paired with walnut Cherner counter seats for a dining room-worthy combo. Milner chose the pendant lights because they are dramatic without overwhelming the space.
Shop for brass globe pendant lights
Bistro Seats + Lanterns
Bistro-style chairs are a fun, fresh choice in the kitchen. Paired with navy lanterns and a navy-and-white island in this Cape Cod summer home designed by Violandi + Warner Interiors, the effect is equal parts casual and chic.
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Bistro-style chairs are a fun, fresh choice in the kitchen. Paired with navy lanterns and a navy-and-white island in this Cape Cod summer home designed by Violandi + Warner Interiors, the effect is equal parts casual and chic.
Find an interior designer near you on Houzz
To up the elegance factor, opt for tapered black pendant light shades over the island, as seen in this space designed by Natalie Chianese of NC Interiors.
Pick the right pendant for your kitchen island
Pick the right pendant for your kitchen island
Lucite Stools + Polished Nickel Lanterns
Airy, serene and glamorous are three of the words that come to mind when viewing this Houston-area kitchen, designed by Michele Merz of MMI Design. A client of Merz’s reached out for a home renovation after floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey ravaged the house. The kitchen, with its fresh white and pale blue color palette, is uplifted by Lucite stools and gleaming polished nickel lanterns.
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Airy, serene and glamorous are three of the words that come to mind when viewing this Houston-area kitchen, designed by Michele Merz of MMI Design. A client of Merz’s reached out for a home renovation after floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey ravaged the house. The kitchen, with its fresh white and pale blue color palette, is uplifted by Lucite stools and gleaming polished nickel lanterns.
Browse nickel lanterns
Oversize Brass Pendants + Rustic Industrial Stools
Swapping out the lighting is one of the quickest ways to add a high-impact change without completely redesigning your home. Oversize brass pendants like the ones seen here make a dramatic statement. Pair them with earthy wood and metal stools to keep the look grounded.
Find brass pendant lights in the Houzz Shop
Swapping out the lighting is one of the quickest ways to add a high-impact change without completely redesigning your home. Oversize brass pendants like the ones seen here make a dramatic statement. Pair them with earthy wood and metal stools to keep the look grounded.
Find brass pendant lights in the Houzz Shop
Brass cone-shaped pendants are dramatic even on a smaller scale, as shown here. The gleaming finish of the pendant lights is counterbalanced by the simplicity of beachy slipcovered counter stools.
Metallic details bring a warm glow to your kitchen
Metallic details bring a warm glow to your kitchen
Vintage Glass Pendants + Metal Stools
Vintage-style ribbed glass and brushed-nickel pendant lights pair up with classic Philippe Starck Emeco brushed-aluminum bar stools in this stunning kitchen from Pickell Architecture. It’s a subtle combination, but in an all-white kitchen, shapes and details make a big impact.
Kitchen Workbook: tools to pick kitchen stools
Vintage-style ribbed glass and brushed-nickel pendant lights pair up with classic Philippe Starck Emeco brushed-aluminum bar stools in this stunning kitchen from Pickell Architecture. It’s a subtle combination, but in an all-white kitchen, shapes and details make a big impact.
Kitchen Workbook: tools to pick kitchen stools
Square Lanterns + Wood Stools
Crisp square lanterns and wood and metal stools have an industrial flair — but their open structure keeps this kitchen, with interior design by Blackband Design, feeling light and airy.
Your turn: These pairings are just the beginning — share a photo of your favorite island lighting + stool combo in the Comments.
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Crisp square lanterns and wood and metal stools have an industrial flair — but their open structure keeps this kitchen, with interior design by Blackband Design, feeling light and airy.
Your turn: These pairings are just the beginning — share a photo of your favorite island lighting + stool combo in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Get kitchen design ideas
Find a kitchen designer near you
Shop for kitchen products
If organic modern style is the look you’re after, a pairing of watery aqua-blue glass pendants with earthy wooden stools is a can’t-miss combo. Hanging the lights at varied heights — as shown in this project by Cornerstone Architects — gives a naturally imperfect effect well-suited for the style.
Find kitchen island lighting in the Houzz Shop