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Kitchen lighting is so critical. You need the space to be bright enough to let you work easily and efficiently, but you also likely don’t want things to be so bright that the lighting feels harsh whenever you’re not slicing and dicing. Not only that, but you also likely want your lighting to fit into your space’s overall aesthetic. Things can be pretty and functional, and, ultimately, that’s what we’re all after, right?
When you’re sorting through what kind of lighting you want for your kitchen, one of the biggest and most important considerations will be how you want to use your space. If you’re going to use your kitchen counters for most of your workspace, you might want under-cabinet lighting, whereas if you’re going to be prepping everything at your island, the lighting over your island might be much more important. You don’t have to have everything down to a science, but having an idea of where you’ll do which tasks and how much light you may need for them will help you plan what you’ll want to buy.
Here, some of our favorite kitchen island lighting options that are just as stylish as they are functional.
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Why Should You Invest in Kitchen Island Lighting?
The right kitchen island lighting can be both a kitchen design centerpiece, as well as making the room easier (and more enjoyable) to use. When figuring out where to start with your search, you might want to think through what you’d like to budget for island lighting, as well as if you want it to be a central focal point in the room. If you’re not as concerned about making a big statement, you might weigh budget as the more important factor, but if you’re looking to draw everyone’s eye to the piece, the impact the lighting makes over the island becomes more important.
Kitchen Island Ideas
Kitchens are often one of the most-used spaces in your home. You're there to cook or prep food, it’s likely where you eat at least some of your meals, and it’s almost definitely where everyone likes to hang out when you have a big group over. Because it’s such a high-traffic space, there’s a lot of things you’ll want to think about when designing the space. Islands themselves are often one of the major design elements in a kitchen, but the lighting can both showcase that design and also make using the room a bit easier. Striking a balance between form and function can give you the best results. Here are some of our favorite kitchen island lighting options, from more minimalist lighting to hanging pendants, those made from natural materials, and more.
Mix and Match Vintage
Spider-style lighting can work really well in kitchens because it allows you to figure out which part of your space needs the most attention. These lights can include minimalist shades or globes, which means you can add a bit of your own personal style in with them, and also allow you to move the light around to where you need it.
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Look at Hanging Pendants
Hanging pendants over an island are classics for a reason. They’re a great way to add plenty of light over a workspace without the commitment or lift of something like recessed can lights or unsightly track lighting, plus, some allow you to dim them when you’re not using them for prep work. Here are a few of our favorites.
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Keep it Minimal
If you have an eye-catching kitchen island, you’re likely going to want to make sure that the lighting doesn’t compete with it. Opt for simple, minimalist designs that’ll be functional and chic without overwhelming things.
Soften with Natural Materials
In addition to design, overall aesthetic, budget, and the like, you may want to consider the materials from which your kitchen island lighting is made. If your look is fairly industrial, you might want lighting made with metallics. For a more farmhouse style, wood might be more your look. Natural materials can soften the overall appearance of your light fixtures and it might be just the ticket to finding some balance in your design.
Make a Statement
If your kitchen is more contemporary and nothing really stands out as the focal point, consider adding a statement light fixture over your kitchen island to draw the eye. Just because you favor sleeker lines and less embellishment doesn’t mean that you can’t make a big impact with your design.
FAQs
How Do You Pick A Light For A Kitchen Island?
Selecting the right light for over your kitchen island might feel like a daunting task. Take it from someone who knows: I spent all of last summer trying to pick a light to hang over my dining room table. Since then, I’ve put swapping out island lighting on the back burner.
Make sure that you’re considering a number of factors when picking the right light. The price, of course, is important, as is the overall look and feel of your house. But beyond those things, making sure that you’re picking a light fixture that’s the right size is important because you don’t want it to look too big or small in the space (and you want to make sure it’ll light the whole island). Thinking about how it’ll be installed can factor in too. I have plaster ceilings, so adding new lighting where it’s not there already can be a bit of a hassle. Finally, make sure it will work with the bulbs you’ll want to use. If you’re not sure about the electrical or structural needs in your home, it’s best to consult an expert.
How Many Lights Should Be On A Kitchen Island?
While there’s no strict rule about how many lights should go over your kitchen island, you likely want to install enough that they’ll light the full island. If you’re using smaller pendants and aren’t sure how many you’ll want to order, it can help to remember that odd numbers generally look better than even, so if you’re stuck, you might prefer three slightly larger pendants to four smaller ones.
What Is Trending In Kitchen Island Lighting?
Design is personal and subjective, but if you’re going to spend the time and money redoing parts of your home, you might be interested in what’s trending in kitchen island lighting. Pendants are definitely big right now because they’re versatile, available in tons of styles, and may be easy to dim for parts of the day when you want softer light. What matters most, however, is what you like and what you’ll be happy with in your home, not what’s trending in other people’s houses.
Explore Our Home Decor Collection for More Inspiration and Must-Have Items
Kitchen island lighting is often a major feature of one of the most-used spaces in your home. Once you’re set on that, you’ll be ready to move on to other spaces. Take a look at the rest of our home decor collection for inspo and many other can’t-miss products.
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