There are soooo many choices these days for pendant lighting over kitchen islands. It's difficult to know how to choose which one would work best in your kitchen.

While you may love a certain type of fixture, sometimes it is not that appropriate for the space you have to work with.

Today, I'm sharing a few of the considerations I go through when selecting pendant lighting for my clients and projects.

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Pendant lighting considerations we will discuss further, in this post, are as follows.

Size/Scale
Lighting Needs
Style
Visual Weight
Finish
Quantity
Cost

7 Considerations For Kitchen Island Pendant Lighting

1. Size/Scale

One of the first things I look at is the size of the fixture. This is usually indicated in a sketch I do as a preliminary design concept for the space.

I may draw in a drum shade or round globe at first. Details or style could change, but I'm trying to get an idea of how the lighting will impact the kitchen in terms of how much space it should take up.

Kitchen Remodel Design Concept | Pendants over kitchen island - Design sketch - Carla Aston

The cone shaped fixtures below needed to be large because of the high ceilings in this space.

Large brass cone-shaped kitchen island fixtures, Carla Aston - Designer | 7 Considerations For Kitchen Island Pendant Lighting Selection

This smaller cone, branching type fixture on a single stem, in one of my kitchen remodel projects, is good for spreading the detail out in this kitchen with a lower, 8'-0" ceiling.

Kitchen remodel with single branching light fixture over kitchen island - Designer: Carla Aston | 7 Considerations For Kitchen Island Pendant Lighting Selection

2. Lighting Needs

While pendant lighting does supply direct lighting over and island, sometimes it can be more decorative if there is a good wash of light surrounding the space. Clear or translucent shades offer ambient lighting that contribute to the overall light in the room, while opaque shades keep the lighting more directional for tasks at the island.

3. Style

Lighting creates a big style statement in a space, especially in a kitchen where cabinetry might be plain and simple.

You can see how this traditional kitchen below features an antique, heirloom chandelier in one of my client's kitchens and truly contributes much to the style of the space.

Kitchen remodel w/ chandelier over kitchen island for a traditional style. Designer: Carla Aston | 7 Considerations For Kitchen Island Pendant Lighting Selection

4. Visual Weight

Many times I like to use glass pendants for the ability to see through the fixture. These work well in kitchens with smaller or more narrow islands, so they don't intrude too much into the room.

Kitchen remodel w/ 2 glass pendants over kitchen island for a light look in the kitchen. Designer: Carla Aston | 7 Considerations For Kitchen Island Pendant Lighting Selection

You can see the difference below, in my own kitchen. The glass pendants over my 27" deep island are light and enable the focus of the room to go to the X-design cabinet doors beyond.

By contrast, the pendant over the table, with an opaque metal shade, makes a more dominant statement and fills the space, purposefully.

Kitchen remodel w/ glass pendants over kitchen island. Designer: Carla Aston | 7 Considerations For Kitchen Island Pendant Lighting Selection

Kitchen remodel w/ glass pendants used to keep the focus on the cabinetry beyond. Designer: Carla Aston | 7 Considerations For Kitchen Island Pendant Lighting Selection

Kitchen remodel pendant at the table, in a solid, dark finish to stand out against the windows and white walls. Designer: Carla Aston

In this kitchen remodel, below, there had been a big cabinet hanging over the bar area. It was heavy looking and really divided the kitchen from the family room. It was removed for a lighter look and more open feel.

The last thing this homeowner wanted was to perpetuate the heavy look that they were removing, so clear glass pendants were the way to go.

Glass pendants over the bar area in this kitchen keep the space feeling light and open. carlaaston.com

5. Finish

Finishes can contrast or blend, depending on how you want the fixtures to stand out.

These brass inverted bowl shaped fixtures really show up against the backdrop of the darker cabinetry in this remodel. The brass finish repeated a vibrant citrine color we were using in the adjacent living room in fabrics on upholstery.

Kitchen remodel w/ brass pendants over kitchen island. The warm shiny finish makes a bold statement in front of the dark cabientry. Designer: Carla Aston | 7 Considerations For Kitchen Island Pendant Lighting Selection

In this kitchen remodel, the black pendants echo the black on the island and at the hood's mantel. They add punctuation and detail here.

Kitchen remodel w/ black pendants over kitchen island. Designer: Carla Aston | 7 Considerations For Kitchen Island Pendant Lighting Selection

In this kitchen remodel below, I wanted a strong contrast with the lighting so that the pendants would stand out amongst all the white upper cabinetry. The blue with brass accents made the color stand out as a real feature in this kitchen.

These navy blue pendants over this kitchen island make a bold statement of color. Carla Aston, Designer | 7 Considerations For Kitchen Island Pendant Lighting Selection

6. Quantity

I seem to be doing two pendants more often these days, unless there is a really large island. This long kitchen island needed three to run down the length.