How To Guide For Kitchen Island Lighting

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and as such, having a well-illuminated space is the key for creating the perfect welcoming room to enjoy each day. With most kitchens taking advantage of the center area of a kitchen with the addition of a kitchen island, the first place most look to when deciding on kitchen lighting is directly above with the ideal kitchen island lighting. I’m sharing some guidance to help you with lighting up your own space in the best way…

01

Measure Your Kitchen Island Space

To figure out the size of the lighting for your space, start out by measuring the length, width, and height of your island — this will help you decide on how many lights you can hang above your space. See my handy guide below for hanging recommendations to help you decide on the number of pendants to suit your space (the height suggestions shown below will also be the same if you opt for one linear island chandelier instead of multiple pendants).

For 2 pendants ( or 1 linear chandelier) : hanging your lights at least 30” above the island countertop is ideal. You may want to go a little higher based on your needs and ceiling heights. Once you know how high you want to hang the lights, you then want to ensure you space out the pendants appropriately — allow at least 30” between each pendant, hung centrally above the island.

For 3 pendants : hanging your lights at least 30” above the island countertop is ideal. Again, you may want to go a little higher based on your needs and ceiling heights. Once you know how high you want to hang the lights, you then want to ensure you space out the pendants appropriately — allow at least 24” between each pendant, hung centrally above the island. For longer island spaces, you can space as wide as 32” between the lights, as long as you allow enough space on the outer most pendants from the island edge.

Since you will want to allow enough space between the pendants and island edge (at least 6”) , the size of pendants you choose will factor into your decision process. This is most helpful if you are still deciding if you should go with 2 or 3 pendants.

02

Find The Right Size Lighting

Ensure your kitchen island lighting fits the space by balancing out the size of the light fixture(s) with the island. Here’s some tips to help you get the scale right for your own space…

As mentioned above, you can go for one large linear chandelier or opt for 2-3 pendants. When deciding on a pendant, factor in the hanging height based on the distance between the ceiling to the bottom of the pendant shade.

And by now knowing you need to allow at least 6” on either side of the island can help you find a style of light that will fit your island space perfectly. If you have enough space to hang 2 or 3 pendants, considering what style of light you are drawn to can help you decide on the number to go with — certain styles look great as a pair, but done as a trio can be overwhelming. So if you do decide to go with 3 pendants, keep thing simple with the style & size of lighting you decide on.

03

Evaluate Your Lighting Needs

Before you can decide on a style of lighting, it’s worth figuring out how much light your island space needs, especially if you plan on it accounting for the overall central lighting for the kitchen.

While you are deciding on the style of pendant to go with, the type of shade that exists, is worth considering not just for the overall design aesthetic, but also for the amount of light it will provide for your space. Here’s some tips to help to decide on the type of lighting to brighten up your space:

Metal shades are great for adding light to specific areas, making these an ideal choice if you use your island as a food prep area, but also plan on having ceiling lights added to help with the overall kitchen.

Glass shades are an ideal option for adding overall lighting to your kitchen. You can go for the perfect bright look with clear glass shades or for a warmer, cozier vibe, consider an opal glass shade of light, like this HOOD GLASS PENDANT from Rejuvenation seen below.

Linen shades are another great choice that adds timeless style, yet also will offer a relaxing look to a kitchen, due to linen naturally filtering the light from the bulb. The result is a softer overall look compared to a glass shade.

Once you have your ideal shade, another point to consider for your lighting needs comes down to the light bulbs needed for your fixtures. The secret to getting the right amount of light comes down to the type of light bulb used to illumine the space. The amount of light a bulb emits, or lumens, determines the amount of light your selected fixtures will exude, aka its overall brightness. By considering how much light your island space needs you can determine how many lumens you need. If you are trying to decide between the number of fixtures to go with, the total lumens needed for your island space can help you narrow down your choices based on the recommended light bulbs needed for the fixtures. If you already know the type of light fixtures you want, the total lumens can also help you decide on what type of bulb wattage to go with based on your lighting needs. Here’s some helpful guidance:

35-50 lumens per square foot of kitchen island is a good rule of thumb to aim for. Opting for the lower end that range is well-suited if you want a warmer style of ambiance, have other overhead lighting, or your island space is more on the smaller scale.

Here’s an example to help: For an island with 18 square footage, 630-900 lumens is a good range recommendation. One 60-watt light bulb will produce 800 lumens, so one bulb may be sufficient for your space and lighting needs, or you could opt for 2 60-watt bulbs for a brighter look (or if looking to brighten up more than just the island space). If you feel your space will fall on the lower end of that lumens range, you could also consider hanging 3 light fixtures and swap the 60-watt bulb(s) for lower wattage bulbs to equate to a lower end lumens range for your space (Less wattage = a more relaxed style of lighting).

I love the look of a glass pendant like this FLYNN RECYCLED GLASS PENDANT from Pottery Barn seen below that is a great option for any space — create a well-lit kitchen with bright classic bulbs or take advantage of the clear glass with an antique filament style of vintage bulb to have on display like this look displays that is great for offering specific accent lighting for the island area.

04

Consider Your Overall Space

When making final fixture selections, consider the overall look of your kitchen space. If you already have other accent lighting such as wall sconces, ensure your kitchen island lighting compliments both the kitchen overall and the sconces. If you are starting from scratch or looking to add accent wall sconces to further illumine your kitchen, choosing an island light first can make it easier to then select the sconces, as the island light will be much more of a focal point for the room and worth selecting first, and then adding additional lighting to accompany it.