“Get Your Kitchen Island Lighting Right” Resource (technical tips )

Island lights serve both technical and decorative purposes. It provides ambient lighting and completes the kitchen design. Kitchen island light fixtures often become a focal point in kitchen design. Kitchen island light fixtures are often one of the most memorable details of your kitchen and you want to get it right.

If you are working on a kitchen island lighting you have a pretty good idea of what you want it to look like. However, during your planning process, you will face many technical questions like: how many fixtures do I need for an island my size? How low should they hang?

Read on for answers to these frequently asked questions:

• How high should pendant lights be?
• Should pendant lights be centered over the island?
• How many lights should be on a kitchen island?
• How to choose the size of the kitchen island light?
• What type of lighting is best for the kitchen?

By the time you are done with this article, you will be a pro at kitchen island lighting

Kitchen island lighting placement

How to position kitchen island light fixtures

Kitchen Island lighting is an effective task lighting.  You will want to hang the lights 30-36 inches above the island top and about 30 in apart.  Consider kitchen ceiling height, for taller kitchens the island pendants should be hung 30 inches from the island top. 

Center the lights in relation to the island and have them end at least 6 inches from the edge of the island.

How many lights should be on a kitchen island?

Think proportion: the longer the island the more lights it will need.  For a small kitchen, go with glass shades so it’s not blocking the kitchen and make it feel smaller.

Also the bigger the size of the island the bigger the size of the light fixture.

Here is a general rule of thumb: for an island 4-5 ft long you will want 1 large or 2 medium fixtures, for islands longer than 5 ft you can do 2 large or 3 medium light fixtures.

You can also choose one large linear fixture to serve as a statement piece instead of doing a row of pendants.

How to choose the size of the kitchen island light?

To choose an island light fixture you need to consider your design style and the size of the light fixture.

The size of the light fixture you want your light to be proportional to the island size and the rest of the kitchen.

To determine the size of the light you should be shopping for, measure the width of the island and subtract 12 inches from that number. That is the maximum limit for the width of the hanging light.

Now, decide on the type of fixture you want to choose. Will it be 2-3 pendants or one larger chandelier?  As far as the design of the pendant, consider the overall lighting scheme of your house and the kitchen design.  For example, for a modern kitchen, choose a simple, modern pendant with clean lines. 

What type of lighting is best for the kitchen?

Kitchen Island Pendants

Pendants are the “go-to” choice for island lighting. They come in a variety of sizes so they can be a great choice for a variety of island sizes.

For larger islands remember to increase the size of the light fixture so they look proportional.

Kitchen Island Lighting Ideas

Kitchen Island Chandeliers

Chandeliers as island light fixtures are a relatively recent choice, never the less they are gaining popularity.

You will want to go with a liner fixture and keep in mind the size of the island to the size of the fixture proportion.

You will want the chandelier to be a maximum of 2/3 of the length of the island.

Design tip: install a dimmer switch for your kitchen island pendant. 

Conclusion

I hope you found this article about kitchen island lighting useful. The technical side of it (size, position, number of fixtures) becomes easy once you know the guidelines.

For more information on your home lighting check out: Improve Your Home Lighting (in 30 minutes and don’t break your budget)

If you are building or remodeling and need help with a whole-house lighting design, you will find this post helpful: New home construction electrical walk-through checklist

If you still feel like you could use a designer to help you with your kitchen lighting design – we can help.