A thoughtful lighting design can transform your kitchen island from a barely functional space into the centerpiece of your kitchen. There are several criteria you need to keep in mind before choosing and installing kitchen island lighting, in this post we will answer these essential questions to help you in your lighting design journey.

A Guide to Kitchen Island Pendant Light

How many lights should be on a kitchen island?

Generally speaking it's best to follow the rule of three, three pendant lights are ideal. However, the number of light fixtures above a kitchen island also depends on the size of the island itself. If you have a fairly small island (5-6 feet), two pendant lights are sufficient. Even if your kitchen island is larger than 6 feet, you can still recommend two pendant lights - just make sure they are big enough to illuminate the entire surface area.

How big should pendant lights be?

In order to determine how big the pendant lights above the kitchen island should be, first determine the width of the island. Then subtract 12 from that number, the result is the recommended maximum diameter (or width) of the pendant light in inches. For example, if the width of the kitchen island is 27 inches, then the width of the pendant light should not exceed 15 inches.

In terms of the minimum width, the one thing to keep in mind is not to go too small on a large island. If you choose fixtures that are small, they will look awkward and out of place. Better to go bigger, especially if you want them to act as statement pieces.

How far apart should kitchen island lights be placed?

Kitchen island lights should be placed at least 6" from the edge of the island (the ones on either end) and 30" to 32" apart from each other. This applies if you're hanging three pendant lights.

How high off the counter should pendant lights hang?

It measures 30" to 32" from the countertop to the bottom of the pendant light. Most pendant lights are adjustable – just make sure there's enough given, especially if your have very high ceilings.

Sunwin is one of the professional island pendants suppliers in China, has more than 16 years experience on kitchen island hanging light fixtures. We are at your services 7x24, email your requirements to sales@sunwinhotellighting.com.