I’m always banging on about the importance of lighting. The right lighting can totally alter the atmosphere of a room.
The kitchen is a focal point to many homes. For me, it’s somewhere I cook, eat, socialise, work and relax with a cup of tea. It’s the central hub. With a potential move in the works this is a topic that’s very much on my mind. After picking the right dining table I’ll be turning my decisions towards lighting.
The first light I want to replace it the pendant light which goes above the table. This might sound like a simple task at first but it isn’t simply about picking out your favourite design. There are so many different types of pendant lighting available. They come in different shapes, sizes, drops and roles. You also need to asses the room and look at what lighting is already available. This includes both natural and artificial lighting. The photos within this post are mostly from restaurants, coffee shops and my travels. That’s where I like to take inspiration from.
Here are a few things to take into account before deciding on a pendant light for you kitchen.
Function – It’s important to think about function of the light before eyeing up your favourite styles. I’m personally looking for a task or ambient based light. However, you might be after something a little more unique. Something which creates a talking point to the room.
A task light is needed when you want to use it for specific tasks; washing up, chopping veg or reading the pages of cookbooks.
Ambient lighting helps to create a specific mood. If you’re planning to illuminate a wide part of the room then I think it’d be good to opt for a drop light with multiple bulbs on. Something like this.
I’ll personally be adding the lighting above my dining table which I also plan to use as an island. I want it to offer both task and ambient lighting. My plan is to either add a softer bulb to ensure the light from the drop isn’t too harsh or add a dimmer switch.
Environment – A kitchen is always going to be filled with lots of smells and steamy plates of food. Depending on the placement of your lighting it might be good to opt for an open drop light over a pendant light. alternatively, you could make a point of cleaning the inside of the light to ensure it doesn’t get dirty.
Height and sizing – If you have high ceilings then adding a large pendant will be perfect. But if you’re working with a smaller room and a low ceiling then you have to pick carefully. I’d suggest having several small pendant lights to create a more unique look and offer more lighting.
The height of the drop will be dependent on the sizing of the room and also, your own height. You don’t want to add any fixtures which you might bump into. As a general guide, I’ve read that placing pendant light 28 to 34 inches above a table or island is recommended.
Style – There are so many different styles of pendant lights available. They’re growing in popularity and it’s more likely to be the case that there are just too many to pick from. It’s easy to get carried away and pick out something that’s going to fit in with your Pinterest home as opposed to the room you’re actually working with.
The style you pick all boils down to the room you’re working with and of course, your personal preference. Some of my favourite designs fall into the mid-century modern and industrial categories. Light Supplier offer a fab range of pendant lighting as well as the fun LED filament bulbs, you know, the vintage style light bulbs.
Aim to tick off each of these before making a final decision on your kitchen lighting. Let me know which light you’d pick.
Thanks to Light Supplier for collaborating with me on this post.