My kitchen presented the same challenges so I can sympathize with you over the lighting situation. We had a large boxed in fluorescent light on the ceiling that I really wanted to change for a fan. Also in the south and it was just so dang hot in the kitchen. Well, we did it. Put in a 52" fan with a light. I must say I do like the fan but the light is not good. I now miss the fluorescent light :(

With that said, if you do put in a fan I would make it white to blend in with the ceiling better.

I have under cabinet lighting and a pot light above the sink and those help. I'll be watching this thread to see if you get some better ideas. Good luck!

Seems like a lot hanging from the ceiling in that space.

I think what I'd do is put recessed lighting in the ceiling, placing cans centered over the sink and dining table and then install a fan that has no light(s).

I would have to look into the expense of cans. Do you have any idea how much they typically cost? How many cans would you put over each space? I have seen some homes with waaaay too many cans. I do reallylike your suggestion, Tibbrix.... I can visualize it very well. However, I'm feeling like recessed lighting over the table and the sink would still leave me wanting light over my main cooking/work areas. I am coming from a condo kitchen that had very little working light and I am afraid of making the same situation for myself in my new house. Do you feel that the pendant over the sink would not 'work' with the space? I liked the industrial sort of feel it has.

Tannatonk: I am sorry to hear that a fan light is not enough, but it's nice to hear from someone who has tried this. Hopefully we get some more suggestions!

I agree with Tibbrix.

I don't have A/C in my house. I have one ceiling fan in my living room (open plan). The original one was black and it looked like a big ugly spider. My current one is off-white, like my walls and ceilings and it basically blends into invisibility. I have a vaulted ceiling, which helps a lot.

I had a much worse looking fluorescent fixture on my 9 ft. kitchen ceiling. I replaced it with recessed lights. No idea how much the labor cost, but the lights themselves aren't that much, even if you go with LED, which I think one should.

The real expense will be the cost of the electrician's labor. Only way to know is to get someone in there and get a quote for the labor.

I'd buy whatever hardware you need myself. Go to some electrical supply place to get the cans.

A can over the sink will give you plenty of light. Generally, recessed lighting is put on a dimmer, or dimmers. You could put the entire ceiling recessed lighting on one circuit, or you could have two, one for the general area and a separate one for over the sink. That's strictly choice.

I'd put three along each wall, with the corner cans acting as the third on each wall. Center one over the stove; 3 along the wall with the sink on it with one centered over the sink; 3 over the stretch where the table is, again with one centered over the table.

If you go with a pendant light over the sink, you don't want one that hangs very low because you tend to lean in when washing dishes and you don't want it in the way.

It is NOT a big deal for an electrician to hook up recessed lighting, esp. if you already have lighting on the ceiling, which you do (which means there is an electrical box already up there so they don't have to install one). If you have a relative who's an electrician, get him/her in there.

For the ceiling fan I would go to a specialty lighting store(they usually sell fans too) and explain that you need a fan with a very good light as you will be using it in the prep area of your kitchen....and yes, white to blend in.

Cans would work well for the sink and table but if it's too costly I would pick very simple pendant/chandy...probably matching so you don't have 3 different things going on.

Does the microwave have a light underneath it to illuminate the cooktop? If so, you don't need a can light over the stove, which should save you some $$

No expert but how far out is your light fixture over the sink now? Looks pretty far away from the wall.....don't want to hit your head on it. Like your pendent you have picked out. Do you have lights under your upper cabinets? That will put light on your work space. I believe ceiling florescent lights usually have their connections in the center (an electrician can tell you), which would be great to put in a fan. We have a fan in our kitchen and it is a little too froo-frooy. Hard to clean kitchen grease from the froo-frooy light globes, so I do it often. Also I have a small lamp in the corner of my kitchen counter.....I have a rooster theme and it is a rooster shaped lamp.

I will check into the cans and see if it's something we can afford to do soon. I have never had recessed lighting in my home and I think I had it in my head they were more like spotlights. But I looked at some pictures of recessed lighting at night and it really does provide good working light. I'm excited now! I do have an uncle who is an electrician, but he doesn't do residential work. Doesn't hurt to ask if it's something he's able to do though.
The idea of the white fan is growing on me since it will blend with the ceiling better. The reason I had fixated on that pendant is because it's shiny and I felt like I needed a little of that going on! Maybe not though. I've really been battling with myself this past week over whether I want to paint the cabinets, so I think I'm trying to distract myself with shiny objects :)

Do as much as you can yourself, i.e.: buying the can fixtures yourself, drilling the holes for them, etc. The easy-peasy stuff. Obviously don't attempt anything actually electrical yourself.

I hope your uncle comes through for you. The older generation ought to assist the younger in getting ahead in whatever way they can. This is one way.

Definitely a white fan!

Thanks everyone for the ideas! I don't think I will ever be totally happy with this kitchen, but I think fixing the lighting situation will be a great improvement. This is our first house and everyone here has been so helpful with figuring out details.