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purrus

Help choosing kitchen pendants

purrus
9 years ago

Hello home decorating forumites,

I've also posted this in kitchens. Apologies for any cross posting!

So, my cabinets are shipping 9/8! Demo day is almost here.

Here are all of the finishes I have chosen so far. I still need to buy backsplash tile (white subways, just looking for the cheapest deal) and light fixtures.

I will need three pendants: one for over the sink, and two for over the breakfast peninsula. I have an eclectic style with some touches of modern and MCM and also some transitional touches. I dislike anything ornate.

As an example, here's a picture of my living room, which will be open to the new kitchen:

So, that said, I am on the hunt for *reasonably priced* pendants for my new kitchen.

Here is a sample white cabinet door (shaker style) and the quartz countertop I've chosen:


Here is the cabinet hardware:

And here is the faucet, in chrome:

Floors will be hardwood, stained to match house's original hardwood floors (nutmeg color).

I am trying to mix finishes here, to avoid a matchy-matchy look. I'm not opposed to black or chrome pendants, but I am having a hard time sitting in my current ugly kitchen imagining how it will all look together. So my question is, since you guys can more easily envision these things than I can since I'm sitting in my ugly kitchen, what finish would you guys choose for lights? Any suggestions on pendants? I'm open to looking at expensive stuff just to get an image in my head.

Comments (8)

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    Have you ordered the faucet yet?

    As for the pendant lights, I'm in a client's house right now, and she just had a huge reno done, including the kitchen, and I LOVE her choices for pendants. Over her island, she has two with shades that, when the lights aren't on, they're silver and have a creased-looking surface, but when you turn them on, they're red but like painted glass. Hard to describe, but they're stunning.

    Over her sink, she has a beautiful bronze mini chandelier that looks Moroccan, like a Genie bottle.

    Her granite on the island is like yours, and her cabs are also creamy white.

    So, during the day, the island pendants look silver, but at night, when they're on, they look like painted glass (in her case, orangey-red).

    I'll email her and ask her where they're from.

  • purrus
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Yes, I ordered the faucet but it's not here yet. I can always return it. Why?

    I would love to know about her lighting, also any pictures would be great. I love chandeliers!

    This isn't a huge kitchen. My breakfast bar is only 57 inches long, so I assume two pendants above it, right? And probably small ones, at that. I guess I could have a larger or more statement-type piece above the sink since it will be large (32" wide). I never thought of the fact that they don't all have to match!

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    I just got off the phone with the store that sold her the pendants, Light-n-Leisure. However, it's not on their Web site, they're actually from a site called stonelighting.net. They are called the Whisper Pendant. This is what it looks like when they're on (put your pendants on a dimmer, btw). But when they're off, they are a shiny silver, NO red, NO see-through glass, and the surface is not smooth but creased because it is blown glass. They are absolutely gorgeous.

    Hers are the TO, not the RD. Scroll over the TO pendant and it'll highlight. With the BU and the TO, you can't see the inner hardware of the light, like it seems you can with the first orange one.

    Photo is totally blurry, so I'm going to just link you right to the page.

    I'll bring up the faucet in another post.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Whisper TO pendant

  • purrus
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Those are gorgeous!!

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    As for the faucet, that is the faucet she chose too, and it is IMO terrible. It's so high up that water splashes EVERYWHERE, including all over you. It also doesn't reach out far enough, so you're trying to wash something and you can't get it under the faucet because it's too close to the back wall of the sink. It's the pits. It's one I considered and almost went withâ¦until I did more reading, research, etc., and went in a whole other direction, and boy am I glad I didn't get that one!

    Just for the sake of saying it, what I settled on - and am not only so glad I did but my plumber gave me big kudos on the decision - was the Wolverine Brass Finale Single Handle Kitchen Faucet with side sprayer ( See link). I got it in the brushed nickel and am torn as to wether I wish I'd gotten it in the chrome, which is less expensive.

    I watched a video by some kitchen faucet manufacturer, can't recall which, and even they said they recommend getting a side sprayer if you have the sink for it (i.e.: four hole-sink v. one hole). I originally wanted a pull-down faucet, but based on that, went with the side spray, and again, am SO glad I did.

    The WB Finale Single Handle Kitchen faucet is the perfect height and extends out the perfect distance. It's HEAVY, which is one thing my plumber really liked about it, but he also praised me for getting a WB in the first place and said WB makes great faucets.

    Well, I love, love, LOVE the faucet. I ordered mine though the site below because WB doesn't sell directly to non-plumbers. But Elizabeth at Matson's was SO helpful and great. And look at the price! WAY cheaper than the one you ordered and a MUCH better faucet. Use the extra money for those gorgeous pendant lights and a nice light over the sink!

    I also don't like faucets that have the water control on one side of the faucet. Such a pain. With the water control on top, you can use either hand to control the water.

    One thing: I did buy a Moen weight to attach to the sprayer tube under the sink. I think it was @ $20 and totally worth it. The sprayer now goes right back into place and stays upright and tight in its place.

    I've made some decisions I regret. This is definitely NOT one of them. I will only purchase WB faucets in the future. They're inexpensive but very high quality because they're simple but very well made. That is rare now. Usually quality is sacrificed for bells and whistles and status/latest thing now. Don't make that mistake.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Wolverine Brass faucet

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    purrus, I wish I had my camera with me so I could take photos of them off and on. You would never know they're the same pendant! They're gorgeous both off and on, and completely different!

  • teeda
    9 years ago

    Purrus and Tibbrix, the faucet pictured is the one I had installed in my kitchen remodel. I have not had any of the issues you mentioned--no splashing or reaching issues with the spray. Perhaps your client's problems were related to her sink? I have the Franke Orca sink (which I love by the way)! I guess everyone's experiences are different, which is why it's so hard to order online and rely on customer reviews!

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    Here is a pic of my kitchen sink with the WB faucet. Everything about it is perfect.

    the problem with my client's faucet isn't the sink but the height of the faucet, among other problems with it. However, I'm glad you like yours, WMA.