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newhomebuyer1_gw

Mini Chandeliers above kitchen Island

newhomebuyer1
12 years ago

Hi All, We have a 104" wide by 64" deep kitchen island which is prewired for 3 pendant lights. I always loved the way mini chandeliers looked over an island. My question for you all is whether 3 mini chandeliers will look too overwhelming? The one that I saw is 16" wide. Not sure if 3 of them is too much. What is the max width a mini chandelier or pendant be for an island of that size? Thanks so much

Comments (12)

  • janealexa
    12 years ago

    IMO, three 16 inch wide chandeliers would be too much, two of that size would be much better. Can you post a pic of your island and the chandeliers you are considering?

  • phorbin
    12 years ago

    My island is about your size. Put two schoolhouse lights over it. got 17 inch wide ones first and it overpowered the room. so happy with my 2 12 inch lights

  • breezygirl
    12 years ago

    I would say that if you want to stick with three fixtures, they should be no larger than 8". That size gives you 20" between fixtures. Can you mock up something to mimic 8" lights and and the space between them to see what you think? You could use balloons or paper plates hung over the island.

  • blfenton
    12 years ago

    I wouldn't consider 16" as being mini and would be too much. Having said that how big is your kitchen with it's >5' x 9' (almost) island which is quite big.

  • blfenton
    12 years ago

    Another quick question - you say that they are prewired - are the locations then set and if so how far apart are they located?

  • live_wire_oak
    12 years ago

    It's all about proportion. On a sub-continent that large, lots of small things will be distracting. Unfortunately, it's really too wide to be lit well by small pendants, although the length does work with the smaller pendants. You will need a combination of recessed lighting and pendant lighting here. Your boxes may have to move and you may need to add additional boxes to provide the right kind of light needed for your work surface. You really need to get a lighting designer involved, as the ceiling height, fixture size, bulb selection, and reflective surfaces in the room will all have a bearing on choosing the correct lighting.

  • _sophiewheeler
    12 years ago

    One single large chandelier would work better visually than even two smaller ones. But, LWO is right about the quality of light on your work surface. If you position the lighting to put light onto the work surface, the other areas of the island will be shorted. You need recessed lighting also to keep it correctly lit. And you'll need a small child to crawl out onto it to clean it. There is a reason that you really don't see islands this large. It's too large to be functional, either from a work surface standpoint, or a design standpoint. Something that size is virtually impossible to light correctly or clean well. You should make it narrower and that will solve most of the issues.

  • newhomebuyer1
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    thank you all for the great feedback! i really appreciate it. the kitchen size is 20ft wide by 12ft deep which includes the breakfast area. the size of the kitchen kind of dictated how large the island should be and its dimensions were made accordingly. its true that it may be too large to be entirely functional but at this point it would be very difficult to change the size, its being constructed as we speak. we do have plenty of recessed lighting. one on each corner of the island and one in the middle. the three pendants that are prewired are about less than 24 inches apart. they need to be functional as well as add an element of beauty to the kitchen. its a very traditional kitchen with cherry wood cabinets stained antique brown brought to the ceiling with glass uppers and an alder wood island stained espresso with hardwood floors in the kitchen and the adjacent great room. the granite will be very white, but not sure excactly what right now, maybe delicatus or bianco antico. the backsplash will also be a white mosaic of some sort. i was very afraid of making the kitchen too brown and just hope that things will tie in at the end and look ok. as for the lights, i do not want the lights to be too overbearing and from all your feedback it seems that 3 pendants no larger then 8" should be the way to go. i can perhaps go with 2 mini chandeliers but then what would i do with the middle hardwired spot in the ceiling? can it be covered up? any suggestions for pendant lights that you think would fit this style kitchen is more than welcome. thanks again

  • chicagoans
    12 years ago

    Take a look at houzz.com; there are several examples of islands with 3 lights (most are contemporary and use smaller fixtures, but it will give you some visuals.)

    Here are a couple with 2 chandeliers:

    [traditional kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by minneapolis interior designer RLH Studio

    {{!gwi}}

    And 3 lights:
    {{!gwi}}

    And 1 large:
    {{!gwi}}

    As l-w-o said, a lighting designer can help you come up with the best solution for your space.

  • formerlyflorantha
    12 years ago

    Could you put something large in the middle with moderate wattage and two smaller complementary ones to the sides with plenty of wattage, to guarantee that the side areas get proper light? By plenty, I mean "over 60 watts"

  • Hartejsinghhunjan
    11 years ago

    Mini chandeliers are available in just about any style and finish, from traditional, to crystal, to modern. You can get them in Mission, lantern, Art Deco or virtually any other genre. Like their larger cousins, depending on the placement and your lighting needs they can be bi-directional or used as up and/or downward lighting. Mini Chandeliers can be installed with dimmer switches to accommodate areas that may need less light during the day and more in the evening hours. Think how pretty a mini Chandelier would like with just enough light to make it sparkle in your foyer during the day, but then can be turned up to completely illuminate the room for guests.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Mini Chandeliers

  • Hartejsinghhunjan
    11 years ago

    Yes it is ..

    This post was edited by Hartejsinghhunjan on Thu, Nov 29, 12 at 23:54