Kitchen island lighting ideas and recommendations

Kitchen island lighting types

Interior design specialists usually specify four types of lighting that can be used not only above a kitchen island, but also in any other room of the house.

• Work area. This is a local lighting that clearly distinguishes a specific area. It will be very convenient to cook, read recipes on the kitchen island under such a directed light, you will see every crumb on the counter top. For work lighting, open-bottom pendants are best suited, with shades that direct the light stream clearly downward.
• General. Or ambient lighting. Actually, it can be one pendant with diffused light that spreads throughout the room. This kind of lighting is ideal mostly for just having dinner at the kitchen island, rather than cooking. General ambient lighting above this area will create a more intimate setting, like in a restaurant or cafe.
• Accent. This lighting type emphasizes the design and decor features of the kitchen island. For instance, that works well for beautiful wooden slab or marble counter tops which have to be outlined. Or the island itself has an unique shape or beautiful details on it.
• Decorative. In this case, it is advisable to direct the light upwards, that is, to choose special shades that will create interesting shadows on the ceiling. Such lighting should be used only if the kitchen has enough other light sources - work and general. Pendant lamps with decorative light will simply decorate the kitchen, they have little functionality.

Positioning of the lighting for kitchen island

•  It is quite permissible to use track lamps over the kitchen island. They are a good choice if the ceiling is not too high and the pendant lights look out of place.
•  Designers advise placing pendant lights above the kitchen island's tabletop so that from the working area to the bottom of the pendant is from 70 to 90 centimeters. It ensures that the lighting will be as effective as possible, and the lamps themselves will become part of the decorative design - guests will not have a chance to immediately look into the pendant over kitchen island or see the light bulb.

Style decisions for kitchen island

As for the choice of appearance, model of a pendant lamp for a kitchen island, that would really depend on the style of the interior of the entire kitchen chosen by the owners and the desire to add a decorative effect.

•  Pendant lamps with copper shades that perfectly match the wood on the cabinet fronts in the kitchen island.
•  Retro-style looking pendants lamps. Not economical, but very effective, perfect for rustic interior styles.
•  Laconic glass balls, both opaque and transparent suit contemporary interiors.
•  Forged, metal fixtures that can go well with other metal parts such as faucets, appliances and sinks can be a great option if they are mounted into the kitchen island.

Important tips for lighting over a kitchen island

• Quantity
  Most often, no more than two or three pendant lamps are placed above a kitchen island.