Island lighting is both decorative and functional.  Kitchen islands are often one of the best options in a kitchen layout, and adding decorative pendant fixtures over an island is an easy way to add some style and a design point of view to your kitchen. 

While one shaker door cabinet and subway tile is pretty much the same look as the next, lighting presents an opportunity to establish a mood - in the same way that adding unique accessories to a classic little black dress can define the whole fashion statement.   

Kitchens should have plenty of task lighting, usually from recessed floods and under-cabinet countertop lighting, but decorative fixtures are the jewelry of the room.

You can choose fixtures that are playful, casual, coastal, industrial, elegant, classic, or modern depending on the mood you want to impart.  But regardless of style, there are some guidelines to success when choosing light fixtures for over an island (and by island here, I mean the size of the countertop, not necessarily where the cabinets fall underneath which is often different due to overhangs for seating)

3 Keys to Great Kitchen Island Lighting 

Get the scale of the light fixtures right

Consider the scale of both the island and the room, including ceiling height, when choosing fixtures.  Most kitchen islands are rectangular and somewhere in the 3 x 6 to 4 x 8 foot range. 

For this size of island two decent sized pendants are usually optimal. At least 12” and up to 18” diameter is often ideal, using the smaller end for 3’ deep islands and the larger for 4’ deep islands. And by island here, I mean the size of the countertop, not necessarily where the cabinets fall underneath.   

In general, I try to cover around a quarter to a third of the island width with the size of the pendants - for example: 2 pendants each at a 16” diameter = 32”,  32” is one third of a 96” long island.  Lights that are more open or simple might need to be a little larger or taller to take up more visual space, where lights that are denser, like those with metal shades can be a little smaller. 

Sure, you can go with the builder grade generic mini-pendant-frosted-glass-on-a-stainless-rod, but what a lost opportunity to personalize your space!  And to have enough of them to not look ridiculously anemic, you end up with the light fixture equivalent of that click clack desktop toy?! 

Get the placement of the light fixtures right

Hang lights over your island pretty much the same way you hang artwork over a sofa. The total span of the row of lights should be about 2/3 of the width of the island, but again, the style will dictate exact placement.  And it should go without saying that the array of fixtures should be centered on the island.  There may be exceptions to this…like islands with some appendage or table added to the end, but generally, center the set of fixtures over the main body of the island.  You’ll also want to be sure you have at least 12” between the widest part of the fixture and the end of the island to avoid any head-bashing injuries. 

Get the height of your light fixtures right

Light fixtures over islands should usually be hung so that the bottom of the fixture is between 30” and 36” above the counter.  Similar to placement of chandeliers over tables, the higher the ceiling, the higher the fixture should be hung - starting with 30”-32” above for a standard 8’ ceiling, and adding 3” for every additional foot of ceiling height - so a 9’ ceiling would call for hanging 33”-35” above the counter. 

There are a gazillion light fixtures out there to choose from and they are available at every price range.  Some are in the why?? category, like these.  I’m sure there is a place in the universe for these, and if you love them, by all means use them!  That is the cardinal rule of personal style!

Here I have curated a number of classic fixtures that would add style to a kitchen island.  Click the words in the caption for links to shop.  Many of these pictured are available in other color and finish options as well.

Please note: these are affiliate links meaning I may make a small commission on any purchases at no additional cost to you and help to support this blog :-)

Here are some classic lantern and bowl shaped fixtures.

Here are some beautiful pendant lights

And here are some stylish options from sexy minimalist cone shaped, to a globe with a tropical leaf motif, to a modern orb in a sleek navy and gold mixed finish.

Make your kitchen lighting a BRILLIANT reflection of your style!

Other posts you might enjoy:

How to Select Light Fixtures

Exterior Lighting: Do’s and Don’ts for Entry Light Fixtures

How High Do I Hang My Light Fixtures?

How to Choose the Right Light Bulb