If you are building a kitchen or simply remodeling one, you are bound to have many questions. Some of these questions likely have to do with coordinating the lighting throughout the space. Should pendant lights for kitchen islands match a chandelier in the dining room or living room, for example?
Island pendant lights should match the chandelier if you have an open floor plan. You should be mindful of not simply mimicking island pendant lights and chandeliers in other areas of your home. Instead, they should be similar in style but not identical.
In the rest of this article, I will focus more closely on the present question. I will discuss the different approaches to coordinating your lights in an open floor plan and the best ways to match your island pendant lights and chandelier.
Understanding When Pendant Lights Should Match a Chandelier
In modern home design, lighting fixtures are considered true statement pieces. Sure, you need main sources of light to illuminate your living spaces, but secondary sources such as lamps and smaller pendant lights are there to make a space more stylish.
Your floor plan will definitely reflect where you place your lights. If you have a closed floor plan, then each room is its own space. Your creativity and ideas can run wild in each room, and these ideas don’t necessarily have to match with other areas. The same goes for lighting arrangement.
In a closed floor plan, your kitchen lights, including island pendant lights, should reflect the ambiance and material of your kitchen (not other rooms).
On the other hand, an open floor plan is a different story. If you have a large, open space where your kitchen, dining area, and usually your living room are combined, you need to think differently about furniture and lighting design.
Contents
Lighting Should Flow with the Room
First and foremost, the whole space should have a kind of flow. That means in each section of this large space, there is a style present, rather than each section having contrasting designs (such as traditional and modern, for example).
In this scenario, island pendant lights and chandeliers should not necessarily match, as they don’t have the same function.
Island pendant lights are task lights, illuminating a smaller space used for specific tasks like cooking. Chandeliers, on the other hand, are much larger and can effectively light up an entire room.
However, the flowing style should be present in both your island pendant lights and your chandelier.
For example, you could use the same color of fixtures or the same metal, but not the same exact look. This coordination creates a flow, but both lights remain unique.
So, to answer the question of whether island pendant lights should match a chandelier: yes and no. The pendant lights should match some elements of a chandelier, but not the overall design or look.
How to Combine Your Island Pendant Lights and a Chandelier
Now that we’ve covered whether or not pendant lights should match a chandelier, let’s talk about how to actually bring lights together in an open floor plan without it being too obvious.
Don’t Simply Mimic Styles of Different Areas of Your Space
Even if you have an open floor plan, you don’t necessarily have to confine yourself to a single style throughout the entire area. In fact, one of the best ways to break up that monotony of style is by experimenting with your lighting arrangement.
You should select smaller sections and design them with individual features. The same goes for lighting design. Your island pendant lights won’t be the same as another pendant light used for your breakfast or dining area.
A flowing design flow should be present in the entire space, but small unique lights should be a statement of your own style and the texture of that part of your home.
Focus on One Feature of Your Fixture and Build from There
It can be difficult to decide what type of fixture and primary light source we want to have in our home—especially when we have to coordinate every other piece of furniture in that room to perfectly match our lighting décor.
The best way to maintain flow in a space is by focusing on a specific feature of your fixture. This can range from the material used to the functionality or overall style.
Let’s say, for example, you decide to focus on the material of your fixture. Your island pendant light might be made of glass, hanging on a metal chain.
To maintain that flow, you should not simply find the same exact chandelier for your other room. Instead, you could find a chandelier with some glass elements.
You can also focus on the style of your fixture. If your island pendant lights are made in an industrial style, you should consider your chandelier as in the same style but not identical.
I would recommend opting for something like these industrial pendant lights from ShineTech found on Amazon.com. They not only look stylish, but you can also adjust their height to your personal preference.
Consider the Purpose of Your Space
The purpose of your space should determine how you select your lighting fixtures.
In general, kitchen islands are not used for as many purposes, so smaller pendant lights can be used without significant consequences. It is likely more important to find island pendant lights that place a strong focus on decorative qualities.
However, when choosing a chandelier for your dining table, the opposite is true. You want to find a large, bright chandelier that allows you and your guests to see the delicious food adorning the dining table.
So, when choosing the perfect combination of island pendant lights and a chandelier, definitely keep the design flow of the space in mind and choose a specific focal point to build your design around. However, don’t forget the purpose of your fixture.
Are Pendant Lights Over an Island Out of Style?
Pendant lights over a kitchen island are not out of style. In fact, modern kitchen designs that include a kitchen island almost always incorporate pendant lights as part of a design statement in that space.
When it comes to choosing something for your home, the choice is always yours. Some people may consider pendant lights to be out of style, and if you are one of those people, that’s perfectly fine. You don’t have to incorporate them into your design.
Final Thoughts
The answer to the question of whether island pendant lights should match a chandelier depends on whether your home has an open or closed floor plan. In homes with an open floor plan, there must be a flow between every piece of furniture, including lighting.
It’s important to not simply mimic fixtures, but to find individual qualities and repeat them throughout the space.
Sources
- Lamp Twist: What Is Pendant Lighting?
- YouTube: Julie Khuu: How to Choose the Best Lighting for Every Room in Your Home – Size and Style
- Caroline on Design: How to Choose Kitchen Island Lighting
- TruBuild Construction: How to Choose the Perfect Pendant Light for Your Kitchen Island
- The Lighting Gallery: 8 Do’s and Don’ts for Mixing and Matching Lighting Fixtures
- Our Fifth House: Design Dilemma Coordinating Kitchen Island and Breakfast Nook Lights
- Interior Design: How to Properly Pair Kitchen and Dining Room Lights
- Gabby: How to Pair Kitchen and Dining Room Lights