A Complete Guide To Kitchen Island Lighting

13th September 2024 - View more blog articles

When it comes to buying Kitchen Island Lights, it can be a minefield as there are so many factors to consider. This article will help guide you to find the correct island light for your kitchen or dining area. At WT Lighting we have an extensive collection of kitchen island lights that are available in a wide range of colours, sizes and styles, with bespoke options also available. Whether you are looking for inspiration or are just unsure of what island light to look for, you have come to the right place and should find the below information very useful.

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What Types of Kitchen Island Lights Are Available?

There are several options available when it comes to types of lights for kitchen islands. Firstly, you need to think about whether you would like individual pendants that can be spaced evenly over the island, multiple pendants dropping from a single linear bar or a solid linear bar pendant. Please see examples below:

Examples of types of kitchen island lights

If you were to opt for individual pendants then you would need to bare in mind that you would require a separate wiring point for each pendant where as if you were to go for a light fixture with a solid bar ceiling plate then you would only require a single wiring point.

Once you have decided which of the above lighting types is best suited for your kitchen island, you can then start to think about the style of light and what may blend in with or compliment your interior decor. Some of our most popular options include, ribbed glass pendants, smoked glass pendants, led pendants, metal pendants, linear bar chandeliers and linear bar pendants. These collections include a wide range of products from several style groups including modern, traditional and industrial.

How To Measure What Size Light You Need For Your Kitchen Island

When it comes to measuring what size light would be suitable for your kitchen island, there is no specific right or wrong as everybody is looking for something different however we can help by providing a general rule of thumb. The diameter or width of the light should be approximately half the width of the island itself and there should be around 300mm (1 foot) between the edges of light and edges of the island. The main factor to consider is keeping everything in proportion as you don't want something to look lost over the island but at the same time something too large could overpower the rest of the room.

Hanging lights over kitchen island

Frequently Asked Questions About Kitchen Island Lighting

Can you adjust the height of pendant lights?

Yes, the majority of our pendants for kitchen islands are height adjustable. The cable can be pulled through the ceiling plate and cut to the desired length on installation. If a pendant is hung with chain, the links can be removed to shorten the length. Some pendants come with a tension mechanism which allows slight adjustments to be made even after the installation process. All of our kitchen island lights have a minimum and maximum drop which can be found in the product details on each product page.

What type of lighting is best for a kitchen island?

Pendant lights and linear bar pendants are most often used above kitchen island lights. The style of light is determined on whether you require a practical light or whether you are trying to create an ambience. Pendant lights with metal shades are ideal for directing light onto the island surface and can be paired with led light bulbs that produce a high output. Led pendants or lights with decorative glasses are best suited for creating an ambience and can be paired with decorative filament light bulbs to produce a warm ambient glow.

How many lights should you have over an island?

The amount of lights over an island depends on what style of light you choose. For example if you opt for single pendants and have an 8 foot (2.4m) island then you would evenly space 3 350mm pendants over the island. If your pendants had a diameter of 600mm then 2 pendants would be plenty.

How do I choose a light over an island?

There are multiple factors to consider when choosing your kitchen island lighting. You would need to consider the length and height of your island, the type of light you require, your budget and your style.

Should lights be centered over a kitchen island?

Centralising the lights over your kitchen island would create a symmetrical and balanced appearance and would provide an even light output to the surrounding areas.

How far down should kitchen island lights hang?

The ideal distance from the surface of the island to the bottom of the light would be between 700mm - 900mm. This would allow you to still be able to see across the island but would give the pendants enough drop to create the full impact (depending on ceiling heights).

How bright should island lights be?

The brightness of your island lights depends on what you are using the island lights for. If you need a practical light to illuminate the surface of the island, we would recommend lights with metal shades to direct the light down onto the surface and use an led light bulb with an output of 1000 lumens. This equates to an old 100w light bulb. You can also choose between warm white, cool white and daylight colour temperatures which can also help to soften or sharpen the light output.

How many pendants over a 2m island?

If your island has a total length of 2 meters or less then we would recommend hanging 2 pendant lights with equal spacing. You could get away with 3 pendants if they had a total diameter of 200mm or less.

Kitchen Island Light Bars - Our Top 10 Picks

Single Pendants For Kitchen Islands - Our Top 10 Picks

It is important to get the right light for your kitchen island as a lot of people now use their kitchen areas as the hub of the house and entertainment area. Also, as the island is one of the main features in a kitchen, the lighting that is positioned above it can also play a huge part in the final look. The majority of people like to install impressive lights over their islands to create the wow-factor and use it as a central statement piece in the room.

At WT Lighting we offer a huge selection of kitchen island lights that are available in a wide range of styles, sizes and colours. We offer modern, contemporary, traditional, industral and crystal styles which are available in colours such as black, polished chrome, bronze, antique brass, grey and white. Our online collection includes over 500 products and we also boast a large, 7,000 square foot showroom in Staffordshire, which is one of the largest in The Midlands. Our showroom is designed to display an extensive range of lighting products for all homes which includes a large selection of kitchen island and dining room table lights.

Bespoke Kitchen Island Lighting

Here at WT Lighting we can help you create your own kitchen island light to meet your requirements and suit your taste and style preferences. We boast a huge selection of mix and match collections which allows you to choose your ceiling plate suspension shape, size and colour which can be matched with hundreds of glass shades which are also available in a whole host of shapes, styles, colours and sizes. There are thousands of combinations to choose from which gives you the freedom of creating your own lighting fixture. If you require a very specialised style or size, we can also have bars and plates made up to meet your needs. If you would like to talk to someone in regards to a bespoke light fixture, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our knowledgeable sales team HERE.

Camille Bespoke 5 Light Bar

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