More home design :) - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Off Topic

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

More home design :)

Helena

Veteran

Hi all, since many of you have a good design eye, hoping to ask an opinion. Here is our (super messy sorry!) kitchen. The lights have been there for about 15 years and I feel they are due for a refresh. It's a tricky space because eating area is quite narrow so the two fixtures are awkwardly close to one another ... Less than 6 feet apart. My two ideas are:

1. Get rid of the fixture altogether over the table and replace with a pot light; do something cool over the island ... Maybe something elongated and a bit more of a statement. An elongated chandelier perhaps, like #2)

2. Do 2 matching fixtures of a moderate size, one over each space, coming down about 2 feet (current table fixture hangs down 4 feet). (Something like #3, but one over the island and the second over the table and black probably)

Either of these seem like a good idea? Or something different? I hate buying lights are they are so expensive and sometimes a hassle to return, so I appreciate any advice!

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Off Topic

16 replies

Latest reply was from

SarahD8

Veteran

I would not do a pot light over the table. For me table lighting should be warm and cozy so I like a chandelier type situation. I think the one in #2 would actually look nice over your table (even though I know you were suggesting it for the island).

Do you eat at the island or is it a work space? If the latter I would prioritize good task lighting. Maybe pot lights there, or a chandelier that is similar to but smaller than the one over the table? (Again even though it's not quite what you intended I like something like #3 over the island if you had something like #2 over the table.)

Let me see if I can find a pic of our new dining lighting.

I have opinions for you today as you can see, lol!

ETA photos. We also have a bar/peninsula adjacent to our dining area. I think our space is tighter and our ceilings lower than yours. So we have a double chandelier above the table and pot lights above the bar. (No eating at the bar, it's basically just a pass-through.) We used to have track lighting above the dining table, and I find the chandelier sooo much cozier and better at defining the space.

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Helena

Veteran

Sarah I am here for the opinions! Potlights over the island is a good idea ... It's a working area so good light is required. The table is more for ambience so your flip makes good sense.

SarahD8

Veteran

Added photos above!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

What is a pot light? That’s not a term we use in NZ. When we built in 2018 I got 3 pendants for over the island and then bought a special fixture at a different lighting store that could have 3 pendants attached to create a chandelier type light over the dining table. As I chose relatively inexpensive pendants this made the chandelier type look a lot more reasonable in price.
After 4 years have been really happy with how they look and match each other.
1: kitchen lights over island
2: special fixture
3: makeshift chandelier

This post has 3 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

LJP

Veteran

Jenni , I LOVE your choices . Interesting and cohesive and not too defining of a certain decade or era .

I’m so jittery about choosing lights after my first mistake in our condo . We have a slanted ceiling that is at least 18 ft at its highest right over our kitchen area dining table . I have those same track lights in the kitchen and don’t love them but am not about to replace them right now . Under cabinet lighting makes all the diff in the world to me when overhead lighting or natural light isn’t great .

Lighting IS expensive and you want to make choices you’re good with for years . I’d look through some issues of Cdn House & Home for ideas and shoppanle resources .

RobinF

Veteran

You could have matching lights, maybe different sizes, in each spot. I was thinking like a light near the ceiling over the island and a similar one hanging lower over the table. Something like this picture although with lights that suit your aesthetic. Or else as Sarah said, canned lights in the work area with a hanging fixture over the table.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

cjh

(website)

Veteran

I’d favor Robin’s tactic. Yes, look for your preferred style and finish, modern, metal or iron, whatever. Many fixtures come in suites, with various pieces for the different spaces in the home.

rachylou

Veteran

Oh, I definitely think you could use some pot lights. Then a couple of bolder fixtures for the eating and kitchen area.

My one pet peeve about lighting and eating is having a lightbulb visible in my peripheral vision. Thought I’d throw that in there…

Helena

Veteran

Rachy would never have thought of that detail - thank you!

Cjh, thank you!

Robin, GREAT idea and example ... I actually love the look of those ... thank you so much!

Lisa, you have a far keener design eye than me, so it makes me feel better to know even you are a bit reluctant about lighting.

Jenny, potlights are canned lights, recessed lights or downlights, depending on which NZ decor resource I look at. Love your lights; thanks for sharing the inspo!

Sarah, thanks for adding the pictures, those look great!

April

Veteran

Useful information from someone who knows far more than I do:

https://mariakillam.com/lighti.....en-design/

https://mariakillam.com/lighti.....e-kitchen/

https://mariakillam.com/atmospheresecrets/

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm VERY sensitive to light and with Rachy!

Personally, I'd keep the lights subtle, and make sure they have effective dimmers! We are big on cabinet lighting too. They are subtle, and provide good focused light in the right spots.

Modern and very simple track lighting is our preference, but might not be your cuppa!

Helena

Veteran

Thanks for the links April; love her site; I'll read through these.

Thanks Angie!

LJP

Veteran

Oh yes , a bulb in your line of vision is the worst thing ever . I agree with Rachy . It can be an issue if your over -the -table fixtures are too low .

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Looks like you’ve gotten some great advice already. I’ve been deep in this territory lately and it’s challenging! We spent a LOT of time (and $$$) on the lighting plan in our new space. We opted for some recessed lights that are almost “hidden” in the drywall. Not cheap, but they also are easy on the eyes, very flexible and customizable, and no glare from bulbs at all. There will also be a linear fixture hanging over our kitchen island — more of a statement piece but also providing plenty of light.

Do you have under cabinet lights at your counters? Those may help your task lighting. It doesn’t look like you get much light at your sink if it’s not daytime. I’d want a solution that spreads some light across your workspace without making shadows if you are standing in between the light source and the workspace.

I like the idea of something open and airy over your table.

SarahD8, we have one of those lights! It was in our kitchen and it was literally the only fixture in the whole house that we would want to keep! But there’s no good place for it that I can think of.

Here’s our kitchen island light. The foyer light will be like the second photo. Last three photos are the new recessed lights installed before insulation and drywall go in. They will be on a Lutron system, fancy! LOL

This post has 5 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Hey thanks- we call them recessed lights in this house. We have a lot of them.

Anonymous

Why not do both? Our house has s series of small lights each with a small beaded shade that look like jewels when lit. This is over the table where we eat. The lights can be bright or dimmed and are controlled by a light switch nearby on the wall. We did a kitchen remodel on our old house so more than one cook could work at a time. I recommend a kitchen remodeler overseeing it all. It speeded things up and she thought of everything including room for my mom's wheel chair to get to the bathroom and a back bedroom to avoid stairs, plus a whole wall of cupboards for panty or extra dishes wide enough to hold large plates and a large peninsula work space. The designer felt terrible the we did not get an island in front, but it worked well for multiple cooks and we could move in a wooden "island" on wheels when needed. It was handy in the old walk-in pantry that could become a laundry room or second small guest bathroom. I loved lots of new can lights. A kitchen cannot have too much light.