As we all know, the kitchen is the hub of daily activities, from preparing delicious meals to spending quality time with family and friends. One crucial aspect of kitchen design that often gets overlooked but plays a vital role in creating the right ambiance is pendant lighting. Finding the ideal cord length and height for pendant lights over your kitchen island can be a real "pain point" in the redesign process.
That's why we're here to shed some light on this topic (pun intended!) and offer you valuable guidance. Based on industry standards and best practices, we recommend the following key considerations for hanging pendant lights over your kitchen island:
Height above the island surface
A common recommendation is to hang the pendant light about 30 to 36 inches above the surface of the kitchen island. This allows enough clearance for people to work and move around the island without the light obstructing their view or becoming a hazard.
Ceiling Height
If you have standard 8 to 9-foot ceilings, a cord length of 30 to 36 inches should work well. For higher ceilings, you may need to adjust the cord length accordingly. For example, for every additional foot of ceiling height, you can add 3 inches to the cord length. And don't forget to keep in mind the height of the pendant itself. For instance, our Small Greta Pendants are approximately 11.5" tall. So if you want the bottom of the pendant to hang 36" above your counter, you would need about 25" of cord. That being said...
Order a little extra cord length
To have more flexibility, order an extra foot of cord length so your electrician has some room to play with.
Multiple Pendants
If you're using multiple pendant lights over a larger kitchen island, you can space them approximately 24 to 30 inches apart. The individual pendant lights should be spaced evenly along the length of the island.
Consider eye level and glare
While following standard guidelines is useful, it's also essential to consider your personal preferences and how the pendant light's height affects the overall aesthetics and functionality. You want to avoid hanging the pendant too low, as it can create glare and be visually obstructive. It is helpful to have the tallest person in your household sit at your kitchen island and see if the height you thought would be comfortable for them.
Another useful tip is to hang a balloon from the ceiling to represent where your light fixture will rest.
At Friend of All, we understand the significance of proper lighting in transforming your kitchen into a warm, inviting space. Don't hesitate to reach out if there is anything we can do to aid you in your decision making process.