Amateur chefs and pros alike know the importance of a well-stocked and outfitted kitchen. Just like a dull knife can hinder even the most seasoned gourmet, sub-par lighting in the kitchen can take the act of cooking at home from a soothing ritual to a stress-filled chore. If your kitchen lighting is dull, outdated, and too dim to function, fear not! Shades of Light’s unique and stylish curated collection of pendant lights is here to help you design the kitchen of your dreams.
Pendant Lights vs. Other Kitchen Lighting Options
For the best experience in your kitchen, layering lighting suited for different purposes is essential to creating a space where you can comfortably carry out all those important kitchen tasks, from cooking to chatting with friends and bonding with family. You won’t unlock your kitchen’s potential with general ambient lighting, like kitchen ceiling lights or recessed lighting alone.
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Don’t forget to consult your electrician for all your lighting installation projects! This is particularly important for oversized pendants or pendants with concrete shades. Most pendant lights are small and not very heavy, but for circumstances where pendant light weight is a concern, it’s best to leave installation to the pros.
Choosing pendant light bulbs and hardware
The final step in choosing any light fixture is, of course, selecting the best light bulb for the job! Your options for pendant light bulbs depend on a few factors. First, check the bulb requirements for your pendant light hardware and be careful not to exceed the maximum recommended wattage. LED bulbs are always fantastic choices—they are energy efficient, long lasting, and have a lower wattage output than traditional incandescent lights, so you’ll get the same amount of light at a lower wattage. The best light bulbs for pendants in the kitchen are in the 3000-4000k color range (often described as soft white, cool white, or bright white). Install dimmers to bring the light down when kitchen tasks are done. If your pendants have an open shade, a clear shade, or otherwise feature exposed bulbs, vintage Edison bulbs or bulbs with a decorative filament are a beautiful finishing touch.
Some pendants can also be further personalized with pendant light accessories. Shade diffusers can help disperse light. Cluster adaptors can turn single light pendants into multi light pendants. You can even combine certain pendant hardware and accessories to easily create your own one- of-a-kind look. The possibilities are endless!
That’s where pendant lights come in! A kitchen lighting favorite, these fixtures light your kitchen work areas for culinary tasks and double as high-style statement makers. No other lighting fixture is better suited to light your countertops, kitchen sink, and dining tables than pendant lighting, and the stylistic options are endless, so you can cultivate a look that’s as unique as you are.
When styling the lighting in your kitchen, you’ll want to pay special attention to your kitchen island. Hanging multiple pendants over your kitchen island will ensure the space where you do the bulk of your culinary tasks will be well lit and easy to work within. Kitchen island chandeliers are another solid option for task lighting in this area, as these fixtures can accomplish the same lightning needs while making a bold style statement—however, for some spaces, the versatility and customization options inherent to insectionidual pendant lighting is preferred.