1. How high to hang them
The popular rule of thumb is 30"–36" above the kitchen island — but there's a lot more to consider, including ceiling height, pendant size, beam spread, and glare.
My personal preference is lower rather than higher. When a pendant is cut short and hovering closer to the ceiling than the surface below, it never looks quite right. A good safeguard: ask your electrician to tuck extra cable into the canopy so the pendant can be lowered later if needed.
Don't worry about pendants blocking your view — you'll be able to see between them, if not through them. Don't hang pendants high just to avoid seeing them.
Don't hang pendants too high, they need to have a close relationship to the island
2. How far apart should they be
Start from the edges of the island and work inwards. You don't want pendants sitting right at the edge — as a minimum, the outer edge of each light should sit at least 6 inches in from the island edge, otherwise they'll look like they're falling off into space.
Think of the pendants as a bow on top of a present — they should sit within the footprint of the island, not spread wider than it.
When positioning the centre points, I take a lot of variables into account. A basic starting point: place the flanking pendants equidistant from the centre, treating the island edges as your outer boundary. If your cables are already in place, don't worry — there are always good options to work with existing positions.
Make sure the pendants don't hang near the edge of the island
3. How many do you need
This depends entirely on the size of the pendants and the island. Small lights can be grouped in a row of four or five or clustered around a breakfast table; a single large statement pendant can work beautifully on its own. That said, the most common formula for kitchen islands is two or three pendants.
How many pendants you need depends on the size of the pendants and island
4. The right shape
Shape is something I feel strongly about — and there's no one-size-fits-all answer. The right shape depends on the whole room: ceiling pitch, sightlines, furniture angles, window positions, and personal taste. There's an element of instinct to it.
As a general guide: high ceilings suit shapes that draw the eye downward — cones, drops, and spheres. Low ceilings benefit from discs, drums, and horizontal lights with a wide beam spread (horizontal styles also work well under vaulted ceilings).
Does your kitchen have curves or right angles? Choose a complementary light
5. The right size
Size is less straightforward than you'd think, because it can be played with. Small pendants with wide, powerful beam spreads can work beautifully in large kitchens — quietly doing their job without dominating the space. Equally, a large pendant can add warmth and character to a smaller kitchen. Ceiling height is also a major factor.
The best thing you can do before ordering: make a cardboard mock-up of the pendant size and hang it in position. It will help immeasurably. And if you're unsure, give me a call before you commit — nothing's more disappointing than lights that are the wrong scale for the space.
Trust your gut when it comes to size - make a cut-out to scale when in doubt
6. Keeping them clean
Kitchens are cleaner than they used to be, but they're still working spaces — and your lights will need regular attention.
A few things to avoid in kitchens: pendants with textured or soft materials (wool, felt, uncoated paper), and styles with ribs, rods, or intricate metalwork that require individual wiping. Open-frame designs trap dust more easily than solid shades.
- Glass is easy to clean, though clear glass will show dust quickly.
- Metal varies by finish — high-polish finishes show fingerprints; matt and natural finishes are lower maintenance.
- Shape matters too — conical shades are easier to clean than complex forms; discs collect more dust than drop shapes; crystal drops can snag on microfibre cloths.
Also consider whether you can physically reach the pendants. Over a wide island, you or your cleaner may need to climb up to access them. And always check the manufacturer's cleaning instructions — most advise against harsh abrasives.
Make sure you can reach the pendants to dust them
7. Style and finish
Pendant style and finish should feel considered within the wider kitchen scheme — not an afterthought. Think about the tones already in the space: cabinetry, hardware, worktops, and flooring. A brushed brass pendant will feel very different in a warm, natural kitchen versus a cool, monochrome one. That being said, don't be afraid to mix and match finishes - as long as there are other details tying the lights to the space, it will work.
You can mix and match finishes as long as the style goes together
8. Avoiding glare on the worktop
This is one of the most commonly overlooked considerations. Depending on the pendant and the worktop finish, you can end up with unwanted glare and reflections bouncing off the island surface — and in the worst cases, visible LED diodes reflected back at you.
If your worktop is polished, shiny, or reflective, avoid pendants with a sharp, direct downward beam. Opt instead for softer, ambient light sources where the light source itself isn't visible.
Avoid glare on the worktop by choosing a diffused light if your surface is polished
9. Cable considerations
There are more ways to suspend a pendant than most people realise — chains, rods, ropes, swag hooks, braided cable, and electric cable with or without stainless steel support cables, to name a few.
Most cables are field-cuttable, meaning your electrician can shorten them on-site. Some pendants can't be adjusted after manufacture, so always check — and if that's the case, be very precise about the length you need when ordering.
On the subject of 'loose' cables: many pendants use two separate cables — a stainless steel cable to carry the weight, and a separate electrical cable for the power. The electrical cable is not designed to hang straight, and trying to force it to match the steel cable will only lead to frustration. These pendants are designed to embrace the natural movement of the electrical cable, and they look better for it.
For lighter pendants supported by the electrical cable alone, expect a little time for the cable to straighten out — warmth and gravity will do the work over time.
Keep an open mind when it comes to cables
10. Canopy choices
If you love clean lines, look for pendants that offer a recessed canopy option. A recessed canopy sits flush with the ceiling, hiding all the electrics in the ceiling void. It's not always obvious from product listings — but finding these details is exactly what I'm here for.
If a recessed canopy isn't possible (due to joists, insulation, or a closed ceiling), choose a surface canopy you actually like the look of. Avoid cheap white plastic — it doesn't age well, and a small detail like a canopy makes more difference to the overall effect than most people expect. Look for a canopy finish that ties into your kitchen scheme.
Also check whether the electrical point sits close to anything else in the ceiling — a beam, a speaker, a smoke alarm. The canopy diameter will affect the pendant's centre point, and you don't want it butting up against another element. Give it a little breathing room.
If you can, opt for a recessed ceiling canopy for a clean, clutter-free ceiling
