Pendants are an excellent way to add task lighting to your kitchen however, calculating how many pendants you would need can be difficult. I remember when I first move into my new home five years ago; it kept me up the week before calculating how many pendants needed for my 8-foot island.
I had to choose between two drum or three crystal pendants. Guess what I chose: the three crystal pendants. After all, when adding pendant lights above the table and countertops, odd numbers always look best. This technique allows for an even balance of lights.
One of the most important rules to follow when installing pendants is spacing. When these lights are spaced incorrectly, it looks unsymmetric, provides uneven task lighting, and is uncomfortable. I wouldn’t enjoy going into the kitchen if my pendant lights were not centered.
Therefore, this post will help you with your calculations of how many pendants you’ll need for your island.
The Important Calculations for Your Island
Most homes have recessed pot lights that provide general illumination for the kitchen. However, you’ll need additional lighting that focuses on your island surface and disperse that light across the total length of your island. This is where your pendant lights come to play.
The first number you would need to know is the distance between the underside of the light fixture and the top of your kitchen island surface. A good rule of thumb is to space out each pendant 30-36 inches apart.
Because pendants are used for task lighting, you’ll want that clear space so you don’t feel like the fixture is too low and is getting in your way. If the pendants are too high, then the fixture will be less focused and visually disconnected.
The Size Of The Pendants Matters
The size of the fixture and how many of the pendants you’ll need is important to know. If your fixture is large and your space is small, then one fixture is sufficient. Furthermore, if you prefer to create something more subtle: two smaller pendants no bigger than 8 to 10 inches in diameter will suffice.
Also, you don’t want to hang too many small fixtures as your island may look cluttered. It’s a good idea to have almost 12 inches of space from the ends of the island. An 8 foot Long Island will look great with 2 medium size pendant light.
However, these are just guidelines the actual spacing can alter depending on the space, the length of your island, and the style or size of your pendants.
To determine the size of your kitchen island pendants, you’ll need to first:
- Measure the length and width of your table or kitchen island.
- Subtract 12 inches (or 1 foot) from each of these measurements to ensure there are 6 inches of clearance on all sides of the fixture.
- Take the remaining measurements and add them together.
- This number is the approximate width of each pendant.
- To determine how many pendants you’ll need, take the length of your table and minus 12 inches and then divide by any number under the width (as determined in the previous step) and divide by two.
An Estimate For Each Foot Island
How many pendants do I need for a 5-6 foot island? One large pendant will give you enough lighting, however, ensure that it is centred. If not, then try two small pendants.
How many pendants do I need for a 7-8foot island? Again given the size, three small pendants or two medium-size pendants will look great. Calculate the spacing which can be 34-40 inches apart.
How many pendant lights over a 9-10ft island?–You can hang 3 pendants between 12-16 inches in diameter. If you choose a smaller pendants than four will look beautiful.
After a while, calculating how many pendants you’ll need for your island will get easier. But until then, you can take a look at these estimates since they have helped me when I was fixing my kitchen.
