Only within the past couple of years have I started to really think about the importance of lighting in a room. Back in the day when I would move into a new home, I’d just kind of look at the lighting and say to myself “well, I guess that’s how it’s going to be!” – I never took the initiative to design the lighting according to my preferences.
Now, I live in a home that has completely custom lighting and it completely changes the game! Lighting is truly the creator of moods, the vibe aficionado, the atmosphere setter. I look forward to the evening when I turn all my lights on and it’s like my apartment becomes a different place!
Lighting is especially tricky to set in the kitchen. Kitchens require bright lighting so that you can see what you’re doing and don’t accidentally chop off a digit, but you don’t want them to be so bright that you feel like you’re in a hospital.
When we start to talk about specific lighting, pendant lights are one of the funnest ways to play with lights in a room. A pendant light can almost act as a furniture piece in itself, making a statement and being gorgeous while simultaneously setting the mood.
This article is going to go through 23 different beautiful kitchens that have pendant lights incorporated into the design. Hopefully in this photo series you’ll find the inspiration that you’re looking for for your own pendant lighting project!
1. The Winking Pendant Lights
Starting out the series strong, we have this gorgeous, airy, and bright beach themed kitchen. This kitchen doesn’t have to be reserved just for the beach house, it’s classic enough that it could easily fit into any home.
The sleek white countertops look extra fresh against the aqua paint on the cabinetry, and the dark hardwood stools really pop against this color scheme. The kitchen island has an awesome sink built right into, giving an absolute ton of both prep and storage space.
The pendant lights are hanging from a gorgeously refinished and white painted wooden ceiling. The pot lights are there for overhead lighting, whereas the pendant lights are a bit warmer in color and are there to create warmth. A very smart design!
2. The Rectangular Pendant Lights
I really adore the design of this kitchen. It almost has a blend of mid-century modern elements and Japanese aesthetic with its cleanliness and minimalism, but sticking to teak colored cabinetry to maintain an essence of warmth.
The sleek, light gray countertops really modernize the room, and the slanted ceilings up above make the room feel absolutely enormous with a ton of breathing room. The matching stainless steel appliances to all of the knobs is a particularly sleek touch.
When we go to the rectangular pendant lights, you immediately understand their purpose. Having the rectangles vertically placed further elongates the room, while having the light bulbs in thick glass casings helps diffuse the lighting and bring a very warm aura to the space.
3. The Big Big Bulbs
I find this to be an incredibly lovely kitchen design. It’s elegant, it’s timeless, it’s spacious, and it holds a place for absolutely every snack, appliance, or tool you could ever imagine. Plus, I’m a sucker for a wine refrigerator built directly into a kitchen island.
The classic white cabinetry is beautiful, and the various elements of stone work – like in the marble countertop or stone backsplash behind the sink – really brings the room together. Not to mention that amazing double oven we see on the back left.
Using clear bulbs for the pendant lights I think is a very smart idea. Since the ceilings aren’t super high, having clear lights doesn’t impeded your vision and thus makes the ceiling feel more open. These classic bulbs paired with the pot lighting ensures you have opportunity to create atmosphere, but also enough lighting to get all of your prep work done properly!
4. The Sleekest Pendant Lights
This is what I like to call a sexy kitchen. It’s one of those kitchens that you could never really imagine a mess being made in it, and also one that you wouldn’t mind having a couple kisses here n’ there. It feels like Ryan Gosling from Crazy Stupid Love would live in the kitchen, y’know?
The wooden cabinetry and high top countertop is absolutely stunning, and brings some really effective warmth and a needed organic element to the otherwise very modern space. Having white features like in the back splash and on the kitchen island brings brightness where it is needed.
The designer was so smart in matching those long, vertical, black pendant lights to cabinets and bar stools, really bringing about a feeling of cohesion to the look. Nothing is by accident in this room, and all of it is perfection.
5. The Simple Cluster Bulbs
Here we have another very smart design featuring cluster bulbs. The reason why I think this is particular clever is because it seems like there is one light bulb per bar stool. And what do humans love most? Why symmetry, of course!
These pendant lights are very plain and simple, but they should be, since the rest of the room is very plain and simple as well. Not to say that the room is by any means boring – everything is neat, tidy, and clean.
From the gorgeous sea moss cabinets, to the huge gray and marble kitchen island, to the white tile backsplash and the horizontal cabinet doors (love that element), there is no funny business in this kitchen. And that’s exactly why we like it.
6. The Classy Kitchen Pendants
Here we have another timeless kitchen design, which I feel like I’ve seen before in my life. That’s probably because the look is so versatile with such a universally appreciated aesthetic, that this kitchen could be found in nearly any home and the owner would be happy about it.
We’ve got a very light color scheme going on, with white tiled backsplash and classic ivory cabinetry work. I always love when designers do contrasting colors, and having a dark countertop again white cabinets against the walls, compared to the kitchen island with a light countertop and a dark gray base: genius!
This kitchen features two large pendant lights with shiny chrome coverings. I think this works quite in this room. Though they are large and not particularly pretty, they do blend right into the stainless steel hood vent, making it seem like the lighting is just another kitchen appliance, and not something separate.
7. The Bell Pendant
You just have to take one look at this kitchen and you know that many incredible meals have been eaten here, and that many gorgeous evenings have been spent. I love a room where you can host and cook at the same time, and this is a great representation that dual purpose.
Though personally I think that those curtains should be burned and scattered into an ocean, the other features of the room are wonderfully cozy and familiar. The nice high stools with cushions are wonderfully inviting, while the dining area looks like a place you could hang out for hours.
I love a stove top that is built right into a kitchen island, especially when that island has a marble countertop. Plain white cabinets and huge windows contribute to the lighting of the room, while the simply, bell shaped pendant lights are discreet and are there for lighting and nothing more.
8. The Industrial Pendants
Now I personally love a small space, and I’m always curious to see how designers deal with smaller spaces. Here we have a super simple kitchen design with white everything, but where things get interesting is when we notice the upper and lower parts of the room.
It’s an industrial-style inspiration to leave the foundational aspects of a room open to view, and that’s exactly what we see here with that incredible brick ceiling, exposed piping, and schoolhouse style pendant lights.
Though the pendant lights aren’t the focal point of the room, I think that was completely on purpose. The minute you see the incredible tile on the kitchen floor (though it was probably the first thing you notice) it’s like the rest of the room can fall away, because you realized all you ever needed was geometrically interesting mustard tile flooring. This design is courtesy of Nook Architects.
9. The Brass Pendants
Here we have a nothing-but-modern kitchen design, and I am here for it! We’ve got various shades of gray going on here, from the incredible stone kitchen island, the the gray brick siding and backsplash, to the cabinets themselves and even the appliances.
One thing I particularly love in this space is how the refrigerator door handles match the brass pendant lights perfectly. Though brass isn’t usually so poppy, it really becomes that when they are placed in a room that is so monochromatic. Simple, yet effective!
10. The Eyeball Pendants
There’s something that’s extra cozy and special about this kitchen. I already have a tender spot for kitchens in general (it’s my favorite room in any home) but this one is particularly lovely and inviting.
Perhaps it’s the gorgeous cherry stain on the lower cabinets that contrasts so perfectly against the clean white upper cabinets. Perhaps it’s the way the stools are facing the kitchen, sitting so patiently on the opposite side of the huge kitchen island.
Whatever it is, it is safe to say that I wouldn’t mind waking up and making myself coffee in this kitchen every morning. This is a design where the designer almost doesn’t want you to notice the lighting. The thick glass helps diffuse the sometimes too-bright lightbulb, while the white color helps them blend perfectly in with the rest of the room. This design is courtesy of BFDO Architects.
11. The Mason Jar Pendants
This is a wonderful depiction of a modernized kitchen that revels in its own simplicity. You really can’t go wrong with a black & tan wood color scheme, and that idea is present all throughout this kitchen, from the ceiling, to the cabinets, to the flooring, to the kitchen stools, all the way to the counters.
This kitchen design is incredibly sleek and classy, which is why I love that the designer chose to use mason jars for the pendant lights. This is a super rustic and industrial addition to the room, that is really effective in this otherwise perfectly modern and clean theme. This wonderful design is courtesy of MU Architecture.
12. The Single Pendant
To be honest, I could really care less about the lighting in this room. But only because I simply can’t believe how adorable, perfect, and quaint this room is. This kitchen is probably set inside a tiny home, since, well, it’s tiny.
You can almost guess that the designer wanted to feel the guest to feel as though they were in a giant sauna in this home, and I think that was achieved. This tiny kitchen has all you could need (save maybe enough counter space, but I’ll let it slide).
The A-frame, cedar framing in the home is too cute for me to handle, especially with all of the other simply gorgeous light features, like the white window framing and beautiful hardwood. I also can’t believe how good that yellow honeysuckle looks against the wood! Insanity! This design is brought to you by Chango & Co..
13. The Dang Fancy Pendants
My oh my. This kitchen design is so gorgeous and luxurious that I assume only a handful of kitchens on the planet can compare to it. Again we see a kitchen with a black & tan wood color scheme, which may be the flag colors for sexy kitchens.
I don’t really know where to begin. With the shiny black backsplash (say that 5 times fast), or the gorgeously smooth wood cabinets, or perhaps the eclectic exposed wood beams on the ceilings. All of this is very well and good, but I think we all know who the star of the show is.
Obviously that giant boulder that has been sanded down and turned into a kitchen island. I don’t know how they moved that honker in there or got the top so shiny in the first place, all I know is that it’s one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen.
These curious funnel shaped pendant lights are particularly interesting and effective. They’re not so oddly shaped that you question them, but just strange enough to make a statement. And of course, even the pendant lights go along with the black & tan color scheme. This work of art is thanks to SAOTA.
14. The Cone Pendants
I think this room is another one of my tops of the series. I always seem to be very taken with big windows revealing the lovely greenery outdoors (it’s dead of winter as I write this), especially when right underneath we have a kitchen with a built in nook.
This is obviously the cream of the crop, with a cozy yet modern looking kitchen nook with a gorgeously orange tiled tabletop in the centre. The rest of the kitchen is the perfect size and color scheme, with white marble countertops, and sleek wooden cabinets.
I find that the understated, funnel shaped pendant lights look beautiful in this room because they’re not the centre of attention, but the fact that I think they’re made from clay bring a lovely organic addition to the space. This design is coming from Kentfield Residence.
15. The Brutalist Pendants
It’s quite the skill to be able to capture nearly three floors of a home in a single picture, but I think that’s it’s completely necessary in order to grasp the full effect that this amazing home has. The stairs themselves are a work of art, and where the special aspect really lives in all the dimensions of the home.
But, to focus on the task at hand, let’s observe the wonderfully simple kitchen design. We have nothing but dark features on the back wall, including the cabinets, appliances, and backsplash, which is what makes the white centre island pop so much more.
The designer wanted to the table to be the focal point of the kitchen, so we can assume that they wanted the lighting to be noticed as well. And it is! With the huge, white, soft pendant lights, it makes quite a statement, especially against the dark features that around found throughout the home. This exquisite design is thanks to IROJE KHM Architects.
16. The Cowboy Hat Pendants
Another very special room indeed. Here we have shiny white countertops to match the upper cabinetry and lovely horizontal tiles on the backsplash. All of these elements are really livened up when they’re paired with wooden floors, lower cabinets, and in the kitchen island as well.
I think that these pendant light shades are so fun. They almost look like cowboy hats with those funky grooves in the top, and they do exactly what they’re supposed to do: they focus the light over the kitchen island, while the pot lights do the work for the rest of the room. This design is thanks to Studio VARA.
17. The Lampshade Pendants
This is another room where the lighting really isn’t meant to be the focal point. Here, we are obviously meant to dwell on the color pops in the room, and how could you not! They’re just so poppy! The designer here obviously wasn’t afraid to use color, and they weren’t afraid to use weird shapes either.
The bones of the kitchen themselves are all rather conservative and regular, but where things get funky and fun is in the kitchen accessories, like those obnoxiously bright (this is used as a term of endearment here) kitchen stools.
I love the color pop of the green upper cabinets, especially when they are coming in combination with black appliances. The long and bulbous pendant lights here are another fun shape added to the space, but not so odd that they take away from the oddity of the other elements. We can appreciate this design thanks to Maurizio Giovannoni.
18. The Horizontal Pendant
Whether this is a lakeside cabin or a lakeside all-year-round home, I want to live here. I mentioned earlier that I’m a sucker for big windows, but I’m even more of a sucker for sliding glass doors in a kitchen, really bringing the outdoors to the indoors.
I also adore a railway car style kitchen, using more length to create space than using width. We have gorgeous, wide wooden panelling on the floor and the rest of the features in this room are sleek and white.
All of this I think is in an effort to bring your focus to the gorgeous view outdoors. And it worked. This is especially obvious in the lighting choice, where the horizontal rail lighting is so discreet, it almost looks like it’s part of the window frame itself. An excellent work of camouflage courtesy of MU Architecture.
19. The Balloon Pendants
Here we have another kitchen design that is so wonderful I feel like I’m going to have a heart attack. I should have been born a Scandinavian, because I love any room that makes me feel like I’m inside a sauna. Or just a straight up sauna, I’ll settle for that too.
This kitchen is just so perfectly tucked away in the corner, a modest kitchen but with enough storage and counter space for nearly anyone. I love the little peep into the lofted area that we see above the kitchen, where we also see the the lighting has been incorporated into the top floor.
Looking at the bulb lights just isolated in the kitchen, they don’t seem to be doing much. But once you see the lights are present in the rest of the home too, suddenly they look less like two boring circles, and instead they become whimsical balloons bouncing throughout the host. This simple and smart design is courtesy of Anik Péloquin architecte.
20. The Blue Pendants
I love how everything in this space feels like it’s just winking at you. The incredible splashes of blue throughout an otherwise white room is just winking with fun, where the narrow window at the end of the hallway is just winking to you from the other side of the house.
I love it when designers aren’t afraid to use color, and especially when they match the lighting to other features in the room like we find here. Also, did you see those incredible ceilings? This lovely and fun design is thanks to Julia Jamrozik and Coryn Kempster.
21. The Extravagant Pendants
Here we see one of the most deluxe kitchens I think ever designed by anyone ever. This kitchen is clearly being utilized by a family of 15, or perhaps this is a case of folks who just love to host giant parties and bring in personal chefs.
Whatever the situation, this is one impressive kitchen. Not only do we have 2 kitchen islands, but each of them is enormous and comes with its own built in sink. We have 2 wine refrigerators, a double stove, and I can’t even tell what that amazing backsplash is made from.
These gorgeous marble countertops allow for tons of prep space, and I love that these lights are surely making a statement. Here we see 4 huge, cage pendant lights that are bringing a beautifully warm diffused light, while we have some back up pot lights for the precise kitchen prep. We have Zillow DigsTM to thank for sharing this amazing kitchen design.
22. The Crepe Pendant
There is something about this kitchen that just gets me. I love every single thing about it. I love the clear glass table, I love the shape of the caramel leather chairs below it, I adore the wall to wall cabinets, and I simply cannot get over just how well everything matches so well.
This room is just perfection. I also adore the use of that one single, crepe paper pendant light hanging over the dinging table. It’s odd, it’s whimsical, it’s light, and it brings that extra little je ne sais quoi to the room. True perfection in my opinion, all thanks to Zillow DigsTM.
23. The Green Pendants
Here we have another small kitchen that proves that you don’t always have to be afraid of a small kitchen! There is storage crammed into every place where there could be storage (I find we’re too liberal with space these days anyhow) and it is does with super clean cabinetry to boot.
Though I personally could not tolerate a burner like that, especially when it doesn’t have a stove beneath, people who don’t cook as much will probably be completely satisfied with a gas burner. I love how the designer matched the backsplash to the wood used for the countertops.
And we’re going to end this serious with a room that wants the lighting to be one of the focal points. You already know that I love a pop of color, and especially love when that color is green! These green glass pendant lights are so fun that it completely changes the feel of the kitchen, and in a good way.
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Thank you so much for reading all my rambling folks. Hopefully you learned a thing or two about room aesthetics, and hopefully you’ve found some inspiration for your very own home-lighting projects!
