A good kitchen lighting design needs at least two elements: task light for cooking and aesthetic illumination that highlights special features, architectural features, creates mood, and makes the room seem friendlier. Well-designed kitchen lighting is a must due to the room’s many uses, ranging from food prep and cooking to a social hub and transit zone and an area to display décor. For these multipurpose areas, modern kitchen pendant lights are a stylish and popular choice.

Perfect Kitchen Design with Modern Kitchen Pendant Lights

Kitchen pendant lighting directs light to the area below, making them practical in cooking and food prep areas, and when put on a dimmer, they create beautiful mood and accent lighting. Fitting pendant lights with a dimmer switch lets the island serve as a functional work area and a place for family and friends to gather under a soft, warm glow. Styles range from industrial shapes to mixed materials to sleek suspension lights to traditional designs. Hung over the kitchen island, modern pendant lighting illuminates the space and adds interest against the hard lines of the cabinets.

Go Bold with Kitchen Pendant Lighting …

Although pendant lights are a popular choice for kitchens, the trend for bold looks and statement lighting is growing along with it. Large kitchens and open-concept floorplans offer so many possibilities to have fun with the lighting design. Add the statement lighting as the primary source of illumination over islands and dining areas and use directional task lighting and downlights over cooking areas and countertops to get a blend of lighting that is as practical as it is beautiful.

Sean Lavin Viaggio 56 Inch 25 Light Linear Suspension Light by Tech Lighting

A lighting design that puts the fun in functional, the Sean Lavin Viaggio 56 Inch 25 Light Linear Suspension Light by Tech Lighting creates a sense of movement over the kitchen island. The sleek black body contrasted against solid Brass arms with white glass globes mirrors the colors and finishes in the cabinets, countertops, backsplash, and chairs.

Hubbardton Forge Cityscape 51 Inch LED Linear Suspension Light

Big, bold spaces require big, bold lighting, and that’s exactly what the Hubbardton Forge Cityscape 51 Inch LED Linear Suspension Light brings. Polished aluminum rods reflect light from the glowing edge-lit LED guide plate in an ethereal blend of light and shadow. The cable suspension gives the impression of the light floating in the air.

Tech Lighting Sean Lavin Gunnar 23 Inch Large Pendant

Traditional in style, the grand scale of the Tech Lighting Sean Lavin Gunnar 23 Inch Large Pendant is tempered by elemental geometry. The spun metal shade is hand-painted with matte black highlighted with a stunning semi-gloss satin gold. The shade’s 26-inch stature makes a dramatic statement that highlights the clean white lines of the kitchen.

… or Go Subtle, Both Can Be Equally Stunning

It is sometimes tempting to fill every space in the kitchen but holding back can evoke a softer look that is just as appealing as a bold statement. Understated modern kitchen pendant lighting subtly catches the eye in a harmonious kitchen design.

Hinkley Lighting Somerset 11 Inch Mini Pendant

Small in size but big on style, a pair of Hinkley Lighting Somerset 11 Inch Mini Pendants exude precise sophistication. The design thoughtfully fuses modern and vintage styles for a chic, elegant look. The etched opal glass globe floats inside a metal ring while turned metal knobs add an industrial edge.

Mix Materials to Amplify Style

The types of materials used in lighting are endless and spark continuous innovation with a mix of softer natural materials such as rattan and harder ones such as ceramic and steel. Proportion, texture, scale, pattern, and even color are all in the mix. Let the materials in the kitchen surfaces guide the choice of lighting.

Rimini 38 Inch Large Pendant by Arteriors Home

Svelte and sleek, the Rimini 38 Inch Large Pendant by Arteriors Home adds a three-dimensional layer to the space. The pendant’s curvy style softens the hardscapes of this kitchen. The two layers consisting of natural rattan and an outer core finished in black echo the juxtaposition of the natural wood cabinets and black tile backsplash.

Suzanne Kasler Morris 30 Inch Cage Pendant by Visual Comfort and Co.

The gilded iron finish and clear glass shade featured on the Suzanne Kasler Morris 30 Inch Cage Pendant by Visual Comfort and Co. show how seemingly disparate elements can work together. The finish highlights the light wood floors and the clean glass shades let the beautiful backsplash take center stage. This kitchen is a mix of textures and materials highlighted by the stunningly simple lighting design.

Colchester 19 Inch Large Pendant by Hudson Valley Lighting

Inspired by vintage luggage, these Colchester 19 Inch Large Pendants by Hudson Valley Lighting are entirely at home in this modern kitchen. They bring a sense of solid durability to this light and airy space without disrupting the visual flow. Over-scaled rivets add a refined detail where they hold these overlapping bands together. Tubular exposed-filament bulbs evoke the vintage of the luggage that inspired the fixture while providing exceptional mood lighting.

Kitchen Pendant Lighting That Balances the Design

Create a cohesive look throughout the kitchen by keeping the lighting and color palette uniform. Pendant lights that match the style and color offer a focal point that augments the design and enhances the sightlines where all elements work together, making the result greater than the sum of its parts.

Thomas O’Brien Hicks 13 Inch Large Pendant by Visual Comfort and Co.

These Thomas O’Brien Hicks 13 Inch Large Pendants by Visual Comfort and Co. bring a touch of glamor and an industrial edge to this bold black and white kitchen. The iconic design includes white glass and bronze with an antique brass finish, elevating the eclectic look of this kitchen.

Glendale 20 Inch Cage Pendant by Hudson Valley Lighting

The look these Glendale 20 Inch Cage Pendants by Hudson Valley Lighting bring is nothing short of spectacular. The aged brass finish picks up on the hood and the angles of the chair frames. The signature Sputnik starburst floats within the crisp, black, textured iron cube with stunning results. The capsule shape of the tungsten filament bulbs offers a striking contrast, softening the linear motifs.