Distinctive Kitchen Light Fixture Ideas

Staggered Pendant Lighting

Lighting contributes to a kitchen's overall look and feel, as seen in this contemporary setting. Cylindrical pendants of varying diameters hang over the island in a staggered pattern to provide fashionable function.

Mix-and-Match Light Fixtures

Mixing and matching light fixtures creates a collected look especially appropriate for a kitchen in an old English manor like this one. This type of home is known for its unfitted kitchen -- the product of assorted freestanding furniture pieces accumulating over generations. The light fixtures seen here relate to each other while keeping with the unfitted look of this historical home.

Layers of Light

To match the sleek, contemporary look of this kitchen, an amoeba-shape ceiling soffit holding track lighting and pendants serves as a design focal point and room boundary. The yellow glass shades give the kitchen a splash of color. Ambient lighting hidden by the soffit adds another layer of light.

Vintage Lighting

Light fixtures with vintage appeal give this bright, lime-green kitchen old-fashioned character. Two matching single-lamp fixtures hang over the island, a triple-lamp chandelier illuminates the kitchen table, and sconces flank the window seat -- all adorned with antique-inspired white porcelain shades.

Spotlight Your Work Space

Kitchen lighting should be as functional as it is fashionable. Here, two wall-mount lights in a bronze finish illuminate the wide sink equipped with two faucets.

Small Pendant Lights

For a modern look, stagger small fixtures above the peninsula in a zigzag pattern to bring light to a wider area. The pendants seen here complement the open layout and contemporary style of this kitchen without obstructing the view of the cherry cabinets and stainless-steel range hood.

 Bold Lighting

Some kitchens call for bold, prominent fixtures. Here, four large, bronze-finished pendants -- two over each island -- create an industrial look and provide ample light. Curved lines soften the edges, and hardware details add visual interest.

Track Lighting and Pendant Lights

This kitchen benefits from multiple types of lighting. Track lighting was installed to spotlight functional areas around the perimeter of the kitchen. Sleek, triangular-shape pendant lights provide helpful task lighting over the island.

Old-Fashioned Glass Light Fixture

The antique look of this double-light glass pendant adds old-fashioned charm to a modern kitchen. Polished-nickel hardware echoes the stainless-steel appliances, and a heavy chain anchors the fixture to the ceiling.

Large Globe Lights

Large kitchens and hefty light fixtures go hand in hand. This kitchen, with its high ceilings and spacious floor plan, requires fixtures substantial enough to balance the space. The white spheres fit the kitchen's light, contemporary look, while the dark lines and chains add contrast.

Shapely Lighting

The white color and organic shape of these ceramic fixtures are the perfect complement to a kitchen with bold geometry and a vibrant color palette. A thin cord supports each pendant, hung from an angled ceiling. The pendant's size works alone or hung in groups.

Functional Fixtures

The minimalist design of these contemporary drum-style pendants works well in a variety of settings. The fixtures are large enough to cast plenty of light on work surfaces. Yet, with thin, white shades and soft edges, they give the kitchen an open and airy feel.

Natural Light

The organic shape and repeating arrangement of these small pendants work beautifully in this Asian-inspired kitchen. Hung at different heights in somewhat random groupings, the shades add subtle variations to the natural look.

Tall Pendant Lights

These cylindrical pendants with linen shades extend the space vertically and supply artistic interest and practical lighting above the island. Crystal finials add a touch of sparkle.