Kitchen chandelier ideas - statement lighting for your cook zone

Renovating a kitchen is one of the most expensive projects in the home, so it pays to focus on timeless design. Colours and styles that will last are better than looks that will date sooner than last year's TikTok craze. However, to add some pizazz to a backdrop that will stand the test of time consider kitchen chandelier ideas.

'If you see a chandelier you love and it works in your space buy it. Just keep in mind the other material and colour choices you’ve made, so you don’t lose coherence at the last hurdle,' says Emma Cowburn, senior kitchen designer at Harvey Jones. 'Lights aren’t forever, you can take them with you when you move house. Or you can sell them on ebay when you want to redecorate.'

Kitchen chandelier ideas

When planning your kitchen lighting ideas, consensus among designers is to include a mix of task and accent lighting. This is usually done with a combination of spotlights, under-cabinet LED strips and pendants or chandeliers.

'We've seen a high demand for chandeliers,' says Jo Plant, head of design, Pooky. 'In a larger space, or a kitchen with high ceilings, you can make a real design statement with a showpiece designer chandelier.

'In terms of styles and finishes, there has been a definite shift towards the more glamorous, Art Deco statement chandeliers over the simplicity of industrial or the more traditional lighting styles.'

1. Repeat smaller versions of a statement light

If you've opted for a large statement chandelier in your dining area, repeat the style in the kitchen. Two large lights of the same size may compete with each other. However, if smaller versions of your statement piece are available, repeating them is a great kitchen island chandelier idea to create visual coherence.

'Glass pendants or chandeliers are a brilliant way to subtly introduce colour or texture into a space and can be mixed and matched to create visual interest,' says Richard Moore, design director, Martin Moore.

2. Go for gothic glamour

When planning kitchen diner ideas you can do away with the more functional lighting often required in the cook zone and go for something more decorative. Give your space a touch of glamour with a dramatic black chandelier over the kitchen table to set the mood when eating or entertaining.

'If your kitchen includes a dining area, some well-chosen lighting can create an attractive focal point which helps to define the area as a zone in its own right,' says Jo Plant, Pooky. 

'To add interest and help draw the eye, try placing a striking low-hanging chandelier over the dining table – this works particularly well in a larger space, or a kitchen with high ceilings.'

3. Make it centre stage

Knowing where to hang your chandelier is key to it making an impact in your interior. It's a decorative piece but it needs to illuminate your surfaces sufficiently as well.

'Remember, if you’re using a single statement light, always position it in the centre of the island,' says Charlie Smallbone, founder, Ledbury Studio.

'An island performs a range of roles in the kitchen. It’s where you cook, wash up, and prepare food, but it can also be where you dine or socialise. The right lighting is therefore crucial, and – most importantly – it should be able to adapt to all functions.'

4. Choose a chandelier-style cooker hood

Kill two birds (so to speak) with a statement cooker hood that looks like a chandelier. It's a great small kitchen lighting idea if you have your heart set on a chandelier, but not enough space. Not only will it sparkle with LEDs, adding ambient light to your kitchen while you're cooking, but it'll also filter out steam and stale food smells too.

Complement a chandelier-style cooker hood over a hob with a row of pendants over a preparation area at the other end of your island. Reflecting a detail in its design, such as the tiny cuboid shapes in this Elica extractor, in your pendant choice will tie them together visually.

5. Choose a simple linear style

If you've gone for a simple Shaker style kitchen cabinetry, an OTT light fixture could look out of place. Maintain the clean, uncluttered effect with a simpler style of chandelier in a linear design.

'Use the lighting style to coordinate with your chosen aesthetic, and choose designs that are as functional as they are good to look at,' says Mary Buchanan, creative director, Laura Ashley Lighting. 'A luxurious touch can be added with glass for light play and reflection.'

6. Introduce glamour with tiered glass

Chandeliers don't have to be French, frou frou or antique to add glamour to your kitchen or dining space. There are so many modern chandelier styles that will introduce a grand, glamorous edge in a more contemporary way.

'A chandelier is best placed above the dining area in an open-plan kitchen. Generally grander and more decorative, chandeliers work best in the more formal parts of the kitchen – and the dining area is where we entertain guests and host dinner parties,' says Richard Moore, design director, Martin Moore.

7. Go boho with a beaded number

This classic wooden beaded chandelier adds style and character to this kitchen without being showy. It's pretty enough to be eye-catching, but as it's made with timber, it has a rustic simplicity to it that blends well with the country style of the cabinets.

'There is a focus on character lighting; large pendants are very popular, helping to introduce colour or a decorative touch to the kitchen,' says Richard Moore, design director, Martin Moore. 'The best lighting schemes involve light from a variety of sources, all of which should be controllable, allowing you to alter the mood at will.'

8. Illuminate an alcove

Chandeliers hung in the middle of a room look gorgeous but they don't have to be huge to look lovely, or exclusively be confined to kitchen ceiling light ideas. Equally shelf lighting doesn't have to consist of contemporary striplight LEDS. Hanging a small chandelier in an alcove cupboard or bookshelf is a charming way to illuminate a dark space.

It not only provides a purpose, allowing you to find the right book when you need it, it'll add a lovely ambient glow to your room when the main overhead lighting is off.

9. Hang at the right height

Once you've chosen your chandeliers, it's important to consider the best height to hang them too. 'We generally recommend hanging lights so they're 30-36 inches above the counter,' says Richard Moore, design director, Martin Moore. 'This allows for a good drop from the ceiling but also a proportionate amount of space between the counter and the light itself.'

'When you've decided on your lights and where to hang them, check the height is right both when you're stood up and sat down,' says Emma Cowburn, Harvey Jones. 'From personal experience, there is nothing more irritating, than a head bob to see your guests around pendant lights.'

10. Match your materials

Matching materials such as brass or copper on handles and hardware with light fixtures have become popular. However, it may not have occurred to you that this could be done to striking effect with worktop materials too. A matching chandelier is a perfect complement to kitchen worktop ideas.

'The marble in these Timothy Oulten chandeliers echoes the veining in the worktop directly below,' says Richard Moore, design director, Martin Moore. 'They strike just the right balance; they're modern yet totally in sync with the colour palette and décor of the room.'

Can you put a chandelier in the kitchen?

Yes absolutely, 'But don’t put all your lights on one circuit as this will limit your flexibility,' cautions Charlie Smallbone, Ledbury Studio.

Where should I hang my kitchen chandelier?

Kitchen designers recommend hanging your chandelier in the centre of an island or above your dining table. However, where you position it will demand hugely on the size of your kitchen and your chosen chandelier.

How big should a chandelier be over a kitchen island?

The size of the pendant very much depends on the size of your kitchen island ideas. According to Charlie Smallbone, Ledbury Studio, if the island is particularly big, the pendant must be large enough to make a statement when centralised over the island.