Above the Sink Lighting for a Tricky Kitchen Layout
I know we’ve all seen those big beautiful kitchens with the big beautiful pendant light hanging over a big beautiful sink centered in front of a big beautiful window. But what about kitchens that don’t have the size and symmetry of those inspiration images? I’m working on one of those kitchens right now, and I’m determined to find solutions to those problem areas. Imperfect kitchens can be beautiful too!
Design by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design (Alisha Borden, Mariah Hum, and Andrea Padilla) Photography by Aaron Leitz
When A Sink Isn't Centered Under a window
I’ve been brainstorming some ideas for an upcoming kitchen project, specifically the lighting for the sink area. One of the major design dilemmas in this kitchen is that the sink is under the window but not centered. It takes up the right half of the window, and because of the small footprint, there isn’t any room to move it. Most houses have a sink centered under the window, so trying to find examples of over the sink lighting for this situation has been so challenging! Since I can’t find any inspiration photos, I decided to create my own mock ups.
Over the Sink Pendant Lights
The ceilings are only 8 feet tall, so it’s not the ideal situation for pendant lights to begin with. The light would also need to be centered with the window, not the sink, which creates problems when a light is hanging too low. A pendant is great if you are hanging it over a centered sink and want the eye to tie the two together, but that’s not the case here. A pendant hanging too close to the uncentered sink would associate sink and pendant vs window and pendant (which is what we need). See my mock ups below for how to hang the pendant high enough look connected to the window instead of the uncentered sink.
Bonus Tip: Look for pendants with an adjustable cord length so you can shorten as much as needed
Over the Sink Semi-Flush Mount Light
The easiest solution is to use a semi-flush mount light so it won’t highlight the fact that the sink is not centered with the window. It sits right below the ceiling, so provides light for the area without being too noticeable
Letting Go of a beautiful pendant that doesn't work
I completely fell in love with the below pendant when I saw it, thinking it would be perfect for the space and the modern cottage vibe of the project. Unfortunately some design elements are better in theory.. When I saw it mocked up, the proportions were off and didn’t look how I imagined it. Just a reminder that you might be obsessed with a decor item, but ultimately you have to choose what works best with all the other design elements. Stay tuned for the final pick as the project progresses!
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