The Height of Kitchen Island Lights

Height From Ground

• Hang the pendant light so the bottom of the light is between 72 and 76 inches from the ground. This keeps the light close enough to the surface to illuminate it while keeping it above the line of sight for most people. If people in your household are tall, hang the light on the high end of the range.

Height From Island

• A light can hang anywhere from 30 to 40 inches above the surface of the kitchen island. This depends on whether the island is bar height or counter height. The light should be closer to a bar height island than a counter height one.

Tips

• Before installing a pendant light, hang a balloon from a string in the position that you think you would like the light to be. Have everybody in your household come into the kitchen and stand or sit in places they might be during everyday life. Note whether the balloon obstructs vision or seems to get in the way and adjust the height accordingly.