This post was supported by Urban Lighting.
I have a serious decor crush on pendant lights over an island bench. Is it just me? Tell me you feel the same.
They add so much to a room. If I was less of a barefoot kinda gal and actually paid money for things like really nice shoes, I could use a fitting metaphor here about pendant lighting being like the great shoes that make the whole outfit.
The unstylish truth is that you’ll find me shoeless most days as I mum about the house, but give me a catalogue of gorgeous pendant lights and I’ll go into an instant swoon state.
I may be slightly obsessive with my design crushes. Let’s just say that if I found my perfect pendant light and was forced to choose between buying it or purchasing food for my family, we would all be eating baked beans and 2-minute noodles for the next month. (Sorry kids.)
On the plus side, at least we’d be eating under a really pretty light. And beauty is food for the soul, right? 😉
Which is why I was instantly curious when Urban Lighting approached me to partner with them on this post. Of course I clicked straight through to the pendant lighting at Urban Lighting to check them out, and…
… well, I’m not sure what happened after that. Except that I awoke from a trancelike state of euphoria to find that night had fallen and my keyboard may have sustained some water damage from the drool dribbling from my mouth. (I’m all class over here.)
Industrial pendants in our River House
To see what they have to offer, I’ve put together a round-up of my faves at the end of this post. Meanwhile, my whole aim here is to force you to be just as obsessed with pendant lighting as I am. Sorta like the alcoholic who can’t stay on the wagon, so he just gets all his friends drunk too.
Here are 21 of the most gorgeous examples of pendant lights over an island bench that I could find on the interwebs. You’re welcome. Now, just try not to drool on your keyboard or your phone.
21 gorgeous kitchens with pendant lights over the island bench
1.Tan leather and navy – it’s a match made in kitchen heaven. The texture of those woven basket pendants sends the whole thing over the top.
2. Fresh white punctuated by those crisp black lantern pendants, and a marble splashback that is so pretty it has to be showing off. Dreamy.
3. Some serious Boho style going on here. I adore the texture in those pendants, and it’s perfectly accented by the bold tile pattern on the island.
4. Beaten copper pendants add a touch of luxe to an ultra-sophisticated marble and timber kitchen.
5. Geometrics are so hot right now. These multi-faceted lantern pendants are the statement piece of the entire room.
6. I go weak at the knees for Hamptons style, and this nails the modern Hamptons feel to perfection. A classic combination of black accent lights against an all-white canvas.
7. Dee and Darren of The Block fame designed this stunning space. I’m in love with the soaring ceilings, the pale timber floors and the delicate sky blue of those utterly perfect pendants.
8. Modern kitchens can tend to look sterile, but not this one. Copper pendants add glimmer and warmth, while timber, marble and cork bring layers of texture.
9. A stunning turquoise beaded chandelier is the star of this kitchen. What a focal point!
10. Classic and pretty in every detail, from the slip-covered chairs to the herringbone floors and white-and-gold pendants.
11. So you thought contemporary and classic couldn’t mix. Well here they are in all their wedded bliss. Notice how the white of the shiplap-style joinery and the rustic timber of that feature wall are picked up in both the two-tone pendant lights and the bar stools. That’s a lovely designer’s touch.
12. A nod to industrial style, these understated grey pendants float against grey cabinetry, while recycled timber adds a zing of warmth and contrast.
13. I’m all for repeating pendant lights over an island, but sometimes one statement piece is all you need. This oversized beauty knows she has centre stage, and she’s owning it.
Image via: MyDomaine Design: Mim Design
14. Ooh, rustic. Give me earthy textures and worn, vintage pieces with some soul, any day of the week. These lights look like they have a history.
15. Bigger is better in this kitchen, with white dome pendants adding a modern edge. (And how nice is the wraparound timber joinery on those upper cabinets? Two contemporary touches that take the room from potentially-frumpy farmhouse to seriously stylish.)
Design: Montana Burnett Via: House and Home
16. There’s a classic industrial vibe happening here with the subway tile and enamel pendants. I’m going to risk public execution here by saying I’ve never been the hugest fan of subway tile (it can feel as sterile as, well, a subway), but this kitchen has such a lovely feel, and I am seriously lusting after those rattan stools.
17. Whenever I say “pendant” I can’t help but think of jewellery, and that’s what these lights remind me of. Don’t they just make the entire room? Navy, gold and marble is a match made in kitchen heaven.
18. You will never go wrong with a clear glass globe above an island bench. I love how it lets your line of sight pass straight through.
19. This island is more like a beautiful piece of furniture than a kitchen bench. I’m loving the open shelving and the hint of gold inside those black shades.
Design: Sam Sacks Via: House and Home
20. Or, you could go all-out gold like these jaw-dropping pendants. With an all-white backdrop, there’s room for a signature flourish – and don’t they just make the room? Notice how the gold touches are repeated in the tapware and door hardware too.
21. If restraint is more your style, I’m loving the trend toward undersized pendants. A series of these tiny jewels is so elegant and gives a lovely contemporary vibe to the space.
Are you drooling yet? Well, I’m sorry to do this to you, but don’t wipe up that puddle just yet. If you want the low-down on where to source some statement pendants for yourself, start stockpiling the baked beans, baby, because you’re gonna wanna tip out your grocery money jar and snag some of these beauties immediately.
Then feed the kids the baked beans and go make yourself a nice steak, because many of them are budget-friendly enough that no one is even going to have to starve. #winning
Here’s just a sample of my favourites from the Urban Lighting range.
Hellooooooooo gorgeous. My heart is all aflutter. It was love at first sight.
I’ve done the design-sourcing rounds, peeps, and let me tell you, there is a heckova lot of same-old-same-old out there. These wire mesh pendants on the other hand are so uniquely lovely. They’re delicate and whimsical and ridiculously affordable. If you hang these beauties over your island bench it will be like angels have alighted to sing to you as you cook yourself that nice grain-fed steak that you didn’t even have to forego to buy them.
The only problem here is which one to choose. The wonderfully wobbly hand-blown organic lines of the first, the classically lovely profile of the second, or the delicious pastel shades of the third (which come in a wide range of colours and with or without the gold accent.) I am in love with the uniqueness of each of these options.
Nothing brings warmth to a room like some timber. It feels so natural and organic and earthy. How gorgeous are these beauties?
I’m dying over this first option with the tan leather strap. How fun is that?! Option two, while a bit pricey, has designer-esque good looks and the perfect lines for a classy contemporary abode. While the third would be at home in a modern Hamptons kitchen such as the ones I fall asleep dreaming about on a near-daily basis.
There’s nothing like a dash of black to accent a room. Like a picture frame tying everything together, black grounds the whole space and brings a touch of drama with its dark and brooding good looks.
Nothing’s hotter than copper and gold accents right now, and these beauties sure bring the wow factor.
I’ve fallen hard in love with bead chandeliers of recent times. Love hurts – these babies are certainly known to stretch the bank account. But they bring the sort of personality and high drama that takes a room into a whole new league. You may indeed have to give up your steak to own one of these. (But you love baked beans anyway, right?) If you’re looking for a single statement piece as the focal point of your room, look no further.
So, have I succeeded in my quest to make you love pendant lights as obsessively as I do? I hope so. Let me know in the comments – which is your favourite?
And while you’re in the mood to browse and drool, make sure you check out the full range of pendant lighting at Urban Lighting. This is but a smidgen of what they have on offer, my friends.
