The kitchen island is one of the most functional and versatile areas in your home. Centrally located and serving as a morning breakfast stop, dinner prep and work station, as well as a gathering spot for entertaining and showcasing decorative kitchen accessories.

From classic and traditional to rustic and futuristic, an island light is a major design feature vital to the look and usefulness of your kitchen.  Choose wisely and install with precision to create balance and deliver the perfect blend of ambient, task and accent illumination.

5 Steps to Finding the Perfect Island Light(s) for your Kitchen

1.  Provide for plentiful, energy-efficient task light with  LED (light emitting diode) light fixtures.  New LED lamps are dimmable and available with improved color-rendering and color temperature.  Look for bulbs with a CRI (color rendering index) of at least 80 and CCT (correlated color temperature) between 2700K and 3500K.

2. For ambient or general illumination, recessed lighting may be added to blend with a decorative island fixture.  New OLED (organic light emitting diode) island lights are ideal for general illumination.  OLED light fixtures are outstanding and the illumination is glare-free, crisp and clean.  You may choose to use a variety of pendant lamps, track or rail light fixtures, or a single ceiling fixture for general illumination, but be sure that all fixtures are shielded and installed at the right height.

3.  Browse lighting stores and designer lighting websites to get an idea of what type of kitchen island light fixtures would work best in your space.  Keep the lighting traditional, if you have a country kitchen; go with a more high-tech modern design, in a contemporary kitchen.  The trend toward urban, rustic and organic minimalism offers the ideal venue for many of the new kitchen island fixtures for 2014.

4.  If you have a large kitchen island, accessorizing with a mini table lamp provides a subtle elegance. Mini table lamps also serve to bring the scale of a large kitchen in balance.   Chosen wisely, the right mini table lamp makes a true fashion statement and provides a prized finish.  NOTE:   Be sure portable lamps are sturdy and located in a secure spot, safely away from the kitchen sink or stove top.

5.  Top quality lighting controls and switches are crucial to the lighting design and usefulness of your kitchen island fixtures.  Don’t skimp when it comes to finding and installing control panels and switches.  The right system will greatly enhance the enjoyment and energy saving benefits you receive from your kitchen, the true heart of your home.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR INSTALLATION:

•Pendant island lights should hang about 66 inches above the floor.  If the shades are not very deep and there is seating at the island, pendants may hang lower at about 60 inches above the floor.  In rooms with 8-foot ceilings, aim for a 30-inch span between the top of the island to the bottom of the island light; In rooms with higher ceilings, raise the light fixture about 3 inches for each additional foot of ceiling height.  NOTE: Make adjustments according to your personal preference, overall lighting effects, and the size and shape of island light fixtures.  Some island lights look and function best when suspended lower and closer to the island; others look best when installed closer to the ceiling.

•Usually, an odd number of mini pendant lights centered over the island creates better balance. Install one pendant lamp per every two feet of island space.  For example, a six-foot island requires three pendants – one in the center and the others 20 inches away on either side. Take into consideration unusual sizes and shapes of chosen island light fixtures to adjust the spacing and amount of light fixtures required. Thin, tapered mini pendant lamps may look better with an additional fixture; oversized pendant lamps may look better installed as a pair centered over the kitchen island.

• Whether attached to a track system or installed singly into the ceiling, the overall ensemble—which may be composed of a few mini-pendant ceiling fixtures, one large island light or two oversized pendant lamps—should measure from one-half to two-thirds the total length of the island and be at least 12 inches narrower than the width of the island to allow for freedom of movement around this versatile space.

Visit an American Lighting Association (ALA)-affiliated showroom for more advice on how to get the best kitchen island illumination.  Certified lighting professionals at Capitol Lighting will help you find the right island lighting, and they will be able to provide the answers to your specific installation questions.

Check out these excellent and affordable island lights from Access Lighting….

“Adele”  23733 ceiling pendants in Brushed Steel with blown glass available in a variety of colorful glass options.

“Iron”  20738 ceiling pendants, contemporary with a fresh new look in brushed steel with opal glass.

“Tungsten” , LED, energy-efficient, cool, beautifying light.

“Kalista” in classic black and white with crystal adds a sophisticated and tailored elegance.

“Phoebe” offers 3 halogen lamps that are adjustable and provide luxurious light over the kitchen island.

Designer kitchen island lighting should not only be beautifying; it should be  durable, energy-efficient and eco-friendly, too.  Check out the latest kitchen island light fixtures at 1800lighitng.com.  Enjoy the guaranteed best prices on all new designs, including pendants, mini-pendants and large island light fixtures from Access Lighting.

There is something for everyone with Lighting Designs from Lite Source Inc. newly available at  1800lighting.com!

Get the lighting that grows with you!  Lite Source Inc. is the source for classic styling and fashion forward lighting designs for the entire family.  Maybe you are looking for sleek LED adjustable bedside reading lamps, or novelty theme-based lamps for your child’s bedroom—Lite Source Inc. has got you covered!

Perhaps you are searching for the perfect Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift? Check out new magnifying/reading lamps from Lite Source Inc.’s outstanding desk/task lamp collections.  If you are thinking about updating your den or family room, you will find unique table lamps that are affordable and superbly crafted.

New lighting concepts from Lite Source include classic chandeliers for your dining area, fabulous accent lamps for your night tables, and whimsical bedroom lighting to deliver that personalized touch to your child’s bedroom.

Browse a remarkable selection of lighting, including Classic, Elite and Kids styled lighting categories.  Portable lamps, ceiling light fixtures, wall lamps, clip-on lights, adjustable table and floor lamps—fulfill all your lighting needs with marvelous finds from Lite Source at 1800lighting.com.

Styles include traditional, contemporary and transitional, as well as, accent and office/task lighting compositions.  The finest materials-ceramic, crystal, glass, metal and wood-are combined in artfully captivating lighting designs from Lite Source.

Lite Source maintains a large headquarters in California and has showrooms in major US cities, including Dallas, Texas and Las Vegas, Nevada.  The Lite Source team works hard to bring you the best in novel lighting designs and the ultimate in easy and affordable task and accent lamps.

Dynamic designs, outstanding functional lighting compositions, the latest in lighting technology—you get it all from Lite Source Inc. On board with state-of-the art lighting styles, lamps from Lite Source include LED (light emitting diode), CFL (compact fluorescent) and energy-efficient halogen.  With a myriad of illuminating choices combined with advanced performance, you will find exactly what you are looking for to complete your lighting design.

Lite Source remains true to its commitment to provide you the largest selection of fashion forward lighting that is timeless, top quality and always in style.  See for yourself—visit 1800lighting.com and enjoy the fabulous Lite Source line of lighting products designed with something for everyone from the very young to the fashion conscious mature adult!

Update your den or living room with the contemporary geometric LS-22078 “Nizanna” table lamp featuring a Polished Steel/ Dark Walnut finish and White Fabric Shade.

Illuminate your room with the attractive two-tone LS-5750 “Relaxar” flushmount fixture.

See these lighting designs and browse the entire collection of Lite Source Inc. at 1800lighting.com.

video in which Kathleen Packard, their Healthcare Market Development Manager, discusses how some innovations in lighting can positively affect the healing process (and save energy and money). Packard describes hospitals as being historically “institutional and very uncomfortable,” and her mission is to educate the public on the “importance of design” to patient health.

intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell in the human eye, which senses light and regulates the body’s systems, including melatonin levels, which are directly related to sleep. Visa’s Amber Night Light, she says, creates ambient light that won’t disturb the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cell. This allows nurses to check on patients without disturbing their sleep.

Of course, all this valuable information leads us to the problems solved by Visa Lighting’s healthcare light fixtures. Packard calls special attention to the benefits of using LED fixtures. She reminds us that LEDs are indeed a great option for hospitals because they are energy efficient and therefore save money, reducing the cost of healthcare; they render color well, which is necessary, so that doctors and nurses can accurately assess skin pallor; and, unlike fluorescent lamps, LEDs contain no mercury.