A kitchen island has to be a lot of different things all at once. As the central feature of the hub of the home, a kitchen’s island will at various times be a place to eat, to cook, to work, and to socialize.
So, surely, the island deserves some attractive décor that will really make it stand out! And what better way to do that than with gorgeous chandelier lighting?
Using a chandelier to showcase your island won’t just upgrade the aesthetic of the room. It will also improve the lighting in the place that needs it the most! It doesn’t matter whether you’re eating your breakfast or working from home. Without good lighting, you run the risk of straining your eyes doing any task at your kitchen island. Not to mention that you compromise the look and feel of the room, too.
But, figuring out how to hang your chandelier can be an intimidating task. You might have questions like:
- How many chandeliers do I need to light my kitchen island?
- How high should I hang my kitchen chandeliers?
- And how, exactly, do I hang a chandelier over a kitchen island myself?
Well, we’ve got all the answers you need right here! Including three simple steps to hang a chandelier in your kitchen at home.
How To Light A Kitchen Island
If you want to avoid tired eyes and a drab room, then you’ll need to choose a chandelier that can give off good light and fits well in your space. There are so many styles to choose from, from modern kitchen to farmhouse kitchen chandeliers, so you can be sure you’ll find one that goes with your décor.
You should also think about your needs when you’re on the lookout for a kitchen island chandelier. Will that be your only lighting source? If so, it will have to be able to support multiple bulbs at a high load. But, if you also have spotlights or recessed lighting in your kitchen, then you can afford to be a little less picky.
You’ll also need to think about how many chandeliers you need. Remember that a larger kitchen island will require more light fittings. You don’t want the room to be dark or your fittings to look out of place. So, measure up your island. If you can fit more than one chandelier along the length of it with two feet of space in between, then doing so could help to make your space look much more stylish.
Where And What Height Should You Hang A Kitchen Chandelier?
Once you’ve decided how many chandeliers you need, it’s time to consider how you’re going to place them.
No matter what, any lighting that you hang over your kitchen island will need to be centered above it. Otherwise, you make the room look unbalanced. And that’s not what you want people to remember when they see your statement chandelier!
For similar reasons, you’ll need to ensure that you hang the chandelier with one foot of space between its edge and the edges of the island. For one thing, the room will look off-kilter if you don’t. For another, people could bang their heads if it juts out too far.
Height is probably the most important part of the placement of your chandelier, though, and also the hardest to get just right.
As a general rule, the bottom of your lighting fixture should hang between 30 and 34 inches above the surface of your kitchen island, depending on how high your ceilings are. If your ceiling is higher than eight feet, then you can mount the chandelier about three inches higher per foot. So, if you have a nine-foot-tall ceiling, you can hang your chandelier at about 33 to 37 inches.
Three Steps To Hanging A Kitchen Island Chandelier
Now, for the most important (and scary) part: hanging the chandelier!
It sounds like a big job, but actually, it is possible to hang a chandelier yourself in an hour or so, as long as there is already a mounting box in place from a previous fixture. Just make sure you have all of your measurements worked out, as well as all of the tools you’ll need, including:
- A ladder or stepladder.
- Weighing scales.
- Screwdriver and screws.
- Wire strippers.
- Wire connectors.
- An assistant.
Once you’ve gathered everything you need, you can make a start. And remember: you’ll need turn off the power to the light fixture at the electrical panel before you get going.
1. Assemble The Chandelier
Before you climb up the ladder and begin fiddling with any wires, the best place for you to start is to assemble your chandelier (or chandeliers) following the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
Using your screwdriver and any other tools specified, screw your chandelier together. The only thing you should leave off at this point is the canopy, which is the cone-shaped cover that will hide the wires in the ceiling. You’ll need to do some wiring before attaching the canopy to the chain.
You also shouldn’t put the bulbs in just yet. Do this later once the chandelier has been mounted, to make the installation process that bit easier.
2. Install Support
Now that the chandelier has been constructed, it’s time to make a start on installing the support! This is what will keep your chandelier sturdy and safe above you, so it’s an important step.
Now, if you removed an old light fixture before installing this new one, there will already be a mounting box in the ceiling. So long as your chandelier weighs 50 pounds or less, it will be fine to hang from a standard ceiling mounting box. You should use weighing scales to be sure.
To your mounting box, you’ll need to attach the mounting strip that came with your chandelier. This is basically just a small metal bar with holes in it.
Simply screw the mounting strip into the screw holes on the mounting box, making sure to use the right size screws to get the connection as tight as you can. Remember that this support needs to be strong!
3. Attach The Chandelier
Before we get onto the most complicated bit, you should double check that your chandelier will hang at the right height above your kitchen island once installed. If not, you may need to shorten the chain using a pair of heavy-duty pliers before attaching the chandelier to the ceiling.
Once you’ve done that, it’s time to make a start on the wiring.
First, you’ll need to thread each of the chandelier’s wires through every other link on its chain. Then, thread them through the canopy, the chain holder at the top of the chain, and the metal nipple. This small metal nipple is the thing that will hold your wires together.
Now you’re at the point where you’ll need your glamorous assistant to help you! Someone strong will have to hold the chandelier in place as you wire the mounting box. So, while they hold the light fitting up, you should wrap the bare copper grounding wires around the grounding screw in your mounting box. There should be one grounding wire from your chandelier and one coming through from the ceiling.
Next, use your wire strippers to remove about half an inch of the insulation from the remaining wires. Then, you can join the exposed ends of the chandelier’s wires to the ceiling wires.
Start with the neutral wires, which are usually white. Find the one from the ceiling and the one from your chandelier, place the bare ends against one another, and twist them together with a wire connector. Do the same with the black hot wires.
Finished!
And there you have it! Your chandelier is now ready to be bolted into place and have its bulbs installed. All that remains is for you turn it on and marvel at how well it lights up your kitchen island!
Just bear in mind that if there is anything in these three steps that don’t apply to the chandelier you are trying to install, then it might be worth calling in an electrician to do the job for you.
Customize Your Chandelier
When you’ve got your chandelier up and running, you might decide to add a bit more sparkle to it. Particularly if you want your light fitting to be a statement piece above your bustling kitchen island, a bit of extra pizzazz could really help to elevate it.
The good news is that it’s easier to customize your kitchen island chandelier than it is to install it!
With magnetic chandelier crystals, wooden beads, and seasonal accents, you can give your chandelier lots of different designer looks, and at a fraction of the price! You can even switch up its design to match your changing tastes or even a change in décor. So, if you repaint your kitchen or install whole new units, you won’t have to replace your chandelier, too. Using just a few accessories, you can make your chandelier work with almost any style.
