I went with pendants in my kitchen and honestly, they're pretty great. Yeah, there's a bit of shadow sometimes, but it's not as bad as I thought it'd be. I think it depends a lot on the height you hang them at and the bulb brightness. Mine are adjustable, so I played around until I found the sweet spot. Did you already pick out your bulbs? That can make a huge difference...warm vs cool lighting totally changes the vibe.
I totally agree with you about the bulbs—makes such a difference. When we redid our kitchen, I thought pendants might be too shadowy, but honestly, they create such a cozy atmosphere, especially with warmer bulbs. I remember swapping out bulbs at least three times before finding the right warmth. Glad you found your sweet spot, that's half the battle...trial and error can actually be pretty fun when you're seeing your space transform bit by bit.
Pendants definitely add charm, but when we redid ours, I went with recessed LEDs and honestly haven't looked back. I get the warmth thing, totally... but LEDs have come a long way, and they're so energy-efficient. Plus, dimmers are a game-changer—instant cozy vibes without bulb swapping drama.
Totally feel you on the recessed LEDs—went that route myself in our last flip. At first, I was skeptical they'd feel too clinical, but you're right, dimmers are the secret sauce. Instant mood lighting without the hassle of swapping bulbs every other week (been there, done that... never again). Plus, my electrician practically hugged me when I said no pendants this time—guess he wasn't a fan of balancing on ladders either, lol.
"dimmers are the secret sauce"
Totally agree, dimmers changed my kitchen game too. But next time, I'd probably mix in some under-cabinet LED strips—soft glow, energy-efficient, and perfect for late-night snack raids without waking everyone else up...
