5 Affordable and Inspiring Kitchen Lighting Ideas for over Your Table

I’m sharing a few kitchen lighting ideas that I’ve considered for over our table in our breakfast area. I’ve got a updated farmhouse look going on right now. While I like the farmhouse style I also tend to lean toward a more eclectic or a traditional look. I’ve also been known to completely change the look pretty often!

My kitchen is our longest ongoing project. Of course we generally have multiple projects going at the same time but the kitchen is a bit here and there.

We are working on it in sections and phases so it doesn’t drain our budget and our energy. So at this point we’re on about round 4 with more than a few rounds left.

The kitchen is open (now) to our living and dining areas and the laundry room is attached to it. Well actually, the laundry room is no longer a room, it’s now part of the kitchen.

Occasionally I spend some time shopping around for ideas.

Okay, not occasionally. I spend a lot of time looking at design blogs, Pinterest and shopping sites. It’s kind of dangerous.

I am a serial fixer upper so I’ve been known to change my mind mid-project on what the end result should look like. Fortunately I’ve been married for a long time and he knows me well.

I have slowly brought him over to the dark side of having several projects happening at once. I’m sure most people wouldn’t enjoy the chaos, but it also means that there’s always something exciting to work on. We work outside when the weather is beautiful and inside when it’s not.

We have several projects happening at all times so that we can determine what sounds like the most fun or needs the most attention each day.

That brings me back to today – we’re looking at kitchen lighting inspiration. Or maybe it’s chandeliers for over your dining table. Or maybe you don’t want a chandelier so it’s whatever kitchen lighting inspires you. I’m sharing what I like and if you like it was well then we’re all good!

What I’m Looking for in Kitchen Lighting

Right now I’m looking for a more casual chandelier for our everyday table in our breakfast area.

I have a round dining table in our (formal, but not really) dining room, and a rectangle dining table in our eating area. The rectangle expands so that we can add more seats to it and these tables work because of the size of the rooms that they’re currently in.

You can actually see one table when you’re sitting at the other.

Kitchen Lighting Ideas

I love the simplicity of this chandelier. It would great in a farmhouse style room but it has really clean lines that would also work in a more modern style.

I think the farmhouse look has morphed into more styles. It’s become a bit less rustic and picked up some more industrial elements. That makes it work in a larger range of styles and this one certainly fits the bill.

I can picture this one in a more masculine study or a moody library just as easily!

Riley Chandelier by World Market for our kitchen lighting inspiration MySimpaticoLife.com — World Market

This is one of my all time favorite chandeliers.

It will fit into almost any decorating style – traditional, farmhouse, french country, eclectic. It may be a little too ornate for some of the more modern styles but it definitely has a bit of romance to its shape and the candle bulbs.

Verona Chandelier by Ballard Designs is one of my favorites for over a dining table MySimpaticoLife.com — Ballard Designs

This wood frame chandelier has been very popular for awhile. I have seen some options that have wood beads and some that just feature the wood frame like this one. I really like the open feeling of this one and I also appreciate that it doesn’t have glass in it because that’s less to clean.

This style will work over a dining table but it would also look great as an entryway light. I think all the shapes will throw some beautiful shadows at night too, which just adds to the appeal.

Circle Lattice Chandelier by Shades of Light is a great farmhouse style light fixture MySimpaticoLife.com — Shades of Light

Here’s another great option that can cover several styles. This has the oil rubbed bronze arms on it which fit in well with the other metals and colors in farmhouse style, but the ropes add a more rustic touch.

I think t would also fit in perfectly in a coastal style because of the roped arms. In my more eclectic moments I can also picture dyeing the rope a bright color to make a statement chandelier.

This one is definitely in top of the running for us.

This chandelier can be either farmhouse or coastal style with it's twin wrapped arms MySimpaticoLife.com — Ballard Designs

Here’s another wood chandelier that’s a little different from the previous one. This one has a more organic shape than the more square shaped one.

This is another that I think would work great in a dining room or entryway.

And think about all those pretty shadows with those candle style bulbs.

So many of these styles will make beautiful shadows in the evening!

I think this one definitely needs a dimmer to make it a moody light.

A wood frame chandelier is a beautiful addition for over a dining room table or in an entryway MySimpaticoLife.com — Shades of Light

I love the clean lines of this chandelier and I can already picture it over a long table.

The long tables that you might find in a library.

It looks like a library light doesn’t it?

Or a greenhouse? It would definitely look great in a greenhouse.

I guess this means that I need to add onto my house…..

This Greenhouse Chandelier really does remind me of a greenhouse. It's perfect for over a long dining table. MySimpaticoLife.com — Pottery Barn

Where do you find kitchen lighting inspiration?

I’ve certainly spent my fair share of time looking at manufacturer sites, Houzz and Pinterest.

Of course, after I spent hours online we happened across a return at our local home improvement store.

Someone had ordered a fixture online and returned it in store.

Of course it’s not any of these that I’ve shared with you, and yet it worked out perfectly.

I guess that sometimes it doesn’t matter how much time you spend loading carts, the perfect thing will just jump out at you. It was there waiting for us to happen upon it.

We weren’t even there to look at light fixtures, this return just happened to be the aisle that we turned down. So I think it must have been right there calling us all along.