2 min readIn this Michigan lakefront kitchen by James Thomas, twin table lamps on the island replace traditional pendant lighting, creating a cozier and more intimate feel.
Designer Thomas Riker says the team avoided pendants to prevent overcrowding the ceiling while still providing both task and ambient lighting.
Inspired by lamps used on long tables in British pubs and school dining halls, the hard-wired island lamps add warmth and a library-like atmosphere to the space.
Pictured Above: A kitchen designed by James Thomas.
Your kitchen lighting doesn’t have to be basic; just take a look at this gorgeous Michigan lakefront retreat. Instead of recessed lights or an obvious overhead fixture, there are twin table lamps perched on the kitchen island, and the overall effect of this genius design detail amplifies the intimacy of the entire space. We asked the team at James Thomas, who oversaw this project, about why they went the nontraditional lighting route.
“Pendants over the kitchen island are so expected,” says Thomas Riker, founder of the Chicago-based design firm. “We really like a different concept for this room—especially with the pendants that we had chosen to go in front of the windows and another one over the kitchen table. It felt like we were quickly going to have too many things hanging from the ceiling. We liked how the lamps, while still providing good task lighting as well as soft ambient lighting, cozied up this very large island in this very large room.”
Not only did this provide a clever design solution for this particular room, but it also allowed the team to tap into some inspiration gleaned from their recent travels across the pond.
“We had been in England and saw this detail used in pubs and restaurants, and we loved how it immediately gave the space a cozy, library vibe,” Riker continues. “Anything British is always a fan-favorite for us. I also love the reference to the dining halls or reading rooms at an English prep school where you have lamps on the big, long tables providing task lighting.”
So, how can you achieve this cozy, cord-free lighting setup in your own kitchen? The lamps are hard-wired directly into the island countertop. While doing this may require a bit of extra planning, the aesthetic payoff is well worth it. The eye-level lighting casts a warm glow over the kitchen that other types of fixtures simply can’t compete with.
With the perfect blend of functionality and British design influence, your kitchen really can have it all.
