I finally found a kitchen light. Huzzah!

I went to Hortons in La Grange. I told the person that helped me (Michael) that I was looking for a flush mount or semi-flush mount light that could take three light bulbs and wouldn’t look out of place in our 1920 home. He showed me several choices in the store and pointed out more options in a catalog that could be ordered. The one that I chose was in stock (yay!), so I bought it and took it home.

And it looks a little something like this:

It’s nothing amazing, but that’s OK. It’s a simple, good-looking light that isn’t a period piece, but it isn’t ultra mod either. And it can take three 100 watt bulbs, which is great (since it will be the only ceiling light).

Now I just need to make a decision about the under-cabinet lighting… fluorescent, halogen, or xenon? I’m leaning toward the xenon fixtures. The light is adjustable (high/low), and not as hot as halogen. Plus it’s easier to wire (no need for a tranformer box). The downside is the cost ($300 for xenon vs. $100 for halogen). Eh, I’ll figure it out.

I’m still trying to figure out what to do for the lighting in the kitchen. There will be two halogen bulbs in the range hood over the stove, and we’ll have a light over the sink. There are also two windows and a door, so we get lots of natural light during the day, but at night it’s a little dark. Right now, there is one fixture, smack-dab in the middle of the ceiling, and it has three compact flourescent bulbs in it.

I love the Clemson pendant from Restoration Hardware (left), and I also like the Jefferson schoolhouse fixture from Rejuvenation (right), but in polished nickel.

I’m also quite fond of the Milk-glass spotlight track lighting from Pottery Barn. Normally, I’m not a track lighting fan, but it could be a great solution for our kitchen because we have a somewhat awkward layout and we’d be able shine the light towards different areas.

I wonder if those little spotlights will be bright enough though. They don’t take regular bulbs, but instead bulbs that are “40-watt maximum, type G-9, 120 volts”. Will that be bright enough to light the kitchen?

*update*
OK. I think the Clemson pendant will hang down too far in our kitchen – we need a flush mount or semi-flush mount. The Jefferson light only has 1 socket, and I want at least two light bulbs in the fixture. The PB track light? I don’t know if the lighting will be adequate. Help?!