Sounds like if you built an island you are not totally lost.
You need to determine where you have power in the ceiling now. I assume you have some sort of lighting fixture up there now?
If you luck out and your pendants will end up along a wire run you pull along ceiling joists you can add fixtures with minimal damage to drywall or whatever ceiling material. If you have to go across the joist direction it will be a little more involved but nothing major.
You should also look into track lighting. Not all has to be the butt ugly stuff (some consists of two barely noticeable wires for the tracks on which fixtures seem to float). It is great for kitchens because you can position task fixtures over work areas like cutting boards and can float pendants over serving counters and so forth too. Everything just slides on the track.
With track lighting, and assuming you do not need extra circuits and things, you can just tap your existing power and build your track system from that point. If you layout where the track needs to go it will almost disappear visually. It is easy to install.
I use track mainly for gallery clients but have always had it in my own home too. Your best options will be availed at a lighting or electrical supply store and not a box one. The track fixtures box stores sell do not hold up well ot the heat of say halogen bulbs and are a waste of money. They will fracture on you the first time you try and move them so you end up saving no money just because they were cheap to start.
You need to determine where you have power in the ceiling now. I assume you have some sort of lighting fixture up there now?
If you luck out and your pendants will end up along a wire run you pull along ceiling joists you can add fixtures with minimal damage to drywall or whatever ceiling material. If you have to go across the joist direction it will be a little more involved but nothing major.
You should also look into track lighting. Not all has to be the butt ugly stuff (some consists of two barely noticeable wires for the tracks on which fixtures seem to float). It is great for kitchens because you can position task fixtures over work areas like cutting boards and can float pendants over serving counters and so forth too. Everything just slides on the track.
With track lighting, and assuming you do not need extra circuits and things, you can just tap your existing power and build your track system from that point. If you layout where the track needs to go it will almost disappear visually. It is easy to install.
I use track mainly for gallery clients but have always had it in my own home too. Your best options will be availed at a lighting or electrical supply store and not a box one. The track fixtures box stores sell do not hold up well ot the heat of say halogen bulbs and are a waste of money. They will fracture on you the first time you try and move them so you end up saving no money just because they were cheap to start.
