Mark, thanks for your question, it's a good one because we're constantly bombarded by shows like The Block that are all based around trends and that can make us unsure about how our own home can fit into the current trend...or not. Firstly, can I reassure you that pendants are not a trend item, they've been around for ever (thank you how2girl for your image). When designing an interior, the rule is to design or decorate the 3 levels - the upper ceiling level (ceiling details, pendants etc), the mid height wall level (think artwork and tall lamps) and to decorate the lower level (rugs or decorative flooring). The most beautiful and interesting rooms draw your eye around the space, from floor to ceiling and back again, making pendant lighting an important stimulating feature in a space. Pendants also anchor a space. They say, I am here over the meals table or island bench and this is where we gather to talk, laugh and eat. I love them and use them and wall lights in preference to downlights whenever possible. Now just make sure that you still have adequate task lighting in your kitchen for the important things like preparation, cooking and cleaning up. Downlights serve this purpose well. LED strip lighting under overheads is a popular choice - I've done it under island benchtops and kickers as well to give that floating feeling and it looks amazing. But it doesn't provide you with overhead task lighting, and that's why I would use downlights as well. In answer to your question about whether to have an island bench or not, please forget trends unless you're reselling and even then you need to consider how much space you have and the flow of the room. If you could provide a sketch it would be easier to help you wth that specific question. Here are a few photos of one of our recent projects (still in construction mode so please excuse the surrounding mess) which show LED strip lighting, pendants and downlights in a kitchen, bar and casual living room (all in the one big open space). Hope that helps, Yelda xo :)

No not at all, 2.8 divided by spaces between lights (eg 4 spaces lights are hung every 700). Mark out 700 from end of bench and place a piece of tape then measure 700 again and place another piece of tape and so on. Then place the lights over the tape so that the tape is in the middle of each light this will give you an idea if it will look cramped. Good luck!

Hi - love the space and palette! Looks fantastic. I'd be thinking 3 pendants. We've just had some pendant dilemmas, and this is what we chose (....but sadly couldn't use in the end....). It's a Nordlux 'Float' brand, with various sizes and copper or silver finish. I love modern scandi design and wooden pendants, so this was a combination of both. This is the one we chose: This 'Ambient Constructions' shoot (search it on Houzz, I couldn't link it for some reason) below shows you how the slightly larger size look: Good luck!!

I like option 1 too, if you are worried about them not being big enough, can you find something like that, but that is bigger than the 16cm? Also, you could go three, I'm posting our former kitchen reno for you, the bench length is 1600 and our pendants were probably around a similar diameter, possibly slighly bigger, and given how heavy ours were in comparison to what you have chosen I definitely think you could get away with three if you liked the look better.