Over Sink Kitchen Lighting

As part of my ongoing (never-ending?) kitchen remodel, I recently upgraded the light fixture over the sink—and it completely transformed the space. Swapping out lighting is one of my favorite easy home updates because it offers big visual impact with minimal effort. This time, I focused on over sink kitchen lighting, aiming for something simple, black, and modern to complement the clean, minimalist look of the rest of the kitchen. With so many stylish options available, I rounded up 7 of my favorite fixtures that would all work beautifully over a kitchen sink. And since I started with a boring recessed can light, I’ll show you exactly how I replaced it and gave this corner of the kitchen a much-needed design upgrade.

And because there was a basic, boring can light here before, I’ll walk you through exactly how I replaced it—no electrician required—and totally transformed the feel of this area.

Kitchen Lighting: Before

Let’s back up for a second. This kitchen has already gone through some big changes—new countertops, tile, cabinets, sink and more. But honestly, one of the most impactful updates was replacing that sad little can light over the sink. Read more about the new sink in my post, The Best Black Kitchen Sink.

It might’ve been fine to leave it as-is, but once I saw the opportunity to install a kitchen sink pendant light, I knew it would bring more contrast, warmth, and dimension—especially since this area sits right in front of a wide kitchen window. The old light wasn’t doing much for the space, and it certainly wasn’t making a design statement.

Can you Put a Pendant Light Above a Sink?

One question that might come up is whether you should put a light over the kitchen sink window at all? Absolutely! Most kitchens already include lighting over the kitchen sink with a window. It can be an east detail to miss. Adding a hanging light can change the entire vibe of the space. And when it comes to pendant lights, there are a couple things to consider.

There are a few things to keep in mind. You don’t want any light fixtures too close to water sources, so while there’s no specific U.S. building code for pendant lights above the sink, it’s always smart to check local codes. A good rule of thumb is to hang pendants about 36–40 inches above the countertop. That gives you plenty of head clearance while still making a visual impact.

If you’re using a smaller semi-flush mount fixture instead, you’re golden. No height worries there.

How to Change Out Can Lights?

Because we had an existing recessed can light over the kitchen sink, replacing it wasn’t quite as simple as swapping one light for another. Normally, this would require installing a ceiling box and patching the drywall—a project for an electrician or someone pretty handy.

But I wanted something simpler. Enter the Recessed Light Converter Kit—truly a game changer. It uses the existing wiring and covers the old can light hole, making it super easy to install a standard ceiling fixture without reworking your ceiling. If you’re working with recessed lighting and want a fast, non-invasive upgrade, I can’t recommend this kit enough.

Just a heads-up: the kit usually comes in white. Since I wanted everything to blend with my black fixture, I gave the mounting plate a quick coat of matte black spray paint before installing. Easy fix!

Ok, now for the good stuff. After using the converter kit, I was able to install the new fixture. I chose this kitchen pendant light because I wanted something that would break up some of this wide space in front of the window. Of course, I love all the natural light and the pendant light only comes down slightly below it. In choosing the fixture color, I went for matte black because I really like contrast against the woven wood shades and white tile.

Speaking of these woven wood shades , they are some of my favorite and the same ones I used in my last home. I created an entire post on the Best Woven Wood Shades with more details. I love how the add texture and layer to the kitchen.

Now, as I mentioned, I did some serious searching for fixtures that would work well as over sink kitchen lighting. They all have a modern, minimal vibe and made my favorites list below:

Above the Sink Kitchen Light Ideas

1. Dome Shade Pendant Light – Classic and timeless, great for soft ambient lighting
2. Flush Mount Ball Light Fixture – Ideal for lower ceilings, adds a subtle modern touch
3. Small Flush Mount Light – Simple, sleek, and great for small spaces – used this in my last kitchen
4. Black Pendant Light with Glass Shade (I chose this one!) – Glass shade is great in front of a window
5. Modern Metal Shade Hanging Pendant Light – A bold statement piece for modern kitchens
6. Black Flush Mount Cone Light – A mix of industrial and modern design
7. Flush Mount Bell Light – Compact and perfect for mid century or modern kitchens

Final Thoughts

In the midst of this full remodel, updating the over sink kitchen lighting seem like a small detail—but it made a huge difference. The new pendant light brings so much more style and intention to the space, especially in front of the big window. The contrast, the added texture, the little touch of mood? I love it all. And the best part? The whole thing—from converting the can light to installing the new fixture—took about 30 minutes.

So, if you’ve been thinking about updating the lighting over your kitchen sink with a window, consider it your sign. A beautiful hanging light might be the easiest way to bring charm, character, and function into one of the most-used spots in your home. And yes, this update made my list of Easy Home Updates Under $200 for good reason!

See the full Small Kitchen Remodel for all the details and sources in this makeover.