Kitchen Design Tip 3: Use Pendant Lighting to Bring Interest to a Cavernous Space

Designer Shaun Ford kept the colour palette rather neutral in this bachelor suite in Calgary’s Lower Mount Royal neighbourhood—the art and the architecture are the stars of the show. The client’s colourful collection of paintings gives the space a gallery vibe, and in the daytime, it’s not far off from holy. “With the vaulted ceiling and direct sunlight coming into the space, there’s a very unique, open, almost cathedral-like feel,” says Ford. To keep the space from feeling too stark, the designer chose to drop a large pendant light—a Modo chandelier from Roll and Hill—above the dining table. “It fills the space really beautifully,” says Ford. “It’s not super heavy feeling, but there’s a mass there that makes sense from a scale perspective.”

Mindful Material

To keep this kitchen within budget, Ford chose a composite material for the cabinets and integrated appliances. “It’s an eco-friendly material that’s low-maintenance… it doesn’t mark up easily and it’s super hardy,” says the designer.