Hang the bottom of a pendant over your sink roughly 30 to 36 inches above the countertop, then adjust for your faucet, your window and the tallest person who washes dishes in your home. That is the easy part. If you live in a Canadian condo or loft with a poured concrete ceiling, the harder question is how to get a pendant over the sink at all, because the junction box is rarely where the sink is. This guide covers both: the numbers, and the workarounds.
TL;DR
- Aim for about 30 to 36 inches from the countertop to the bottom of the pendant, which also keeps the fixture around 72 inches off the floor with a standard 36-inch counter.
- Go a little higher over a deep sink or a tall faucet, and keep the shade clear of the tap’s swing and your sightline to the window.
- Concrete ceilings rarely allow recessed lights, so work from the junction box you already have: track, linear suspensions, swag pendants, surface-mount downlights and low-profile flush mounts.
- New boxes or coring need a licensed electrician and often condo board approval, so plan around the box first.
- Plug-in sconces and lamps can fill the gaps a single box leaves behind.
Table of Contents
- The height that works over most sinks
- Why a concrete ceiling changes the plan
- Five ways to put light over the sink from one junction box
- A quick comparison
- Embrace the concrete
- Filling the gaps with plug-in light
- Safety and the electrical side
- How to plan your own sink light, step by step
- Our point of view
- See it in person
- FAQ
- Ready to plan your sink lighting?
- Sources
The height that works over most sinks
The figure you will see again and again is 30 to 36 inches from the countertop to the bottom of the fixture. Site Lines Architecture gives that range for pendants over a counter, and it is the same range we use in our own guides to pendant height over a kitchen island.
There is a second way to check it. Delta Faucet’s kitchen measurement guide points to keeping the bottom of a fixture at no less than 72 inches from the finished floor, so it stays out of head clearance and out of the view. With a standard 36-inch counter, a pendant hung 36 inches above the counter lands right on that line. If your counter is a different height, do the sum with your own number rather than trusting the range blindly.
A sink is not an island, though. You stand at it, lean over it, and often look through a window above it. Three things shift the answer.
Your height and your faucet
At an island, people sit or pass by. At a sink, someone is standing in front of the fixture for ten minutes at a time. If the tallest person in your household feels the shade at the edge of their vision when they lean in, go higher, toward the 36-inch end or a touch beyond. If everyone is under average height, you can drop toward 30 inches and gain a little more task light on the basin.
The faucet is the other limit. A tall gooseneck or pull-down tap needs room to swing and to be lifted out of the basin. Position the pendant so its widest point sits in front of or beside the faucet, not directly in its arc, and hold the shade up in the air with a helper before anything is drilled or wired.
The window above the sink
Many Canadian kitchens put the sink under a window, and that window is a view you probably want to keep. A pendant hung low and centred will cut that view in half. Two fixes help: choose an open or slim form, such as a glass globe or a slender linear bar, and hang it a bit closer to the ceiling than you would over an island. Light does not need to come from a fixture that interrupts the glass.
Width and visual weight
A sink run is usually narrower than an island, so one pendant or a pair of small ones is plenty. Keep the fixture clearly narrower than the sink cabinet below so it looks intentional rather than crowded. If you want to dig into spacing for two or three pendants, our guide to kitchen island pendant spacing explains the thinking, and the same logic scales down to a sink.
Why a concrete ceiling changes the plan
In a wood-frame house, moving a ceiling light is a modest job. Open the drywall, run a cable, move the box. In a concrete condo or loft, the slab is the ceiling. There is no cavity above it, so there is nowhere to hide a new wire and no way to sink a recessed housing into it.
That is why recessed lighting usually is not an option on concrete. Instead, the wiring typically runs exposed in surface conduit or from a single existing box, and the light fixtures have to work with that reality. The pendant you want over the sink might be four feet from the only junction box in the room.
There are two paths from here.
- Change the ceiling. A new box or a cored hole through concrete is a job for a licensed electrician, and in most condo buildings it also needs approval from the board or property manager. Check your bylaws before you book anyone. Coring can hit reinforcing steel or a neighbour’s service, and it can take weeks to approve.
- Work from what you have. Designers in Canadian condos regularly choose fixtures that deliver power from a single existing box and move the light where it is needed. That is faster, reversible and usually kinder to your building’s rules.
We lean toward the second path for most condo owners, and the rest of this guide shows how.
Five ways to put light over the sink from one junction box
1. Track lighting run from one box
Track is the most flexible answer. You mount a canopy or power feed at the existing junction box, then run a rail across the ceiling surface to where you actually want light. Heads and small pendants slide along it and can be repositioned later. It suits the industrial look of bare concrete, and it means the sink, the prep area and the dining table can all be lit from one point of power. Browse our track lighting collection for rails and heads.
2. Linear suspensions
A linear suspension is a long bar of light hung on two cables. Installed over a sink run, it gives even, wide illumination and does not depend on a pendant being exactly centred. Some are designed to connect to one feed point and span a surprising distance. If your sink is under a window with an uncomplicated, clean line, a slim linear bar often looks calmer than a pair of globes. See our linear suspensions, including the Apollo LED Linear Pendant by Allegri, which is built for exactly this type of horizontal span.
3. Swag pendants
A swag kit lets a pendant hang on a chain or cord that loops from the ceiling hook to the junction box. The cord sweeps across the ceiling and drops the fixture where you want it. It is a classic condo trick for repositioning a light by several feet without touching the slab. Cords can show against concrete, but in a loft this reads as part of the industrial charm. Keep the visible run neat, use ceiling hooks rated for the weight, and make sure the drop still ends up at that 30 to 36 inch height over the counter.
A compact pendant works well here. The Cantina LED Pendant by Sonneman has a soft, rounded form that reads clean in front of a window, and the Ola LED Pendant by Sonneman is another slim option that does not crowd a sink run. If you are adjusting a drop to hit your height, our note on setting pendant drop length walks through it.
4. Surface-mount downlights
Where you would normally use a recessed can, a surface-mount downlight sits on the ceiling in a slim disc. It covers the same job, general light from above, without needing a cavity. Sonneman makes surface mounts that look refined rather than makeshift, and they pair well with a pendant: the downlight handles the broad work and the pendant handles the mood. A low-profile disc is also a gentle partner to a concrete surface.
5. Low-profile flush mounts
If a pendant is not essential, a flush mount at the junction box is the simplest fix. A shallow LED disc gives clean, even light and no dangling parts. Look through our flush mounts to see the range, from minimalist discs to more sculptural shapes. A flush mount near the box plus a pendant or sconce at the sink makes a strong two-layer plan.
A quick comparison
| Option | What it needs | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track from one box | Existing junction box, surface rail | Moving light several feet | Rail visible on concrete, which suits an industrial look |
| Linear suspension | One feed point, two anchors | Even light along a sink run | Anchors must suit concrete |
| Swag pendant | Ceiling hook, cord to box | One statement pendant over the sink | Neat cord routing, correct drop |
| Surface-mount downlight | Existing box | Replacing a recessed can | Fixture depth |
| Low-profile flush mount | Existing box | Clean, simple general light | Less drama than a pendant |
Embrace the concrete
Many owners try to hide a concrete ceiling. We would encourage the opposite. Raw concrete has a quiet, mineral texture that makes metal, glass and warm LED light look better. Exposed conduit painted to match, a matte black track, a slim brass bar: all of it fits. Instead of fighting the slab, choose fixtures with clean lines and soft, diffused light, and the room reads as deliberate.
Warm light matters here. Cold white on grey concrete can feel clinical. A warm colour temperature keeps the room feeling lived in, and a dimmer lets the same pendant serve a bright morning of dishes and a soft evening with friends. Natural Resources Canada’s home lighting design guide also encourages efficient choices for spaces you use often, and LED fixtures with dimming are a sensible fit for a kitchen. If you like to end the day by resetting the kitchen, a few kitchen candle scent ideas can finish the mood once the lights are low.
Filling the gaps with plug-in light
One box will never light a whole kitchen. This is where plug-in pieces earn their place, and they need no wiring and no permission.
- Plug-in wall sconces flank a window or sit on either side of a sink to add side light, which is kind to faces and reduces shadows under a pendant. Check our wall lighting for plug-in styles with a cord cover or switch.
- Table and floor lamps warm a corner of the counter or a nearby dining nook.
- Under-cabinet lighting is a good partner for task work at the counter, particularly where the pendant is a decorative accent.
Layering this way matches what we say in our three golden rules of kitchen lighting: a kitchen needs more than one source, and each source has a job. For a wider overview, see how to choose the right kitchen lighting.
Safety and the electrical side
A few jobs are not for a weekend project. Adding a new box, running new wiring or drilling into the slab belongs to a licensed electrician, and in a condo you should speak to the board or property manager first. The Canadian Electrical Code covers luminaires too, including requirements on how luminaires with combustible shades are installed and how fixtures are protected below a minimum height; an industry guide to Section 30 gives a good overview. Your electrician will know which rules apply in your province and building.
Also remember that a sink is a wet area. Water splashes, steam rises, and cords should never hang where they can be pulled into the basin. Keep a plug-in lamp well away from the water, and if you are unsure about a fixture’s suitability near a sink, ask an electrician before you buy.
How to plan your own sink light, step by step
- Measure the counter height from the floor, then add 30 to 36 inches to find the bottom of the pendant. Check that the result is at least 72 inches off the floor.
- Find your junction box. Note exactly where it sits relative to the sink.
- Choose your method from the five above, based on the distance between the box and the sink.
- Hold it up. Have someone hold the fixture, or a cardboard mock-up, at the planned height. Check the faucet swing, the window view and the tallest person’s head.
- Add a second layer, such as a sconce or lamp, so the sink is not lit by one point alone.
- Call an electrician for anything beyond swapping a fixture at the existing box.
Our point of view
We see the same moment again and again. Someone falls in love with a pendant, measures the sink, and then looks up at the slab and realizes the box is nowhere near. Our advice is to stop treating that as a problem. The box is your starting point, and the fixture you choose is the tool that carries the light across the room.
We think a track or a linear suspension is the most forgiving answer in a condo, because it keeps your options open if you rearrange the kitchen later. We think a swag pendant is the most charming. And we think almost every sink area is improved by a second, softer source such as a plug-in sconce. The 30 to 36 inch guideline is a good start, but the right height is the one that feels comfortable when you are standing at the sink with your hands wet.
If you are working on a whole project, our team can also help designers and contractors with trade programs and project support, so the lighting plan suits the budget and the building.
— Montreal Lighting & Hardware
See it in person
Montreal Lighting & Hardware carries ceiling lighting, wall lighting, table and floor lamps and outdoor lighting, plus hardware and fans, from a wide range of designer brands. You can browse the full lighting range online, or visit our illuminated showroom to see how a fixture looks at actual height before you commit.
FAQ
How high should a pendant hang over a kitchen sink?
Most guidance puts the bottom of the pendant 30 to 36 inches above the countertop. Go toward the higher end if you are tall, if your faucet is tall, or if the sink sits under a window you want to keep clear.
Can I put a pendant over a sink if I only have one ceiling box?
Yes, in most cases. A swag kit, a track run from the box or a linear suspension can carry power across the ceiling to the sink without opening the concrete. If the fixture hangs on a cord that crosses the ceiling, make sure the hooks and routing are secure and neat.
Do I need approval to add a ceiling light in a concrete condo?
Changing a fixture at an existing box usually does not, but adding a new box or coring the slab often does. Check your condo bylaws and speak to the board or property manager, and hire a licensed electrician for any new wiring.
Is a pendant enough light for a sink on its own?
Usually not. A pendant gives a pool of light and a decorative focal point, but task work is better with a second source, such as an under-cabinet strip or a plug-in sconce beside the window. A dimmer helps one fixture serve several moods.
Ready to plan your sink lighting?
Bring your ceiling height, your counter height and a photo of your junction box, and we will help you choose a fixture that fits the space and the building. Book an appointment with the Montreal Lighting & Hardware team and we will walk through the options with you.
Sources
- Kitchen Island Lighting Guide: Pendant Placement and Design Tips, Site Lines Architecture
- Kitchen Measurement Guide, Delta Faucet
- Home Lighting Design Guide Pocket Book, Natural Resources Canada
- Guide to the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I: Section 30, Electrical Industry News Week
