Podcast Summary: Dear Alice | Interior Design

Episode: Listener Q&A: All Things Lighting
Date: December 11, 2025
Hosts: Jessica Bennett ("Jess"), Suzanne Hall ("Suze"), Alice Lane, Corey

Overview

In this lively and information-packed episode, the Dear Alice team tackles an entire episode of listener questions about lighting. From choosing the right size chandelier, solving tricky kitchen lighting conundrums, to nailing flattering vanity lights and picking light bulbs that give your space a designer glow—they cover it all with their signature mix of high-end expertise, wit, and practical equations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Lighting Over a Kitchen Island with Low Ceilings

(03:03 - 07:01)

• Can you have pendants over an island with 8ft ceilings?

  • Alice: "Yes, we have done lighting over an island with eight foot ceilings...we would always find a way, regardless of how tall your ceilings are to get that look." (03:03)
  • Recommends layering decorative pendant lighting with practical can lights for task lighting.
  • Use of monopoint fixtures as a minimal contemporary solution, but soft shapes like globes are preferred for a welcoming vibe.

• Sconces by the stove/range:

  • Suze: "Having that there to just kind of like, glow around your stone by your range, by your hood and highlighting all those things. I think it's such a beautiful trick." (05:13)
  • Suggests sconce choices that are easy to clean (e.g., brass or alabaster) and don't look like traditional entryway sconces.
  • Sconces provide an ambient, restaurant-like mood—especially at night, with main lights off.

2. Combining & Mixing Lighting Styles in a Room/Home

(07:35 - 12:19)

• Alice: "No, we do not go to one brand and buy the whole suite...It's really about creating fashion and creating a vibro look." (08:05)
• Avoid matching everything (e.g., all Ralph Lauren) as you would avoid over-matched furniture.
• When choosing adjacent lighting (such as in a kitchen that opens to a dining room), contrast shapes and styles so fixtures complement but don't compete—e.g., if you have an arm-heavy chandelier over the dining table, choose more solid pendants over the island.
• Lighting selection happens after furniture is chosen—it’s "the jewelry" added last for cohesion.

3. Can a Chandelier Be Too Big? How to Size Fixtures

(12:19 - 14:56)

• Alice: "I don't believe a chandelier can be too big. One instance might be if you have an eight foot ceiling...but even then put a cocktail table under it and let's make this a vibe." (12:25)
• Equation:
  • For chandelier diameter: Room width (ft) + room depth (ft) = chandelier diameter (inches). Ex: 10x10ft room → 20" diameter.
  • For chandelier height: Room height (ft) x 2.5 = min chandelier ht (inches); x3 = max.
• Alice: “But I would challenge you—if you can go a little bigger, the more generous, the more designer it will feel.” (14:10)

4. Proper Scaling & Height for Island Pendant Lighting

(15:37 - 21:04)

• Bottom of pendants should hang 34-42” above island countertop.
• Prefer a minimum of two pendants, never less than 16” diameter (ideally 18–30” for larger islands).
• If the island or ceiling is huge, may need to source large-scale fixtures from the chandelier category—can get expensive with soaring ceiling heights.
• Alice: “Your kitchen is your most expensive room...don’t want to cheap out on lighting or go too small because that is going to make everything look...budget.” (17:39)

5. Vanity Lighting: Placement for Flattery & Function

(22:47 - 24:54)

• Never put a light above the mirror alone—it casts harsh shadows (aka “Halloween face”).
• Suze: “You want that lighting to be on either side of your face when you’re doing your makeup. You do not want it above your head.” (23:14)
• Use sconces on either side of the mirror for the most beautiful, flattering solution—even if they’re dim.

6. Do Bulb Types and Temperature Matter? (Kelvin & Lumens)

(25:04 - 29:51)

• Alice: “Yes, the bulb type really matters.” (25:04)
• Suze: “We like 2700 kelvin. In general we want warm light, we don’t want cold light, we don’t want alien LED lighting.” (25:07)
• Inconsistent color temperatures from room to room feel “roofied” or disorienting (25:28).
• Recommended Standard: 2700K everywhere (except perhaps garage at 3000K); for lamps/sconces: 400–450 lumens.
• Dimmer switches are a must for mood control.
• Uniform lighting temperature dramatically upgrades your home’s vibe.

7. Lighting Mistakes to Avoid

(30:11 - 35:16)

• Most common: Fixtures are too small; builder uses same cheap fixture everywhere.
• Too many can lights spaced too closely (“ceiling acne”).
  Suze: “There’s just so many [cans]… they were suggesting every four feet and I’m like, good gravy, that’s so close together.” (33:44)
• Ensure cans (when necessary) are laid out in a logical grid, not scattershot.
• Decorative lighting and scale are what separate “builder grade” from designer homes.
• Alice: “If you get in there and use real brass finishes...the right temperature bulb...boom. You hired a designer.” (33:26)
• “Buy once, cry once”: Invest in appropriate scale and quality upfront.

8. Layering Lighting in Entryways

(36:01 - 39:10)

• No cans needed; use a main fixture, sconces, and a lamp on the entry console for layers and glow.
• Matching lots of lampshades can be redundant—mix materials and types for balance.
• Alice: "The entry is a vibe. Like you’re opening the door and you just want the most beautiful scene that you can walk into." (36:48)
• Entry is for filtered, flattering “mood” lighting—not for tasks!
• Even in small entries, use an art lamp over artwork if sconces won’t fit.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On vanity lighting:
  Suze: "You want that lighting to be on either side of your face...you look like I was on the cast of Halloween...Don't be that person, guys. Flatter them. Make everybody look beautiful." (23:14–24:19)

• On scaling up fixtures:
  Alice: "If you can go a little bigger, the more generous, the more designer it will feel." (14:10)

• On color temperature:
  Suze: “We like 2700 kelvin in general. We want warm light, we don't want cold light, we don't want alien LED lighting.” (25:07)

• On builder mistakes:
  Alice: “The biggest problem was that it was way underscaled lighting. And also…the builder just bought the exact same light and hung it everywhere.” (30:20)

• On layering and not over-matching:
  Alice: "No, we do not go to one brand and buy the whole suite...It's really about creating fashion and creating a vibro look." (08:05)

• On lighting as investment:
  Alice: "Upgrade the lighting—will definitely pay off in spades." (33:26)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–02:47: Introduction, premise, and plans for the episode
• 03:02–07:01: Kitchen island lighting w/8 ft ceilings & range sconces
• 07:35–12:19: Mixing/matching lighting styles and different rooms
• 12:19–14:56: Chandelier sizing formulas and philosophies
• 15:37–21:04: Island pendant height, diameter, and scale guidelines
• 22:47–24:54: Flattering and functional vanity lighting—do’s and don'ts
• 25:04–29:51: Bulb selection and standardizing color temperature
• 30:11–35:16: Biggest lighting mistakes and how to avoid them
• 36:01–39:10: Layering and finessing entryway lighting

Host Tone & Takeaways

Dear Alice’s hosts blend industry expertise with playful, witty banter and relatable analogies (“the earrings of the outfit,” “no one wants spaceship glow”). Their advice is clear, direct, and backed by real-world experience—balancing practicality with high-end design.

In summary:

• Go bigger and bolder with fixtures than you think.
• Prioritize warmth and consistency in bulb choice (2700K!).
• Layer lighting for mood and flattery—never rely just on cans or overheads.
• Choose statement lighting as the “jewelry” of a room after the main design is in place.
• Well-planned lighting is a secret weapon for instantly elevating any space.