Wow, there's a flash from my childhood!!  And my childhood was a long, long time ago, too!   That fixture was a big upgrade from the single low-watt bulb hanging in the center of the ceiling when my folks moved into our old house, but its days as "good lighting" are past. You can probably guess..........I'm with your wife on this one. Nostalgia is a great thing, and sometimes I enjoy it too much, but trying to work in a kitchen with poor lighting is no fun.