Kitchen appliances have been getting sleeker and chicer in recent years, and vent hoods for stoves are no exception.
Some kitchen stove hoods have a contemporary design that helps them blend in with the woodwork, while others are stealing the show by becoming the aesthetic centerpiece of the kitchen. The industrial design of the vent hood in this Case Design kitchen matches the contemporary look of stainless steel appliances.
How to choose a vent hood for your kitchen
A vent hood needs to move exhaust, in addition to looking great in your kitchen. When it comes to design a stove hood can take couple of different directions. It can match the range itself, the cabinetry, and/or the other appliances. It can also take the opposite approach so it stands out on its own as a design element.
The copper vent hood is an eye-popper in this white kitchen by Carolina Kitchens. But vented range hoods should also be selected based on the size of your kitchen and the type of cooking you do. A family who does a lot of baking or microwaving or who simply doesn’t use the stovetop much may not demand the same level of ventilation that other households do. And newer, airtight homes require better ventilation in the kitchen than older homes tend to.
Look for a range hood that’s about 6 inches wider than the stove top. Units should circulate a minimum of 300 cubic feet of air per minute (cfm) and a maximum of 1200 cfm. A lower cfm won’t have enough power for most kitchens, while more can ventilate too much air from the home and decrease the efficiency of your heating and cooling system.
The massive stove hood in this Case Design kitchen keeps heat, smoke, and exhaust from rising to the second story in this open floor plan.
Types of vented range hoods
While there are dozens of vented range hood designs to choose from, most hoods are one of five styles:
Under cabinet hoods: Installed underneath the cabinets above your range, these hoods save a lot of space and leave room for additional storage.
This under cabinet stove hood leaves plenty of room for storage cabinets, a beautiful backsplash design, and even a custom kitchen stove mantel.
Wall mount hoods: These hoods are standalone units that attach to the wall when there’s no cabinets above the stove.
The wall mount hood in this Case Design kitchen matches the lower cabinetry while standing apart from the white upper cabinets.
Island hoods: These attach to the ceiling above a range built into a kitchen island or peninsula.
This island hood uses a chimney to ventilate exhaust.
Downdraft hoods: Located at the back of the stove or between the burners, these ventilation systems are integrated into the range top design and aren’t really hoods at all.
This space saving design of this downdraft hood keeps the room and the view open.
The downdraft hood in this kitchen by Case Design is built into the stove’s flattop design at the back of the stove in this cooking island.
Insert hoods: As the name suggests, these are installed in many custom built hoods. These hoods can also be installed directly into the ceiling.
This custom-built hood by Sullivan Building and Design Group uses a hood insert for ventilation.
Sculptural stove hoods: These hoods add just as much style to a kitchen as they do ventilation.
This aerodynamic design is commonly seen in wall mount and island hood styles.
This distressed wood hood vent keeps with the industrial look of a modern kitchen without using characteristic stainless steel.
This custom hood blends in with the rest of the cabinetry, allowing the woodwork to take the spotlight. What type of range vent hood did you choose for your own kitchen remodel? Share the specs with our readers in the comments section below.
