When planning your kitchen, a lot of emphasis is placed on the layout, appliances, cabinetry, colors and more, but often the vent hood gets lost in the shuffle. However, it’s an essential part of your kitchen and if well planned, can become a center piece of style.
FUNCTIONALITY
First and foremost, your vent hood is a hard-working piece of equipment in your kitchen. Here are the main functions it performs in your kitchen:
Captures and filters air keeping your air clean and your indoor air quality at a healthy level
Removes unwanted odors, especially the dreaded “fish” smell!
Removes moisture and grease from your cooking area
Expels dangerous fumes such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and other pollutants
STYLE & DESIGN
It's important to note that the actual vent hood can either be just the appliance as in the case with stainless steel or can be hidden in a decorative insert. As with any accessory, appliance or addition to your kitchen, your vent hood needs to match or compliment the style/design of your home. Typically, you will see traditional-style homes with wood or stone vent hood inserts whereas a modern or transitional style may have stainless steel or metallic. However, this is not always the case. Below are some creative examples of the different materials and styles used in some of our projects:
STAND-ALONE VENT HOOD
Stainless Steel
VENT HOOD INSERT WITH A DECORATIVE COVER
Wood
Metallic
Wood with Metallic Accent
Artisan-Made Stone
Blends with Cabinetry
THINGS TO CONSIDER
Now that you've been wowed by some of the gorgeous design options out there, don’t forget there are some important factors to consider when choosing your vent hood.
Cubic feet per minute (cfm): This is the amount of air that the blower can move. If you have a powerful range, you’ll want to make sure the cfm of your vent hood can handle it.
Size: Although it’s recommended that a vent hood should be at least the size of your range, we suggest that you plan for 3+ inches on either side for fuller coverage and to help with efficiency.
Noise: Check this before you commit! You don’t want something that overpowers your home.
Space: How far you place your vent hood from your range is important. It’s recommended that you space it 20-24” above an electric range and 24-30” above a gas range.
Ducting: Having a plan for where the air will go is crucial. Most higher end kitchens have ducting to an exterior source either to the roof or to an outside wall. However, you may not have this option in which case a recirculating hood will work.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Don't let your vent hood be an after thought! It's important both functionally and aesthetically. Having trouble sorting through your options? Browse our galleries for inspiration or talk to your Sullivan's salesperson - they're here to help!
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