That is my homework assignment too. I see beautiful ones in the magazines; however, my kitchen is smaller and I am not sure it would look the same. Any pictures would be appreciated.

It's possible you don't see many pictures because the hood chimney usually vents up, and lots of range hoods incorporate that as a decorative feature.

If you have cabinets above, my guess is that you're either venting straight out the back, recirculating, or hiding the chimney in a cabinet like this:
{{!gwi}}

One thing you could do under the cabinets is a pretty mantel. In the picture below you have to imagine that above the mantel is cabinets rather than the decorative woodwork. I think a mantel would be pretty.
{{!gwi}}

HTH

Yes, we're doing something exactly like you posted in the first photo. I'd like to do something decorative below the bottom of that cabinet, a shelf, or just something attractive.

Thanks!

Keep 'em coming! :)

Here's ours. We just have decorative panels in front above the arch, but I would think you could just as easily have doors that open instead. Infact, I wish I would've been thinking ahead of time and we could've done just that. It's not a ton of storage and is up kind of high, but it would be a good spot for smallish things that are rarely used. Good luck with yours.:-)

Have you checked the Finished Kitchens Blog (FKB)? If you go to the FKB Categories Page (see link in the right navigation panel of the FKB as well as here), scroll down to "Special Features" and click on the "Hood, Custom". It will take you to a list of all kitchens with custom hoods...some decorative wood mantle-styles, some custom metal, etc. You could also look through other kitchens to see what they have.

The FKB has many different styles of kitchens.

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Read Me If You're New To GW Kitchens!

Mitri89, that's lovely!
And no, buehl, I hadn't checked that blog... thanks for the tip. Will do!

Here are a few to help you do your homework.
~boxer

Heather Thompson

1805 Kitchen Farmhouse

Arbour Hill

Clive Christian

kitchen-remodel-shadows-and-light

Heartwood Kitchens Boston

Southern Place

3697

Adelphi Kitchens

Design Right Kitchens

Shenoy Designs

Kitchen and Bath Design center

Word Press Blog

Naples Cathedral Kitchen renovations

Here's mine. It's not functional, but it could have been. I have 9' high ceilings and I noticed that most of the ones that boxerpups posted look like high ceilings too.

OMGosh, thank you all so much!

Another option may be not to vent vertically, but vent directly out the back. There would be more available space above especially if you have high ceilings.

This hood has an insert 40-3/8'' wide over a 36'' cooktop. Ceiling height is 10 feet. There is storage space behind the left and right doors. Cookbooks are on the left and the large stock pot is on the right. The door panel foil was temporary.