Hood. You need the ventilation function, and it might as well look good.

A lot of people find that kitchen desks turn into junk pile up places. Others prefer a stand-up desk. There are customizations you can do to inexpensively have the functions you want without ordering another piece of furniture.

Since people don't want the junk pile aspect of a kitchen desk, a lot of people are putting in "message centers". You can buy a fancy tricked out one, or you can just use a shelf in an upper. You just need to design it before construction so that you have the phone line and electrical outlets in there.

A classic, low fuss, message center has a phone on the shelf (some people use cordless, some use wired--I find wired easier to hold between shoulder and ear while stirring). There's a holder for pens and pencils, a pad, and the inner surfaces of the doors have a bulletin board on one side and magnetic board/white board on the other. Perhaps there's a charging station for phones, ipods, etc., or a powermat, cubbies for each family member's mail, key hooks, or whatever you need.

I've seen all this beautifully made as custom furniture, but you can use a few bits from the dollar store to achieve the same thing.

You can also put a bulletin board, magnet board, or ribbon board on a frame hanging on the wall for reminders you want in plain sight, but don't want on the fridge. Or you can make a frame with a magnetic back and hang that on the fridge to make the school notices look better. If your new fridge doesn't take magnets, you can use Command Tape.

A friend has a great "message center". It's a medium sized wood drawer organizer box which holds her cordless phone in charger, pad and pens right on the counter. Containing things makes them look deliberate, rather than like clutter.

Maybe putting a notice board on the backsplash in an area that doesn't get a lot of work going on would work for you.

Get the hood. You need a hood.

Hood, definitely! I totally agree w/your DH. Most people today are taking desks out of their kitchens b/c they've discovered they're really just "clutter magnets". Hoods, OTOH, serve a very useful purpose...they vent smoke, steam, grease, odors, etc. out of your home to help maintain a better interior air quality (and no grease on your cabinets/walls/ceilings!)

If you want a place for school reminders, etc., put in Message Center or Message Center Niche recessed into a wall.

Message Centers usually consist of base + upper cabinets (much like regular cabinets in the rest of the kitchen) but instead of appliances, dishes, etc., they hold... Upper cabinet...calendar, dry/wet erase/chalk board (you could leave it open w/no doors...that way you would have a "shelf" for the markers/chalk/erasers)
Counter...landline phone, answering machine, keys, pens/pencils, stickys or other notepads
Base cabinet...directories/phone books, stapler, etc.

I didn't have room for a Message Center, so I have a Message Center Niche recessed into a wall...

I'm not sure, though, why "... double wall oven, refridgerator, built in microwave, cooktop and an area for a desk...hood..." are all "too much". In particular, why is it b/w a hood and desk? You could also get a MW drawer instead of a "built-in" MW.

Depends. Do you really ever see yourself sitting down at this desk? If not, you may just need a couple of drawers and a space to hang reminders. This is very different than a desk. It is a place for the yellow pages, school supplies, outlets for charging phones and maybe a corkboard. Clutter central - but much smaller than a desk.

Really think about what your organizational needs are. If you believe that you will sit with your laptop at the computer, then by all means consider it. If not, get the hood - they look great and vent stuff.

Had a desk in my old kitchen and on the days I could actually see it, I said to myself "geez, I hate that desk in the kitchen".
I vote hood.

I'd also like to know why the choice is between a hood and a desk.

I have a built in desk that I sooo want to get rid of. I want more cabinet space so I am going to replace the desk with a custom cabinet. I would still have the top for the phone, etc.

I say go with the hood.

I'm w/bmore

I don't understand the OP's original question Hood vs desk

I see a hood as a requirement, not an optional item. Those desk areas always end up cluttered with junk, but if I really wanted one I'd pull the money from something else -- do a single oven + micro, or a cheaper refrigerator, but I wouldn't skip the hood.

Maybe my mistake? I thought the question was decorative cabinetry hood vs. desk.

If it's desk vs. any hood at all, then HOOD!! You can always leave room for a desk and buy a decent looking freestanding desk at a garage sale. They're cheap. Thrift shops usually won't even take desks because there are so many of them looking for homes.

I don't get it either... how is a desk or a hood a decision? One takes up counter space, one takes up upper space. But you need a hood, so how is it a decision? Is it a financial decision or a space decision?

Me, I gave up built in ovens when I had too many "wants" and went with a range. And I do have a desk... I can't wait to have one spot for my clutter! Now I have about five spots, and it drives me nuts.

Thank you all for your input, so I think hood it is.My DH said the same thing that the desk would be too much clutter. Since we didn't plan for it prior to framing, we would need now to creat space to place the vent

For those who were confused by the question. When we met with the KC and I told him my desires he had a hard time trying to find space for the microwave.I didn't want to do one built into the island because I have 2 young girls, ages 3 and 6 and my 6 year old is obsessed with using the microwave. So it wa a space issue.
I like the idea of a message center and will certainly look into it

I took the OP to mean their budget is constrained, and they're looking for things to cut in order to meet their budget. And they thought the two things they could most easily part with out of their kitchen design are hood or desk. To me, the hood is one of THE MOST essential features of a kitchen. And as others have written, I've never seen a kitchen desk that isn't a clutter magnet. So no contest, ditch the desk.

If I am wrong in my assumption, and it was your Kitchen Designer who asked you to pick between these two choices, then fire your KD.

BTW, while you are choosing your hood, keep the following in mind:
- your exhaust duct should be 8" or 10" diameter. If you are installing new ductwork, make sure your GC does not install something smaller than 8". Don't let your GC tell you "6" will be fine", which they sometimes say because 6" diameter is easier for them to install. Or, if you have existing ductwork, check its diameter. If it is smaller than 8", try to change it out. If you cannot, then make sure your hood choice will work with a smaller duct (specs are listed on hood manufacturers' websites).

OP, I didn't see your post when I posted mine just now. Anyway, my advice is the same.

I vote functionality over form. Which is a Desk for me.

I'm in the process of actually building my kitchen now
and I am adding a desk.. It's an 8ft desk however
with full upper and lower cabinets

Why? I have young kids that are just starting school. The
kitchen is the center of our house. The desk will have a built in computer and satellite TV with a 32" monitor
mounted to the wall.

All the electronics are hidden in cabinets or in the walls
(beside the TV/monitor)

The kids will do homework there, surf the internet in sight, etc. We dont have a room thats a home office in
our house.

What am I doing for a hood? I am sticking with the Microwave above the cooktop vented outside. It might not
be as pretty but its an excellent use of space.. something I cant stand wasting. Mind you.. I dont have a 6 burner cooktop that needs a large vent.

DIY_Mike

I have 2 young girls, ages 3 and 6 and my 6 year old is obsessed with using the microwave.

Almost all MW's have child locks now.

Also, check out microwave drawers, which may help your layout issue. Do a search on this forum or the Appliances Forum for "microwave drawers" if you want to read more about them.

Hi, I'm new to this forum but it looks great!

We're redoing our kitchen and just about to finalize our layout. We have a 12 year old boy and the kitchen is the only place for him to do homework so we are very motivated to have desk space in our kitchen. We plan to have a computer there along with the phone etc and hope/expect he'll do his homework there. But we are not sure about the size. We have gotten alot of feedback that a kitchen desk doesn't get used etc and/or not to make it too big esp as we'd be giving up some pantry space. we were originally planning a 60" desk but now are down to 36" though I am still re-configuring trying to get 40-42" for the desk and have the difference as extra pantry. (there is another 36" full pantry atea). We are also going to have a good sized island.

anyhow. would love to hear from anyone with kids and a desk in the kitchen on how much it gets used and best size. thanks!