I really like the wood and plaster looking hoods. But I ask myself how practical having the wood is---as far as cleaning? I think that I would use a wood laminate--Formica, Wilsonart... There are some terrific, realistic looking laminates available now.

I like the first photo. I find it very warm.

Stainless requires cleaning frequently I have it. Easier to clean than wood but I think some of the choices above are stunning imo.

photo 1 beautiful

photo 2 - beautiful but doesn’t go with cabinets imo

photo 5 and 6 - stunning

I’ve had both and found the SS a pain in the you know what to keep looking nice. How the heck do you get fingerprints off 9 ft off the ground...don’t ask how they got there! You can clean just a tiny section! The whole thing needs to be done, really really hard job.

I like the first picture for a modern farmhouse look. Unless you're really a serious cook, I don't think you'll have difficulty cleaning it. I think it will be the most likely to NOT go out of style. That being said, while quartz is very hot now, I don't think the trend will last. So many "new" things are great for a while, and then date themselves quickly. In kitchens and baths, which are so expensive to renovate, I am a fan of going classic and timeless.

I have a wood hood - small compared to those lovely choices, and have no problem keeping it clean - it is stained wood and not painted. I run my vent when cooking which helps keep grease off cabinets, and I simply wipe down my hood now and then.

1, 3 5, or 6 are all pretty and nicely unique, depending on your style and preferences. 2, 4, and 7 are too plain to me. 3 looks like what you described. Are you only second guessing because of popular styles or is there something else holding you back from getting what you wanted?

Okay Design Girl, since you brought up the quartz debate, what would you suggest for countertops? I wanted quartz until I saw them. Haven't found any to love. Started looking at granite but they are so speckled. Started looking at quartzite but it always seems to be dolomite which seems to have mixed to negative reviews. Soapstone is too dark and makes too many changes over time. I'm not a fan of wood. Cement does not go with my style. Marble will etch and then I will hate it. Glass seems too modern. Top of list right now is Cambria Clareanne and Caesarstone Flannel Grey. Switched to gray after all the white quartz disappointed me. Also looking at Silestone's charcoal soapstone which actually looks but of course doesn't feel realistic.

If you like the darker gray counters, I would suggest checking out some of the leathered black and gray granites. They're not speckled, and they're generally very, very durable. We went through a similar debate and ended up with a leathered Black Mist Granite that we LOVE. There are a number of options that in the leathered finish give the soapstone look, including Black/Jet/Virginia Mist, Negresco, and Via Lactea. Black Pearl is also lovely, as are Silver Pearl and Steel Grey.

Aliceingardenland, you are right. I'm second guessing the hood I have loved for two years (#3) because I'm thinking that the trend is changing. I have now seen photos of the type of hood shown in photo #3 posted as far back as 2012. Since our kitchen project will be completed in 2020, I really don't want to invest a lot into a focal point that will make my kitchen look outdated 5-7 years from now because the trend had its 10-15 year run and began to look old.

That being said, my family keeps telling me what you have said--go with your gut and go with what you love. They feel that stainless is timeless (Design Girl--that was your advice too- stick with timeless!) and my family feels that the trend at the moment might lean toward 1, 5, or 6, but that 3 is classic and as such, will continue to look good through the test of time. So, I'm thinking that all of you are correct and I should stick with my original plan and go with what I really love.

Thanks so much to everyone for taking the time to respond! Speaking of quartz that looks like real stone, I have found Corian Quartz (formerly Zodiaq) Marble Mist to look like real stone. A dark option I really like is Daltile's Broadway Leather quartz or Silestone Brooklyn. A light option I'd like to explore more is Silestone's Silver Lake. I'm also interested in Caesarstone's Noble Grey. We used Caesarstone's Pebble Honed in our basement bar and love it. We get many compliments. I also like Caesarstone's new colors Primordia and Cloud Burst Concrete. They weren't available when we chose Pebble Honed. Good luck with your counter selection!

dont worry about trends. the whole idea of making the hood a focal point and not a hidden entity might be a trend! hard to say for sure what will be in, when. even if and when the trend changes will it really make you all of a sudden stop liking what you have?

You are right st5330. Thanks for the sage advice!

Thank you everyone for the countertop suggestions and mcd 595 good luck with your hood selection.

What range are you getting? I think some of these need a specific range "look" to work.

Buehl brought up an excellent point. When we renovate a room, sometimes we start focusing (not to say obsessing) on certain elements and it's easy to forget that every element plays a part in the whole room.

Thank you tartanmeup and Buehl. Our range will be a Thermador professional series 48" range. We'll have a stainless steel Sub Zero 42" french door refrigerator and Thermador wall ovens. Cabinets will be painted Benjamin Moore White Dove or Simply White. Pantry cabinets will be painted Sherwin Williams Cybperspace, a charcoal grey with blue undertones. Floors are red oak and will be refinished. I'm thinking of going lighter with a pickle finish to cut some of the pink that naturally comes from sanding red oak down. The island will potentially be black cypress or a maple finished in a light grey or a finish called lava stone. Finally, the faucets will be chrome and two oversized pendants will be glass and black/bronze metal "machinist" fixtures from Restoration Hardware. Here is a photo I'm using as my inspiration. I'm having the perimeter cabinets all white rather than white uppers and stained lowers, but this gives you a sense of the overall feel, minus the blackboard.

If you have a picture of your kitchen, perhaps someone can mock up the stainless for you. I'm sure you realized the vent hood in your inspo pic is not stainless.

Don’t chase trends. All posted look trendy to me. Pick which one you like best and fits your kitchen best. Don’t pick based on trends/others opinions.

If you pick something simply because it is trendy, then you will not like it in another five years. What do you most like, find practical, and gravitate towards? That's what you need to consider.

Get a good Vent-a-Hood stainless hood. It is timeless, and it will cost you far less money than either wood or banding with rivets. It's also much easier to clean! I use "Greased Lightning" spray cleaner and it removes any greasy film in a flash!

For those interested in seeing how things turned out. Here are some photos of our finished product. I chose to go with a stainless steel hood with mirrored bands. I love it and find it both

Summit Project · More Info

Summit Project · More Info

Summit Project · More Info

practical and beautiful.

@mcd595 love the finished kitchen—what counter did you end up selecting? I really love how you carried it up for the backsplash

I went with Hanstone quartz in Montauk. Love it. It has beautiful veining that mimics real stone.

@mcd 595 - I missed your post above from a few months ago with your finished kitchen. It's gorgeous! I think your hood choice is perfect.

Beautiful kitchen! Your floors look amazing, what floors did you use?