Either would work.

Since both will look good with your cabinets this may be a financial decision. If building the custom blue arched one is eating into your funds in a nerve-wracking way, the stainless option is also pretty.

Get rid of the spice pull-outs and do bigger drawers.

You can always use dividers to organize a larger drawer, but you can't make a smaller drawer bigger.

Chispa we have big drawers with dividers in our current house and I don’t like how it’s tough to find the right spices. The spice pull outs will make my life A LOT easier

Love the blue! Gives off such a nice, warm feeling.

CT, you can't fit much in those spice pull-outs and you have to bend down to see what is stored there.

I have something similar to this, but a wider drawer.

Better Homes & Gardens Featured Kitchen · More Info

Look how you have to bend down to see what is in the lower shelves and they don't fit that much stuff ...

McKee New Build · More Info

I would merge the 21" drawers into a 42". You can also do a 3-stack on one side and a 4-stack on the other if you have smaller things to store. Symmetry on either side of the range is overrated ... usually the island blocks the view unless you are right next to the range and then no one will notice.

Chispa, thanks for the suggestions. A 42” drawer sounds enormous.

I would use the 21" drawers for spices with an inside angled rack like @chispa posted. My island has 4-12" drawers and I use two for spices and 2 for utensils.

The largest drawer in my kitchen is 31" and it holds the silverware. I wouldn't make any drawer larger than that. Even on good drawer hinges, it's heavy and big enough. 42 does sound enormous to me.

If the side slide out spice holder make you happy, go for it. Little decisions like that are important.

RedRyder, I think 42 inches would be way too big. Plus, we have a pretty big Butler’s pantry behind the kitchen wall with the range, so we can put our big pots and pans in there. This post was really about the color of the hood. I don’t want to change anything else in our kitchen.

RedRyder, I think, with a cheaper, stainless steel hood, since we will have to extend the quartz backsplash so much higher, it would probably be pretty close in price.

RedRyder, I’m definitely leaning towards the blue. May be a big “wow” factor

Yes, do the blue. It definitely feels more elegant and custom. I wish I could stand in the kitchen with you and a sample of the blue, but you seem to know what you want. I’ll officially Vote for Blue Hood.

Blue gets my vote, although as others have noted, the stainless will look nice too.

I think going with a stainless hood will show off even more of the Portrush slab (which I also LOVE); as others have commented, going with blue looks much more custom (and will show less slab).

You can't lose, whichever choice you make. It will look amazing! Post pictures when it's complete! :-)

The key here is open concept. What do you want to see from other parts of the living area that connects to this? I personally would go with a wood painted white because I would not want a hood to be a focal point in a room connected to a living area.

It may look nice to have the hood mostly white hood with blue just on the horizontal bottom border. See how the wood vent colors differ in chispa's posted images above.

I think your layout would feel more cohesive with the wood vent. The steel vent seems to break up the kitchen.

I think an all white hood would be less of a focal point than mixed colors (or steel).

Just my 3 cents.

Either the blue or white cabinet with insert would be fine. I don't think the ss hood between cabinets is a good look. Personally I'd pick white but if you like the blue, go for it!

Just a question--your elevations show a lot of horizontal and vertical lines on the cabinet fronts--what do they indicate? It makes for a very busy look.

IMO the quartz should not be used for a backsplash behind the range just to be on the safe side. I agree spices in a drawer so much better than a pullout.I do not like a wood hood they discolor over time and hard to clean when it get greasey and it will . I still think stainless hoods and sinks are the best choice . I have all my spices in square jars with the lids labbelled , in a nice 36" drawer. I buy most spices in bulk. IMO 42" drawers are too wide

Since you love the quartz, let it be the star vs a blue hood being the focal point.

Not a fan of the SS shape/size and suggest it extend to the cupboards so there is a natural/lower place to end the backsplash, which solves having to go to ceiling.

There are so many options if you go with white. Again cupboard to cupboard so backsplash doesn't have to continue up.

I had an idea around reducing the quartz, while creating a unique and interesting look, as backsplash doesn’t have to meet the lower cabinetry, but you’ll still have impact.

I saw this on line.

I just finished a kitchen with a similar concept:

That looks fabulous!

These photos are really helpful!

@CT Watson I'm sure you read the bold comment about quartz and high heat. I'm assuming there is a gorgeous stove in this kitchen plan....

RedRyder, We picked out a 36” Bosch stove. I love it! From what I understand, if it’s installed correctly, it shouldn’t be an issue. But, checking with my appliance guy now. To be on the safe side, we’ll probably stick to using the front burners instead of the back as much as possible. We’re not huge foodies. I asked about needing a back guard. But, I really don’t like that look.

Color in your elevation diagrams (all walls) and see how your eye flows from light to dark to light. Color in the appliances as well.

I painted a black and white kitchen where the cabinets were white but the 2 short cabinets above the range were black. (There was no range hood in that house.) It worked because of the flow from white to black to white to black in that kitchen. The stainless and black appliances read as dark, and the cabinets as white. The sink was black which balanced it out. I think the trick is to repeat the dark at eye level-ish, otherwise it might look like a single dark blob if it’s the only dark component above counter level.

RedRyder, Just spoke with a friend who is married to a builder, and they have a quartz backsplash and install a lot behind gas stoves. Says they never have had an issue with scorching. And, they cook a lot! To be on the safe side, we will probably use the front burners as much as possible.

Good to hear. Your new stove looks beautiful! I hope it cooks as nice as it looks!