I've missed you Mark!

Well, you have been 'On the Move'.

I like the 1 at pic if accent is wanted . I sure miss my huge window in my kitchen in our old house lucky you that is really all the view you need really.

Mark always makes me chuckle. Best humor on this forum, sorely needed. 😊

Wow, that looks like it will be an amazing kitchen! Of your mockups I like 1 and 3, with the wood in 2 (how's that for no help LOL), and I prefer the wood hood over the stone-clad style with your cabinets. I do wonder what it would be like at night with dark accents and black window trim. I'd definitely want under cabinet lighting in addition to lighting from the ceiling. Maybe you can share your lighting plan.

I like the first mockup too. I like dark wood, but in this instance I prefer the lighter wood in the first mockup, looks more cheerful, pleasant, and relaxing to me.

I would say that many architects are not great interior designers and even less of them are good kitchen designers.

The key to designing a great kitchen is knowing how the cook(s) cook. I designed the perfect kitchen for a client's cottage where they use a very expensive stove to warm up pizza and keep beer cold in their very expensive refrigerator.

We haven't begun to pick flooring or cabinet colors yet -- this was just the firm's first stab at design direction before handing off to the builder and designer.

We are definitely putting in toe-kick lighting and under-counter lights, although those two cabinets are the only uppers we'll have. The renders left out the lighting -- there will be a hanging light over the island, task lighting cans over the countertops and decorative "up light" strips highlighting the structural i-beams (left off some of the renders.)

I love 3 - it looks just right to me. I viscerally loathe 1 and 2 with their looming high black chunks. 4 is just too heavy/dark with that black (why??) hood plus that backsplash. That's my take!

I like #1, a lot.

I’d like to see the side wall view on the left to make the best educated opinion

The architect didn't send their version of that wall. (Will AI create that for me?) I have my own plans in Sketchup and Chief Arch that I can try to mock up with the different finish versions. The countertop continues around that side until the fridge and wine cooler. There's a 4-foot window in the corner mirroring the other visible corner. So only about 2-3 feet of drywall between the fridge and window. I'll ask them to send a view from that side and I can paint or cut and paste options.

LOL -- well, I'm clearly not as talented as my architect. Fascinating how it interpreted my fridge. New product line from Subzero. :) Quick mockup:

#3 looks more balanced than the others. I would not want the room to feel top heavy with all those beautiful windows, but I do like a bit of color moving up to the ceiling and prefer the side wall (refrigerator wall) unbroken. This is based on the color selections in the renderings and may change if you go with very different colors.

The biggest difference I get is between 1 and all the rest of them. In #1 my focus is very drawn into the kitchen. It feels contained and nest like. In comparison, all of the rest feel very open and connected to nature and live outside and beyond the kitchen. I don't think either is right or wrong, it is just about what feel you are going for.

#4 looks a bit like the kitchen was an after thought and not integrated into the architecture of the room. However, the other pics. where the hood goes up the full height of the wall to the ceiling, have a bit too much of a Mondrian feeling for my taste. You might like that though.

I do think the left window corner you mocked up is a really important part of the puzzle to see and contemplate in your decision making.

I just realized that after the architect walked the site, she increased the window widths, so the ones in her renders are wider than the ones in my (heavily AI-assisted) render. We are still working on the overall design, and I just wanted to get some input if any one design was a real deal-breaker. I can go with a shorter hood too -- I was just playing with it to see if that helped tone down the heft of the darker color.

#1, but without the black ceiling beam.

The whole great room has exposed i-beams. They are structural, not decorative.

My immediate reaction was #1.

I like the hood vent going all the way to the ceiling.

Otherwise, according to one of my favorite builders, “It just looks like you ran outta money”.

I like #1 the best, too.

I like 3 and 1, at least as first attempts. That's purely in terms of first visual impression.

Fantastic views—wowza!

I have a lot of questions about practicalities, but those will keep, as that's not what you've asked about.

chispa - I am a great interior designers and even better kitchen designer.

3 and 1 are my choices. Emphasis is on the outside views.

#3 (the one with all the paint a soft, light color). It allows the focus to be on the outside (spectacular windows!), and the high wood vent cover mimics the tall trees against a light sky outside -- you lose this effect with the black wall. The black feels too heavy and foreboding on the walls, even in small doses.

I think a greater context must be considered and being open to more than just four alternatives. It looks to be the kitchen is in a large open space; I would want to know what is going on at the othere end of the space, and why stop there, I would want to know what the entire design of the house to maintain a sense of continuety. With that said at this point I would rely on the advice of your architect or spilled wine.

My advise, do not do just the color over the cabinets, it looks a bit disjointed. Either color over all or none. Hope it helps!

Life happened and I had to step away for a while. Coming back fresh, clearly the light colored wall is the best option. Thanks!!!

I have had many clients that have had "Life Happened". It always turns out for the best.

Love the lightness option 1 and 3 bring especially with all the natural lighting you get.

You could absolutely go with a metal range hood here. A square brass hood or a long cylindrical copper hood would both work beautifully and add a strong design statement to the space. by the way, I love the option 4

No metal hood. (unless its a dark, black metal. c-below)

I like the darker stain, and the black

or this one.

what you do need are some fabulous pendant lights .

Personally I'd do a tile on the range wall.

a black zellige would be amazing on that whole wall

chairs like these last two

or, take the stone up the back

dont forget to add some greenery. w/black/walnut, it looks so good!

You have a lot of storage. you could opt for the walnut shelves on the stove wall. see is AI can input ^ to yours

#3 but I'd like to see it with the lighter cabinets. Lots of different woods in the mockups. Whatever you decide, make sure the grains and wood tones all work well together in the big picture. Beautiful house, I like the vent hood that goes all the way up. To the moon and beyond!