Thank you for the comment! I guess I wasn't clear - I am trying to make those cabinets on the range wall work assuming that I keep the soffit as drawn. I really would like all 4 uppers for storage. Does it look really funny? Is there a way to make them look better?

put same soffit on range wall.

I would consider bringing the soffit down to the window header trim. Use this line as a datum point for a split of the cabinets on the range wall - I.E. Open cabinets above doors.

D3 - I *think* I understand what you mean. Would that involve changing the size of the uppers as shown? I've already placed my order for cabinets, so I can't change the size.

Here is a mock up of a soffit on the range wall. Here are my concerns:

1. I feel like it is very enclosed and over bearing
2. Do I cross the vent hood or not? Crossing the vent hood makes the vent hood look stubby to me, but not crossing it looks funny too.

I'm not sure if I like any options. :(

What looks awkward to me are the two upper cabinets either side of the vent hood. They look very box-on-wall, just plunked there. I would eliminate them. Possibly replace them with a bit of open shelving, down near the counter.

Everything else looks fine. The beam itself, or a soffit covering the beam, is fine over the sink. There is no need to make all walls in a room look the same.

I see what you mean. I thought that maybe since the windows were there, it wouldn't make them look so random. I love the look of open shelving, but I am afraid it would be too messy for us. Sorry, don't mean to shoot down every idea. I'm just really in a funk about this.

Look at my profile for some ways to get storage without the stereotypical upper boxes.

I will definitely take a look. Here is a mock up with the soffit all the way across.

In your mock up, the upper cabinets are much smaller than the lower cabinets on the wall with the range vent. In reality, is it that way? IMO, that wall needs beefy cabinets, or some kind of substantial upper shelf. With so many wonderful ideas, you'll find the right solution for you.

@ lsparker - That is pretty accurate. The uppers are 24" wide, while the big cabinets on the lowers are 36" wide. I can't make the uppers any wider, since they will run into the windows. I also was planning on an oversized hood to be the main attraction, but maybe I need to change that (the picture shows the same size hood and range, as I didn't have another option).

I kept my last mock up the same except I made a corner cab. Does that help the range wall cabinets look less random?

don't like the corner cabinet. could you show instead moving the 2 cabinets away from the hood a little?

Good, I prefer not to order a new corner cabinet! :) Here is more space on each side of the hood.

Oops, forgot the attachment. Sorry that the windows don't show very well.

I wouldn't extend the soffit to the range wall. Can you add large crown moldings to the two cabinets on either side of the hood? That will give them more presence.

I think there is 12 inches from the top of those cabinets to the ceiling. Is there crown molding big enough for that? I've also thought of a soffit just in that spot, but I'm not sure if it looks funny. I was planning on crown molding all around.

How do the other 2 walls look ? The wall where the Fridge is? You can place one of the cabinets from the hood wall , on the wall facing the upper cabinets besides the window , leaving only the hood on the stove wall , You can have the back splash covering the complete wall between the windows, behind the hood, making it the focal point.
I'm not sure how the 4th cabinet will fit in.

Why does the beam have to be enclosed within a soffit?

You could run the bulkhead along the other side and have it be part of the cabinetry by cladding it in the same material of the cabinetry. i would suggest you stop it short on either side of the hood fan and if you plan on using a backsplash i would run that material up to the ceiling and around the hood fan

Tell us about the cabinets -- color, style etc. Is the hood stainless etc. Wall finishes?

How about using short uppers to fill in?

Integrate the range hood with the cabinets.

Thank you everyone for your comments! I will try to answer some of the questions. I've attached an overall view of the kitchen (although you can see the uppers are wrong, and there is no beam in the drawing). I am doing white shaker transitional style. I will have two large pendant lights, shown below. Marble looking quartz on the island, and dark grey quartz around the perimeter. Medium brown hardwood flooring throughout.

I've thought about leaving the beam exposed, and maybe staining it. But it seems kind of random. Shouldn't I repeat that element again somewhere?

It is part of a great room with a family room attached.

Here is the kitchen with the beam right now.

While I like the idea of putting cabinet material over the beam, the beam sticks out from the wall by almost 24 inches. So the cabinets would be set "in" from that. That's why I thought a soffit with crown molding would probably look the best on that wall.

I might change the hood design as shown by Gravitas. That might make the cabinets on the range wall look less random. I had my heart set on the chimney hood, so I am a bit sad to give that up. But in the end I want it to look good overall, and not have weird elements that stick out.

Here is a really crude drawing of the idea from Gravitas. I think it has some promise.

I'm a great believer in having elements of a room align as much as possible. To me, this is caiming. I think that the relationship between the windows and some feature on the cabinets needs to be addressed. Then the bottom of the hood presents yet another horizontal line. Granted, the windows cannot go higher, but they probably need something to raise the eye above them to the height of the ceiling. Is it true that the range hood would be raised higher than the bottom of the cabinets?

I sadly agree that the windows should have been higher. I really regret not having the kitchen designed before we started construction, because the windows were completely within my control. But, they are in now and we don't have the budget to change them. Thankfully, the trim will be substantial and bring them closer to the beam. That doesn't take care of the horizontal lines that you mentioned, but maybe it will be better than my mock-up shows.

I'm not sure about the answer to the hood question. I think there are manufacturers instructions, and that it will be installed to those specs.

. check this.

I didn't realize this was a new build. You have made some unfortunate choices and I think, if you want a kitchen that looks good, you're going to have to bite the bullet and undo some of them. I actually think the soffit is the least of the problems here.

Some possible options:
Consider reframing and raising all the windows to upper cabinet height.

Either integrate the hood with the cabinets, or eliminate it and do a downdraft range with cabinets all the way across.

I would carry the soffit across the back wall for continuity as well.

.

What about open shelving on either side of the hood. There are some lovely examples
Here:

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/style-your-open-kitchen-shelving-like-a-pro-stsetivw-vs~19403895





Type "open shelves near stove" or something similar, in the Houzz search bar, and you will find dozens of beautiful ideas. This is what my husband and I will do--but only because we really cannot afford new cabinets. :/

If you plan to follow through with the soffit idea, I vote "Yes" for continuing it on to the stove wall. What about...

Turn the whole problem on its head. You say the beam is part of the great room. What is the beam doing there? Hidden, holding up the roof? Rustic, pointing the way to your husbands humongous rhino head over the fire place? Is it a cottage feel? Carry that idea over, match the beam in the kitchen to the great room, and then echo that feeling in shelving on the wall with the on either side of the hood. Move the cabinets that you won't be using to the laundry room. Laundry rooms never, Never, have enough storage.

Just a playful idea. I get bunches of them. My poor husband!

But here is another wonderful Houzz idea:

You have some beautiful elements, and I love your pendent lamps. I don't think you need to give up your chimney hood, because you can trick the eye Conduct a search. Look at more pictures. Explore. Do you have your tiles or backsplash yet? If so I missed it. It isn't too late to makes me changes. It is your home. I say, find a way to keep your chimney hood.

I was thinking... Maybe the stove needs to move. You mentioned you were thinking of doing a kitchen island, you could move the stove there, or you could put the stove in the corner. This way you could do a nice row of cabinets in between the 2 windows and they will not look so out of place. You could keep your stove chimney hood too. I have attached some photos to give you an idea:)

I would also eliminate the cabinets on the other wall or make the exhaust hood inside a cabinet.

I would keep the soffit on both walls and above the Hood. Also, close up the windows and add cabinets to this wall to eliminate the voids each side of the cabinets - that is if you already have a window over the sink, which it appears as if you do. You will need the cabinet storage more than the windows. Adding the cabinets will take the attention off of the soffit.

Another option - keep the windows and extend the two cabinets to the ceiling with no soffit. On each side of the two cabinets add a shelve above the windows - also, above the shelving add a valance to create the illusion that the windows are taller. Just a thought

Wow, thank you everyone for the great ideas! I've cried, laughed, and developed a great headache over this. I find it interesting that there seems to be an equal # of people that would extend the soffit vs no soffit/other option.

I think the open shelving would be the most beautiful, but I'm not sure if we are an open shelf kind of family. I am much more organized than the rest of my household, and I am afraid that I would be frustrated if the shelves always look disorganized. At least with cabinets, the doors close!

We are not committed to any backsplash yet. I did order the cabinets, but I am willing to make some changes to make this right. I don't have any uppers planned for my laundry room, so I can use any extras there. Thank goodness, because I hate waste!

Time to mull this over and search more pictures. All input is truly appreciated!!!!