Wow, so many great thoughts. Thank you all. I'm glad that there seems to be somewhat of a concensus on the 36 inch cabinets, since that is what I have been leaning toward. While I certainly won't be able to reach the top shelf without a step stool (5'6" and getting shorter every year!), it would add additional storage and as several of you mentioned, it draws the eye up and accentuates the height. I will miss the display space on top of the cabinets, but I'm not very good at keeping those treasures clean..... Maybe a 36 in door with a bit of glass at the top of the door. Avesmore, there is a 33 inch wide cabinet between the corner cabinet and the window. I would love to enlarge the window; I've got a great view, though my budget probably won't allow for it and it would take away more storage space. You have to love the Tylenol orange counters,eh??! Bmorepanic: although DH would probably prefer a more modern look, the kitchen is open to the family room which has a somewhat traditional look, including crown molding and more of those beams. I am considering a simple shaker style in a warm wood; cherry? alder? But I like the idea of a "semi" coffered look, keeping the vaulted part of the ceiling, but adding more beams at the same level as the lower ceiling, perpendicular to the existing beam that runs through the kitchen. The vault would still be there adding height, but the beams below it would give continuity, architectural interest and give me a place to add lighting. Oooohh, the ideas are now coming! Re the hood, I have already purchased a DCS VS36 and a DCS 36 in all gas range. The hood is 18 inches tall, and will need something to top it off to bring it to the top the cabinets, not sure if a cabinet would be right (I guess there is not enough room if I use 36 inch cabinets) or a stainless extension to the top of the hood. Segbrown, you have a vaulted ceiling! I wish I had all that space! It is so dramatic. Thank you all again!!!

Thanks everyone! My struggle is that I worry if I hang drapes between windows can appear "squatty" as torreykm mentioned. Although the ceiling is vaulted but the rooms are on the small size, that's why I am concern. I do love the dining room small windows too! I like the idea of roman shades for the two small windows! I will look into those. Maybe I will get roman shades for the living area as well if I can find one that I like so that it will tie to those two small windows! Got some roman shades research to do!! Thanks all!

The style of the fan should coordinate with the style of your home, and you likely do not need a light in the fan. A lighting showroom can help you figure out the correct length of the downrod and the diameter of the blades. Just take your measurements in and they will assist you in getting the correct configuration.

Would you be achieving vaulted ceilings through rafters or vaulted trusses? If via trusses, your achieved vault on the inside would be only 3:12. Assuming a standard bedroom is 12' deep, you would then have 8' tall ceilings at the exterior and 11' at the interior, with an average height of 9'-6". So you probably would achieve a similar, if not a more successful effect using 9' walls and by making each of the windows 6"-12" taller to let in more light and open the house further to the outdoors. We did live in one similar sized house like this where every room was vaulted including the bathrooms. I think it did make the public rooms feel more airy, but the bedrooms were small enough that the vault didn't have a huge effect. Because you entered each room on the tall side, your eye mostly read the wall and window height at the exterior wall. But if the ceiling could be emphasized with beams or glass high up in the gable end walls, I think it could be made more effective. In short it's really all in the details and how the design is handled to make the vaulting worthwhile.