The thing that strikes me is that it seems odd that it matches the walls rather than cabinets. I think I would like it better if it was the color of the perimeter cabinets, but that's probably impossible (I don't think just having panels across the top would do it), so I think I vote for finishing it to match the island. It seems that color would better coordinate with the tile color, too. I think all tile would be awfully busy?

I've been lurking here for a couple of months now, as we are renovating our home with an emphasis on our kitchen. I have learned so much from this forum about layout and materials.

mommyto4boys, I love your kitchen. It is gorgeous. I only wish I had as much space to work with in my kitchen. I think your basic hood design is great. The columns look like they just kind of stop awkwardly. What I would do is bring the columns up to the ceiling, either elongating the detail trim on them or making two trim sections. Then I would make the crown molding at the ceiling go around those columns. On my computer at least, the color of the hood is not going well with both the tile and the cabinets. I would try to find a different color that complements all the other beautiful finishes in the kitchen (the granite, the tile, and the cabinets) -- maybe a warm darkish tan with a hint of the cherry color to it or maybe one of the deeper colors in the tile. I think this will be mostly trial and error till you find the right color. A completely different look might be a dark burgundy/red for the hood. This is mainly stream of consciousness, but if you did elongate the columns, you could then tile in between them, around the niche (kind of like below), and then just find a color that you like for the columns and the lower portion of the hood.

I hope some of these ideas might help a little. It is a truly beautiful kitchen.

I would also vote for making look like your island. I think then it blend in nicely with the rest of the kithen.

Those two upper boxes / columns should either go or be extended all the way to the top.

I'm not liking that shiny white crown moulding there.

This is probably just me and/or my monitor, but I do not like that paint with those tiles. They clash.

How about a faux finishing/venetian plaster technique - something like what igloochic has? Maybe sponge/glaze/something over the painted areas with a color that picks up the gorgeous color of your cabs. I'm feeling the old world vibe from the rest of your kitchen (which is very nice) but the hood just isn't doing that. I suspect some kind of finishing would help that out.

I kind of like the idea of painting it a nice burgundy but that may be more dark than what you'd like.
It does look better with the accessories on it. I think that's because they have those warm red/browns in them.

I wish I could get my inspiration picture posted here. The range there was painted the same as the walls too. Also, the crown on the columns made it look so neat, but won't work on ours. Also, the paint color does seem to photograph too bright in the pictures. It really does look well with the other choices, though I agree here the backsplash does not look too swell with the paint color.

I'm so appreaciating the responses....please keep them coming!

If I match the hood to the island....

-keep the tile?
-add some panels?
-change the trim?

dlitchenreno-thanks for the comments and I think you have a great idea for the columns. They look bad as is now. Best wishes with your reno.

I think (and really... just think... not sure on this one) I'd paint the hood like the island. I'd change to trim to match the cabs. I choose the cab color for the hood trim as opposed to the paint color because I really feel the backsplash does not work well right on top of the paint as a focal point. It's fine where they meet on the wall. I"m not a huge fan or corbels right next to a cooktop since as a person pereference it would make me feel closed in. I'm not sure on the boxed out pieces with the picture molding trim. I think I might either bring them up to the top or get rid of them altogether. If I were to get rid of them; I might consider some kind of copper/metal/something to rev up the old world feel in the archway on the top of the hood. Maybe something to tie into the other metals in your kitchen? LOVE LOVE LOVE the lowered baking/prep area across from your cooktop and seagrass stools(?)... how cool!

First, your cabinets, floors, accessories... all is just beautiful! But, I'll have to agree that "something" just seems out of place. I think the hood cover blends in and looks more like part of the wall since they are painted the same. Though your pantry door and trim look fine in white against the wall color, on the molding it is too stark. That's what stuck out the most to me. I definitely like the warmer tones, like the way it looked when you put some accessories up there.

I can't really tell what colors are in your granite, but have you thought of a copper look for the hood? Is the hood wood, something that can be stained? Or does it need to be painted? Are you planning to accessorise the shelf area? I think all those things would make it tie together.

Beautiful choices made all around. You must really enjoy your new kitchen!

I keep scrolling up and down to see your beautiful kitchen. With that said - I agree something is missing. The hood is lovely and has such presence in your kitchen yet something feels "off." I would NOT elongate the columns. I like them without the trim. I agree with pbrisjar. I think that venetian plaster would provide more visual interest to the hood - more old world. I would also find a decorative piece that echos the rich colors of your cabinetry and put it in the center of the arched area.

I agree the paint, cabinets, and backsplash are fighting. I learned the hard way that beiges and yellows don't always (in fact, rarely) get along. Perhaps try posting to the decorating or paint forum, just asking for paint color suggestions? I sense that you really like the concord ivory (I have a friend with it in her family room and it is wonderful), but maybe you can find another room in your house for it?

I second other suggestions to paint the hood the color of the island.

I really like your kitchen and am envious of your large corner pantry! The wood & counters look so rich!

Ideally, I think I'd stain it the color of the cabinets...but is it too late now?

I agree w/most everyone else that the columns aren't "right" the way they are now...I think they should be eliminated...not sure what to put in their place though...

Maybe someone can PhotoShop it for you?

It reminds me a little bit of my inspiraton photo.

I think your mantle should be the same color of the cabinets. Maybe replace the "columns" with doors to match your cabinets but make them go all the way up to the crown. Change the crown molding to match the cabinets. I agree that the yellow isn't quite right.

BUT!!! Overall, the kitchen is beautiful and very, very inviting!

I don't have a decorators eye, but the thing that struck me immediately upon sing your photos was that I did not like the beigy tile and the yellow paint. It clashes. I like the tile and the cabinets with the granite and I like the paint color with the cabinets, but not the granite and the tile. I agree that the colomns seem incomplete and heavy with the paint and tile and really, it is the paint color itself that is really distracting to me.
The kitchen is really beautiful, but I would experiment with a different wall paint color all together. I thin the hood would look better white, but still, the wall paint would seem off......Hummmmm.

Thanks for the comments.

Houseful, if only I could snap my finger and have your inspiration picture be my actual finished project.

YES, it must be painted, it is all drywall except for the corbels (they are wood). I will definitely have more decorations.

I just feel so confused as if I ruined my kitchen, I could sit and cry over this:(

The backsplash seemed to be so much more cream than tan to me. In the pictures I see the tan fighting the paint color. In real life doesn't seem so much. I'm hoping changing the hood will be enough. I'm fairly married to the paint color....large open floor plan and everything has it's purpose IYKWIM!

Any photoshoppers out there willing to help save this mess?!

mommyto4boys: Your kitchen is not ruined at all - it just needs a little fine-tuning. Changing out paint colors is the easy stuff.

I showed this to Hubby as he's pretty darned good at knowing how to get things back in balance (makes him a really good chiropractor). His main comment is that it looks too "fat" and sticks out too much. Eliminate some of the horizontal lines, take out the bottom corbels and add some vertical elements.

I think your kitchen looks very warm and rich. I too like the lower level in the island.

As I stare at the hood, I wonder if you could shorten the drywall sides of the hood and start the corbels higher. This way the corbels would not touch the countertop but would end just at or below where the cabinet ends.

I also think painting the hood the color of the island and make the trim the color of the cabinets would be very striking.

Lots to think about-wish I knew how to photoshop!

First of all, your kitchen is beautiful and certainly not ruined by any stretch of the imagination! I do agree with others that the paint on the hood just doesn't seem to work with the tile.

Maybe removing upper columns, paint hood to match island and then use a glaze to tie it to tile and cabinets so that the stark white is softened a bit? I also liked the idea of faux painting the whole thing to look like venetian plaster. You are right, once you put some items on ledge, it really helped the overall look. Hang in there -- it is a solvable problem!

Thanks for keeping going. I can't remove or change the corbels. The backsplash is in and all and there is NO budget to do this for many years.

I really appreciate all ideas and suggestions. I have a desk in the room too (painted like the island). I'm hoping dh can and will take the doors off and I can put them up on the hood to kind of get an idea of the "look."

Don't fret about this too much. Your kitchen is beautiful and there are very few people that will walk into it and think "hmmmm...something is odd about her hood".

I believe this can all be fixed with paint. I would like someone to photoshop the hood with the corbels painted the white of your crown, as well as the 'columns'. The columns look like they are meant to mimic a wood treatment, so I'd paint them like they were wood trim.

Then, I would choose an alternate color/texture for the rest of the hood. The plaster idea is a good one.

Have you looked through the FKB for ideas? I'm sure you have but maybe a fresh review of it would bring a new look forward.

Good luck!

Sandy

Mommy,
no tears... your kitchen is gorgeous and you are Just about there... very close indeed.

Here are the changes I would make. Remove the two panels sitting on top of the ledge. They are serving to take away from the over all look rather than add to it.

Consider a stucco finish for the hood area and paint in a shade of "putty" or "parchment".

Leave everything else as is, except repaint the walls something other than yellow. I think it is to sunshiney cheery for the old world sophistication of your kitchen. It just doesn't go. You have a lot of strong elements in your kitchen, so I think the wall color should be very subdued... perhaps a shade or two lighter than the Putty/Parchment I am suggesting for you hood.

Take a look at gglks's kitchen. The hood design is a dominant element... but it works because there is an overall harmony in the kitchen with a reduced number of elements.

I think you just need to remove ONE element and you are there and to me that would be the yellow color.

I love your kitchen! I don't have photoshop, but I took a crack at it using Paint.

PAXISPL-Thank you so much, you are too kind to take the time to work on this for me. You did a great job:)

Looking better, hugh?!

What do you all think?

I am so appreciative to all the help here!

mamadadapaige-Thanks too for the bautiful picture and great ideas!

I've been working in Paint too. I don't know if squaring off the lower arch is an option, but I tried just to see. The only thing I don't know about is how you wood treat the sides of the hood. I would still do something with paint, either a suble faux technique or complete color change.

I'm so sorry you are thinking that you've ruined your beautiful kitchen~you've done a beautiful job~just think of it as a work in progress. I think this hood issue may end up leading you to a solution that you hadn't considered before that will make your kitchen uniquely yours. Have you thought about bringing in some accent colors? To my eye the scale of the hood reads as large because the paint color is making it pop. Maybe you could paint the hood black and the recessed panels above the mantel might look nice lined in copper or painted a warm red or green etc. The darker colors would give the hood depth and be cozy too. Hang in there, you'll figure it out. By the way I love the room color you've chosen....

Don't have time to post now...just wanted to say thanks for the help! I'll BBL!

Wow paxispl & houseful... great job on the Paint program.

Mommyto4 - see? doesn't a little bit of change make it look so completely different? I think you are very close to making a decision. Like I said before, I love all the colors and elements of your kitchen.

If you like the "warm" look, I would go with a color to blend most of the hood with the cabinets. If you really love the contrast of your island and desk, mimic that. I think they both could work. Since the hood is drywall, painting will be much easier to change around then staining wood, so be happy about that!

BTW, I love your wall color, so being 'married' to it because of the rest of your open floorplan is a good thing :) I know once you find the right combo you'll just feel it in your gut. Then sit back and enjoy the beautiful space you created! I look forward to seeing your final pics!