>>It's interesting that there's crown molding on the columns and a lot of detail on the wall, but no crown in the kitchen. Is there crown molding elsewhere in the house?Oh my, have you hit on a sore subject. Crown molding was only included in the formal areas and master bedroom. They also crowned no sloped ceilings. Adding crown to other areas was $250 per "room". $250 now, not so much. 20yrs ago when we're building a house and running out out money, it was. Crowning just that hallway and the adjoining family room cost $500 because it counted as 2 "rooms" even though it was only as much crown as a bedroom; the exterior wall is sloped so the family room is really only 1/2 crowned (one wall not crowned and open on one side). I didn't crown the kitchen because the only wall that would have received crown is that single wall (because again, the outside wall is sloped), and it would have cost me $250. Don't think so. I did the crown in my office myself (come on -- a box) along with the sloped ceilings in the formal living room. If *I* can do it, why in the heck couldn't a carpenter? New cabinets will go up to the ceiling in the kitchen. They put tile crown where I cared in the master bath when it was remodeled. What I should have done was made them crown the hallway to the bedrooms just to punish them. It has so many compound angles it would make any carpenter cry.

I am looking at the 30" elextrolux icon full induction cooktop with the icon downdraft ventilatio. We currently have a very old Jennaire downdraft that is slowly dying. From what I read online the hole to vent out for the electrolux is 10" duct work which is greater in size than what we currently have. The configuration of our current system takes a 90 degree turn within our cabinet then exits between 2X4's to outside. Has anyone configured their icon ductwork like this?

Probably not worth it. Internal blowers can have smaller CFM rating and move as much air as a remote blower because it's more efficient to push than pull air. The internal blowers aren't that noisy-it's the air rushing over the filters that making the whistling noise at high speed. Remote blowers usually require larger size vent ducts, too. You might want to consider the KA downdraft, too. I just put in a 30" and like it. It raises 14 inches, has a nice SS finish, fully variable fan speed, and lots cheaper than the Bosch. I don't sear or grill much-the downdraft will do just fine for sauteing and steam.

First of all, most slide in ranges (including that Samsung, I'm pretty sure) are not "approved" for use with downdrafts. That's not to say you couldn't rig one up to work but... the main issue is space. With a cooktop there is room underneath for downdraft, with a range that space is taken up by the oven. There would need to be sufficient space behind the range for the downdraft box, and you would probably need to locate the blower externally. If you want a straightforward, factory supported solution, either get a Dacor slide in which is approved for use with their matching downdraft, or buy the KitchenAid/JennAir model with built-in downdraft.