Which model are you ordering? Can you get the 18", set it lower and then have a vertical duct that goes straight up from the top and then have it turn 90 degrees into the woodwork covering? You could make it 8" high, cover it in copper, and that would put it at 31.75" above the range.

Anna_chosak, the 18" hood would not work visually... The hood is to be the visual showpiece of a 12' x 24' kitchen + DR room, smack dab in the middle. It's the PS-14 model, and will be 42" long to vent a 36" range.

I'm having a hard time visualizing your proposed set up. Got a picture of the space and the hood, or one like it?

That'd help me out and maybe others too.

NE

Yep... I need pics too in order to help.

Your ceiling is fairly low. The bottom of the beams are only 7 feet or so above the ground. That's much lower than where large, showy island hoods usually go.

Can you use a different hood, that is of lower height, and wrap it in decorative copper and rivets? Something that is designed for a low ceiling and/or to have full standing clearance underneath?

E.g. http://www.hoodmart.com/spec_sheets/island-exhaust-only-canopy.pdf

This is a commercial model, they come in pretty much any size you like and there are versions for islands, for low ceilings, etc.

Most people with a big island hood have the high ceilings to go with it. 2-3 feet higher than your ceilings. That's a lot of overhead room that you don't have. The large hood is in scale with the rest of the surroundings when you have tall ceilings. You are NOT going to have the same look and feeling with only 7' overhead. Add in the fact that the ceilings are wood and you've already got a pretty claustrophobic space that will only be made to feel smaller by a giant metal hood hanging from the ceiling. If you must do an island cooktop, then you need to do an inconspicuous hood to keep from it from feeling so small and closed in. Something like a clear glass one. If you want a focal point type hood, then do your cooktop on the wall where it won't loom over everyone and it'll feel more proportionate.

I suggest you get a big cardboard box and attach it to the ceiling so you can see what I'm talking about when I say it's out of proportion.

All right here are some pics to help out.

This is my ceiling, courtesy of my toddler running around with my new iPad so you are literally looking straight up:

The hood will run between the beams, not across them, BTW. It would be the island version of the hood in this link:

Copper Hood

DH and I have been playing around with the tape measure to find solutions. Our best idea is to ask Modern-Aire if they could put the vent out the side of the hood, and mount the hood flush to the top of the ceiling. That puts it 36" above the range top, and since the ductwork was going to be hidden with woodwork to blend into the ceiling beams anyway, it won't be really noticeable. Except that at the far side of the hood, the wooden housing would run right into the hood instead of above it. We're thinking that would not look so bad, but maybe it's too late and I've had a few too many beers while pondering this dilemma?

Do you think there is enough space between joists to fit the upper end of the hood? Looks like 12''? Is the hood that narrow - at a point 8'' below the top?

How do the joists line up with your cooktop location?

If it does fit, there will be only about 22'' of the hood exposed, below the joists. Might or might not be the look you had in mind?

Well, I'm getting a 16" high hood from ModernAire that I certainly hope will be the visual showpiece of my kitchen. It will also be in proportion to my low ceilings. Your link goes to the whole photo gallery and I don't see any PS-14s there, but I did look at the line drawing of the shape. I agree with GreenDesigns and johnliu that that size is too big for the space where you want to put it.

I also didn't see on the spec sheet that it comes in the 18" size, though maybe it's just not listed there. If you really want that shape, your best bet is to shorten it to something more in proportion with the room and pay the upcharge.

I'm sorry, I didn't read your initial post carefully, you said the joist spacing there. They don't look like 21'' spacing but I may be getting the wrong sense of scale from the photo.

Okay my link goes to the whole photo gallery at MA. The hood I am referring to is the 15th, it is a wall hood in copper, over a stainless range, with pans hanging up on the wall behind the range and stained cabinets to the left, and a dark red Oriental-looking rug on the floor. I would get the island version of that design.

My beams are 21" apart and 7 1/4" high. Height from floor to beam bottom is 93 3/4", from floor to actual ceiling is 101". The hood will be placed lengthwise, so the length of the hood will run between two beams and the ductwork can be recessed between the beams.

GreenDesigns I would usually agree with you, but somehow our ceilings look very high even though they're not. Everyone who comes in, even contractors, think we have 9' ceilings -maybe the stain or the proportion or the room sizes give that impression? So from measuring things out, the hood *seems* like it would look proportionate even though it actually may not be. But I love your idea to try it out with a box first!

Johnliu, for some reason I can't get your link to work, but I'd love to see what you are referring to! Is there a Google search I can do, or would you mind reposting the link?

Anna_chosak, I should have worded my response better... I'm sure the 18" hood will look perfect in your space. It's just that I think it will look weird in mine, because the hood will be 42" long and it will sit in the middle of a 15' by 24' room (sorry, I put the wrong dimensions in last night!), and for some reason, even though the ceilings are technically low, they don't look it so the 18" hood would look disproportionately short.

After sleeping on it, today I am still considering what I posted last night - having it vent out the side instead of the top, so I can mount the hood directly to the ceiling - but will also email MA and ask how much it would be to have them make the hood only 24" tall, instead of 30". That would put it about 34" from the range top when mounted beneath the beams. What do you think of those ideas? Should I do something else?

Your ceilings are really pretty. How do you feel about a shape like the PS-18? (Link below.) I realize it may not be your vision, but in the same finish you have planned it could be stunning.

I'm asking because the PS-18 has a chimney that looks to be about 10" of its 30" height (if I'm reading the page correctly), so the flare of the chimeny would start a couple inches below your beams, and the bottom of the hood would be a comfortable height.

The full specs aren't on the site, so you'd need to check with the MA folks to see how this would work.

Here is a link that might be useful: PS-18 with chimney

You should be able to get a copper hood made to any shape and dimensions you want. MA can customize and there are also many other people who make copper hoods that can customize shape and size at prices comparable to MA. Perhaps rather than starting with a design off a web page, start with looking hard at your space and doing some drawings to figure out the perfect geometry -- and only then look for a vendor who can make what you want.

Hi, I just wanted to say thank you for all the responses. I was out all day yesterday and did not get to respond.
Chicagoans, the PS-18 looks interesting, so I will look into it but I think I would still have the problem of need a few inches above the hood to let the ductwork make a 90 degree turn to go out the side wall... I need to find out exactly how much clearance I need above the hood for that, I guess, before deciding how tall the hood itself can be.
Sayde, since MA can customize sizes I figured that I could plan out the look I wanted and go from there. As you mentioned, several companies can make cool hoods so there's bound to be one who can work with whatever measurements I need for my space.

In any event DH and I will go to some appliance stores tonight and see what hood height is minimal for him. Then I will ask how much clearance for the duct is needed - and if any of you know, please feel free to tell me! Once I have those measurements, I will know for sure how tall I can go with the hood and see how much it would cost me to have MA alter the height. At this point my original idea to vent out the side is getting thrown out because it sounds as though it will look awful... But I'll be on the lookout for inspiration tonight!