Sorry I didn't cover all your questions. We were given conflicting reports on cfm. In the end, we decided we'd rather have the extra power -- it just wasn't much of a cost difference (really, really small when you consider the cost of the range, the hood, and the installation of the hood and ductwork). Also, my wife is really sensitive to odors in the house. As for size, a larger hood would have meant moving more things, and giving up an existing cabinet. Both the dealer and somebody we knew with the same range suggested we'd be fine with a (good) 36" hood and we've had no regrets at all. As for brands, I'm not sure what to tell you. We looked at various products and talked to various people, but we were looking to get something we liked that would do the job, and represented good value for money, and we considered it a plus to have one of the hoods carried by the range dealer and to know that everything would arrive at the same time. I can only tell you that I felt comfortable placing the order for the Zephyr and that it has been trouble free (although we've only had it since spring 2011, so that's just not that long). When I ordered it, I had confidence that it would be a good product and a good value, but I had no opinion that I was buying the ne plus ultra of range hoods and I don't know that there's anything in particular I know enough to steer you away from.

Yes, Weissman, you are correct. I guess I didn't describe the kitchen set up clearly and unfortunately my kids have taken every digital camera in the house so I cannot post pictures as Stoxie wisely suggested. So, I will try to describe my set up a little better and pose my questions more clearly. The section of the kitchen I am concerned with is an L shaped peninsula. There are no upper cabinets. The back of the 80 inch side of the peninsula has a breakfast bar and the room it opens into is a playroom. There are no concerns for this portion. The other part of the L is 89 inches long. The cabinets face into the heart of the kitchen. The backside of this part of the L is a walkway from the playroom into the kitchen. Currently there is a 30 inch down draft range installed in this section. I will be removing the old range, putting a 36 inch open burner range in its place and extending the countertop 6 inches. New countertops will be granite. THE BACK OF THE CABINETS ARE COVERED BY A FORMICA PANEL. THIS IS WHERE THE NEW RANGE WILL BE PLACED. IT WILL BE BETWEEN 2 CABINETS AND COVERED BY THE SAME FORMICA PANEL. If I have to put granite on the back of the cabinets, I would have to do it on both sections of the L and the breakfast bar. The cost would be prohibitive. I cannot put the back of the range 6 inches away from the back of the cabinets as that would look ridiculous. The lower cabinets that are next to the range are 25 years old and are made of MDF and covered with formica. At the time of installation, they were considered top of the line - but they are really poorly made - but that is another issue. My questions: 1. Can the back of the open burner range be covered by a formica panel? I assume wood is under the formica. 2. Should their be some sort of insulation material placed between the sides and back of the range and the cabinets and back panel? If so, what would work? 3. Mojavean, how high above your counter is your range? Could you please post a picture. Thank you all for your advice. My husband sends a special thank you to all of you for your help and advice. He is so tired of discussing kitchen issues with me!! The input from all of you on garden web is truly appreciated.

>>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.

Your situation regarding a vent hood mirrors exactly what we had to deal with. Load bearing wall, finished upstairs bathroom, all the plumbing for the bathroom was exactly where we thought we could run the duct work for the vent hood and 8' ceilings. What we did was run 3X10 duct work above the 36" cabinets, vented horizontally to the outside and then covered up the duct work with moldings. We did have to drop the vent hood from 30" above the stove to 27". I was worried about having the vent hood 27" above the stove, but we were in the parameters of what the installation instructions required. The only thing I would have changed was to have a 9" vent hood instead of an 18" vent hood, then I could have had the vent hood 30" above the range, but you know what, it works like a champ. My vent hood is extremely quiet on low and medium low, but does get louder on med high and high. Whatever you choose to do, good luck. I always tell my DH, if they can put a man on the moon, then something is always doable, with some thought, and a woman!!!! Here is a picture of our install. Here is a picture of the finished product.