That's a beautiful kitchen!

You have a larger space for tile than I do. I'll post again when I have the drawing.

I don't know that everyone thinks about which elements are contemporary and which are traditional when designing a kitchen, so kudos that you are that observant. I'm seeing a trend to throw a few modern or rustic or industrial elements into a very traditional home and call the style transitional. I'm not sure that traditional + those other things = transitional. Often it just doesn't look right. Someone designed a new home like that and it did look Frankensteined.

I think chimney hoods are mostly contemporary, and the backsplash tile can make it more so--mosaics instead of subways for instance. I used a chimney hood to push my kitchen a little more contemporary. I have natural cherry Shaker cabs and a plain, beige quartz countertop. My house has traditional moldings and doors so I picked one that has traditional lines, like the ones in your photos--squared chimney, deep hood.

In your kitchen with its raised panel door style, I would do a hood with a wider chimney, something like the hood in your second photo.

I don't love the look of chimney hoods (there's already so much stainless in my kitchen!!!) but I went with one too because I think it keeps the kitchen much more light and open than a hood with cabinets above.

We just did the exposed hood with tile to the ceiling in our 180 year old house. I love the look but it is a personal choice. excuse the yet-to-be-replaced range.

I happen to love SS hoods so I might be biased. And I love walls of tile. So I think it will look great.

However, I do think some of the hoods look too crowded by the cabinets or surrounds on each side. I like them better when there is more breathing room around them. If you can't modify your plans for your uppers to have more of that breathing room, then I would prefer more the style in the last photo you posted.

But it's YOUR kitchen. I think it's great to get input but, in the end, we should go with what pleases ourselves.

brdrl -- beautiful.

That really helps confirm my choice.

It's easy to look at all the professional Houzz photos - and those in magazines etc. But you and nhbaskets have shown that "real people" have chimney hoods too. :) -- and your photos look like they should be in magazines!

Thank you, funky. I need to trust myself more - but it's easy to get blurry vision with the click of a mouse.

May -- The hood I picked is 42 wide with a 14" chimney. I'm placing the hood at the highest recommended height (36") because I'm 6 ft. tall. The hood itself is 18 inches - so the chimney portion will be another 18 inches.

I will look for a hood similar to photo #2 - I agree -- the would be a nice look with my cabinets.

Do what makes you happy. It will be fine.

Just went through the same decision-making. I suggest you draw both options in a design program and look at the 3D images. It'll give you an idea of what it will look like in your home.

We chose chimney in the end because we felt it gave more space and open feel than the cabinets above the hood, but both options are lovely!

I thought you couldn't do the 42" hood. I think just that extra width, along with the 14" wide chimney, would be fine.

Here's a heavier hood right up to the window.

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I love a barrel hood enclosed with cabinets, but the chimney styles give a more open feeling. They are beautiful in all the examples above, but I agree with funkycamper--I think they look better with a couple of inches to spare on each side, and they allow more exposure of a rockin' tile backsplash. :)

That's a great example, May

I think it was you who suggested the larger hood, if I'm not mistaken.

I have just enough room for the 42". And since the cabinet to the right of my cooktop will be custom made, so it will work.

The main reason I want the chimney is to open the space up. Right now, that left cabinet blocks the light coming in from the window.

It's hard to tell from this photo - but my new 36" cooktop placement will start at the same place on the right side as it is now - but extend 6 inches beyond where it is now. The current counter space from the left edge of the cooktop to the edge of the window molding is 9". So the 42" hood can be centered over the cooktop - and will but up against the window - similar to your photo above. The new cabinet will but up against the other side of the hood - so if you can imagine your photo as a cabinet on the right instead of a window - that's what I'm going for.

Unfortunately, I won't have that breathing room with the 42" hood over the 36" cooktop. If I did a 36" over a 36" - I'd have that 3" of tile on either side of the hood.

That is what I originally set out to do (36 over 36) - as I agree with Funky about the "breathing room" — but I had to chose between the 42" hood and no space on either side or the 36" hood and some space for the tile to show. After researching the larger hood, I opted to go that direction.

I considered just having the whole wall tiled and no uppers - but I can't afford to lose that cabinet.

**** Also — I have a corner lazy susan cabinet to the right of the cooktop - (I'm keeping my cabinets) so I can't move the hood over any more to the right in order to gain that space… just in case you want to suggest that - I can't do it.

Going back to my very first photo in this post, in order to gain that "breathing room" - I could make that right upper cabinet more narrow - so there is more tile space. However, we were going to make that cabinet the same width as the window for symmetry purposes.

I think you're making the right choice to use the 42". If you search Houzz for hoods between windows, you'll see many examples where the hoods go to the window frame, including chimney hoods. This is different than a chimney hood between cabinets where you need breathing room. The tile in that photo shows up beautifully without breathing room. I love the bold, open design of it instead of fussy mosaics or subways.

The one thing I feel strongly about is hinging the counter cabinet on the right so you have easy access to your cooking ingredients, but then I saw you have two doors on it in the drawing you posted in that thread. I don't think a single door will look too wide and it may help simplify that wall. There's so much going on there as it is.

I'm not sure you "need" to get a bigger hood. I think it depends on aesthetics and function. My hood and range are the same size, no issues with function at all- and I even went down in CFMs from my last hood. Jet engine noise is not appreciated inside my home, and smoke/grease are not an issue despite my frequent sautéing and searing ;)

My hood and range are the same size too, but only 30". I have cabinets to capture the grease and moisture, while jp has a window, so function would seem to dictate a wider hood. I know I should have gone with a wider hood for function and aesthetics. I think it's more important for a 36" range than a 30" because you're getting into "pro" styling.

Do you have a drawing of that wall with the 42" hood?

Valid point about the windows, Mayflowers.

My hood and range will be the same size, though my research had indicated that it was better to have a larger hood. I love the look of a chimney hood, I do think it looks a bit more modern/transitional than a mounted hood. And I especially love the tiled wall!

I'm waiting for that drawing.

And great catch on the cabinet - to have one door opening to the right.

I did mention it before. ;) I have a peninsula and I'm a stickler about being able to get into the cabinets over it.

For your counter-sitting cabinet, you could do a solid door for only the base cabinet, right-hinged to hide your cooking ingredients, and the rest of the cabinet could be open shelves or glass doors for decorative bowls and stuff. That would lighten the look even more. How wide will that cabinet be?

Yes, this!

I think you're making the right choice to use the 42". If you search Houzz for hoods between windows, you'll see many examples where the hoods go to the window frame, including chimney hoods. This is different than a chimney hood between cabinets where you need breathing room. The tile in that photo shows up beautifully without breathing room. I love the bold, open design of it instead of fussy mosaics or subways.

jpmom, love your inspiration photo tile. do you know what kitchen it is, or what the tile manufacturer is (it appears so white!) and what size? Thank you very much. Getting closer to ABB myself.

I like your idea of a chimney hood with tile surround very much.

I have a similar mental debate. I like the look of the chimney styles but feel they maybe one thing that dates the kitchen. An old cottage the white subway will fit but what about that chimney... On the other hand I have a small area and cabinets on both walls will only add to the tiny feel, block light, make the walk way seem narrow and make the pass thru receed and feel even less useful. Besides I have nailed my head on a cabinet in my current place enough times to want to rip it out. So I will probably end up with a subway tiled chimney wall and end up loving it and wondering what I was worrying about