skip to main content

Building a Home Design Dilemma Kitchens

HELP NEEDED with wood species for range hood, mudroom and pantry!

Alicia Daninger

6 years ago

I am finalizing plans with my cabinet maker for our custom home. We have a few areas that we need to select the wood species we want to use: 1) mudroom bench top, 2) pantry countertops, 3) wood accent on range hood.

A few things for context:

Our mudroom is located off of our kitchen (behind it). It will have all shiplap walls, and a bench top that will be wood.
Within the mudroom area we have an opening to a pantry/pocket office. We will have lower cabinets and open shelving on top. Our counter tops in the pantry/pocket office will also be wood.
The door that goes into this pantry/pocket office from the mudroom is a barn door that my parents made for our wedding (see attached picture)-- it is knotty pine.
We are going with engineered white oak floors-- see attached pic (the mudroom and pantry/pocket office area will have a medium grey tile floor).

SO, we already have a little bit of wood going on in our design - the oak flooring and the pine barn door. We need to select the wood species for those 3 areas listed above.

My cabinet maker and builder are recommending white oak for all 3 areas, I think based on their 'hardness' -- which I agree is probably a good thing to have 'hard' wood for a mudroom bench top and the counter tops in our pantry/pocket office given how much 'use' they will get.

However, I'm wondering if we should go with something like Alder wood for our range hood accent, as I have fallen in love with the rustic vibe it has. Our range hood is a combination of shiplap + a wood design along the bottom edge, including corbels-- attached is the 'inspiration' image for the design.

I NEED HELP! Would it be too many wood species going on that are relatively close to each other if we had engineered white oak floors (kitchen area), Alder wood vent hood accent, white oak mudroom bench, white oak pantry counter top, and a pine door from mudroom into pantry?? Should I just go with white oak on the vent hood or would Alder be okay here-- both from a 'softness' perspective as well as design of using the various species in rooms near each other???? THANK YOU!!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

dsnine
6 years ago
I think you have enough going on - white oak would be my pick for all of them for uniformity, and then I'd look into adding alder with a statement piece of furniture like a buffet or bench. It's a very popular material where I just moved from (Alaska) and doesn't age well. In many homes it just looks too country or dated after a few years, especially if it is on an expansive piece like a range hood.

Alder is best in small doses unless the rest of your home has very clean lines and textures, where it can be a real showcase piece. But unless I'm picturing your home all wrong in my head there is a lot going on with wood already. Don't guild the lily and overdo it.
PRO
Beth H. :
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
will your kitchen look just like that photo? all white with just a bit of accent wood? If so, I don't think choosing the alder over the oak will make that much difference. However, oak takes staining more evenly than alder. I made a Media console from Alder and stained that and a solid Alder door. The Alder is smoother, without the graining that you see in the oak. So if all these woods will be visible at one spot, I would prob just do the white oak. I actually like the looks of i t better than the Alder.

Why don't you have him ceruse the white oak that's going around the vent hood? That would give you a different look. I've done it with oak and it looks really cool. You basically use a liming wax or a white paint rubbed into the grain after you stain it. The white shows up as contrast against the dark stain.

this is cerused oak. you can do any color. I've done it in black and one in turquoise. It would be a nice accent around the hood.
Related Discussions
Over the range hood vs. Microhood HELP
Q
Comments (17)
Forgive me I have to chime in. I know this is the great debate. I detest my Over the range mw. If I could rip it out (finances are strained this year) I would do it. I really dislike it... The number one reason is the crowding issue. I like to cook at my range without any having to step aside. I might be cooking a meal that takes time stirring, simmering, double boiling... ( Rissotto, stew, chilli...) And I get interrupted because someone in my house needs to defrost, or make popcorn, or melt cheese... I always have to step back and let the MW cook do their thing. I wish the MW were any place else. Yes, even the garage would be a better place than where it is now. I regret that I did not spend the time, money and effort when I was first planning this. My DH kept telling me we can always move it later. Well, later has not come. : ( If you have the chance to move it to a different place, You won't regret it. I have never heard of someone on GW saying "I wish I had put my microwave over my range. Why didn't I move my MW over the range?" Good luck and don't let my silly rant sway you. Smiles, boxerpups
...See More
Help with windows next to range hood
Q
Comments (34)
This excerpt is from the 'zones' portion of buehl's thread, and goes into a little more detail about DW placement: Cleanup Zone...works best when separated from the Prep & Cooking Zones. This can be on the opposite side of a one-sink kitchen from the Prep Zone or it could be in a completely separate location (the latter usually only works well if you have two sinks). Obviously, it also needs a water source and the DW. When the Prep and Cleanup Zones share a sink, the DW should be on the Cleanup Zone side of the sink, not the Prep Zone side. I like wilson853's suggestion of a pull-out to separate the fridge and DW, and if you plan to have your main prep on the island, you can put a trash pull-out on the cooktop end of the island, where it will be close enough to be shared by all zones. Where are you planning to store your dishes?
...See More
Sink/window and range/hood on the same wall? Layout help please.
Q
Comments (42)
cpartist... thank you for the suggestions!! I do like the idea of that space by the entry but I'm not sure about putting a wall back up there. It seems to close in the kitchen. And what do I put on that wall? Something to think about though. It won't really close off the kitchen because it will be open to your living dining room. You of course can make the new laundry room shorter which would keep it open. As to what to put on that wall? A fabulous wallpaper and fabulous painting? Some shelves with pottery? As for the laundry/pantry area, here are some pics (before demo) that shows what we're working with. There is a water heater and all the main plumbing coming up from the ground right in that area where ideally the door should go so it's a straight shot. Unfortunately, we don't have the budget to move all that, well we're thinking of moving the water heater or getting tankless in the garage but the piping will have to stay (we'll enclose it in a closet or something). There's that awful thing again. Budget! LOL. As for switching to tankless, I highly recommend doing so and then that means you remove that water tank. We changed to tankless in our old apartment and it removed a lot of those pipes you're worried about. Obviously I'm not a plumber but I'd guess it would be a lot smaller footprint. I just feel if you can get a good run of counter without having it divided by the pantry door, you'd be better off.
...See More
Custom wood range hood in a kitchen with 8 foot ceilings
Q
Comments (10)
I think that visually gray beats black for this application. However, before choosing the hood, or the fabricator of the hood in case of custom, the hood's parameters have to be defined. As I've noted before, one can have any two (at best) of performance (includes noise), aesthetics, and cost affordability. Usually, trades among these are necessary. May we assume that your hood is on an outside wall, and that cost containment will allow a short duct to outside? This will preclude any silencer in the path, but a larger outside blower run generally at part power may prove to be quiet. (I realize quiet wasn't on your list, but for most, and including cooking while having guests, it will be appreciated.) Some parameters you may wish to adopt. Hood width: 42 inches Hood depth: Not less than 24 inches (27 if possible counting any front light bar) Hood mounting height: Depends on cook but more than 30 inches but not over 36 inches without further expanding the hood size Hood intake velocity: up to 90 ft/min over the entry aperture Hood filter: baffles Hood reservoir (volume below baffles): More than one gets with a horizontal baffle configuration. Hood resulting volumetric flow rate: 630 CFM Hood exit port: out the back, otherwise there may not be room for an elbow Blower sizing: 900 or more CFM at zero static pressure Duct size: 10 inches preferred, but 8 might do for a near zero length through the wall. Make-up air: Always, but that is another topic and will add a little or a lot of cost depending on more than you can imagine at this stage ... Please read hood threads here for a general understanding of the concepts involved. If this weren't a zombie issue with different aspects each time we wouldn't have to beat it to death so often.
...See More
millworkman
6 years ago
"However, I'm wondering if we should go with something like Alder wood for our range hood accent"

Wood is flamable are you sure the inspector will let it be there?

Related Stories

KITCHEN DESIGN How to Get Your Range Hood Right

By Erin Carlyle

Get a handle on the technical specs, and then learn about fun design options for creating a beautiful kitchen feature

KITCHEN APPLIANCES Disappearing Range Hoods: A New Trend?

By Anne Ellard Design

Concealed exhaust fans cut visual clutter in the kitchen

LIFE Decluttering — How to Get the Help You Need

By Alison Hodgson

Don't worry if you can't shed stuff and organize alone; help is at your disposal

KITCHEN MAKEOVERS Kitchen of the Week: Hand-Painted Range Hood and Classic Finishes

By Erin Carlyle

A designer puts hardworking materials, repurposed features and personal touches to work in her own charming kitchen

BEFORE AND AFTERS 4 Kitchen Makeovers With Standout Range Hoods

By Bryan Anthony

In these before-and-afters, see how a custom range hood can take your kitchen renovation to the next level

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen and Butler’s Pantry in White, Wood and Blue

By Erin Carlyle

Having a separate public-facing kitchen and a hidden space for baking and prepping hors d’oeuvres works for this family

KITCHEN APPLIANCES Houzz Call: Show Us Your Creative Range Hood

By Erin Carlyle

Have you customized your kitchen’s range hood? Please tell us all about it

KITCHEN MAKEOVERS Zinc Range Hood and a Limestone Fireplace Create a Timeless Look

By Jess McBride

A designer uses weathered materials to fashion a new classic kitchen for her family in Walnut Creek, California

KITCHEN STORAGE Walk-In Pantries vs. Cabinet Pantries

We explore the pros and cons of these popular kitchen storage options

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen of the Week: Texas Chic in Black, White and Wood

By Becky Harris

A butler’s pantry, mudroom and laundry room are part of this project by a designer the homeowners found on Houzz

Sponsored

AAE Bathroom Remodeler

Franklin County's Custom Kitchen & Bath Designs for Everyday Living

More Discussions

Any brand of add-in rollout shelves better/worse???

9

Ranch House Exterior Design help!

14

Alternative to drywall for garage?

16

Tile installation standards help

13

Will it be cheaper to build a home?

11