Would be useful for decorations. I would put a shelf on both sides not just one.

Your inspiration pics with the shelf are gorgeous. I would do as they've done and not put any other shelves above or below. Not too high for art, as you'd likely want to hang something there anyway, if there were no shelf. If you look at the height of the man pictured against the shelf, it's higher than if you wanted to have art in a sit-down room, but the working part of a kitchen is a stand up room. It will be fine a bit higher.

eta, one minute later. I looked at your inspiration pic with an additional lower shelf and that also looks good. Seems like it would be handy for things used for cooking, like salt and pepper, etc. But there is a change of depth of that wall and the shelf is a capper, so not sure a suspended shelf there would look as good.

Your back splash will look incomplete without the shelf, it has a real design purpose too.

I like with the shelf.

Definitely the shelf, like in the inspiration pics.

Oh yes, the shelf lends wonderful horizontal interest.

Thanks for confirming everyone, much appreciated.

sochi, any update pics on this shelf idea??

I'm trying to decide the same thing (I have some of those same inspiration pics!)...we have 3' on each side of the proposed hood box where we currently plan to run the backsplash tile up to the ceiling and I'm considering a shelf.

We're also trying to decide if we will wrap the hood in metal or drywall so I'd love to see what you ended up doing!

Thanks!!

Hi there - yes I did do it in the end. Here is an iPhone pic, sorry about the light blobs!

Closer without the lights on

Sorry about the quality of the pictures, there are better on my phone, I must be doing something wrong when I post. Anyway, lmk if you have any questions.

Thank you SO MUCH!

It looks beautiful!

questions for when you have time:

1) Your earlier pic looked like the hood was drywall but maybe cement board?

2) how did you finish the bottom surface surrounding where the hood insert lip goes? Drywall, too?

3) what material did you use for the shelf? (Btw, I’ve not seen them with uplights...so pretty!)

4) I cook a lot and DH is curious if the shelf area feels tacky due to a layer of grease that escapes the extraction hood.

5) is that quartzite or granite and do you love it?

thank you, Sochi!

All super helpful!!

Good morning, sochi. I'm back to admiring your pictures as I make some kitchen design decisions. :)

Would you please post a picture of the left wall, also? Our kitchen has a vaulted ceiling, but all our cabinets are on the "downhill" (?) side with an island across from them (like a galley in function). I'm trying to decide what height to end the tall cabinets (we have a few of these for appliances, but no wall hung cabinets). I don't want the ceiling to feel crowded so I might just base them all off the height of the paneled refrigerator, but a little more storage isn't a bad thing...

Thank you!

PS I wan't sure if this should be a private message (is that even possible on here?) or a new thread as this isn't about the shelf, or ____???, but I figured anyone admiring the pics of your kitchen in this thread would love to see the left side finished :)

Hi again, happy to post more pics. Let me know if you need a closer picture of anything in particular. Our ceilings are vaulted and slopped.

The quality of the pictures I’m posting is poor, but they show up well on my phone. This didn’t used to happen when I posted to Gardenweb/Houzz. Does anyone have an idea what I need to do to post better quality pictures? thx!

What a beautiful kitchen, @sochi !!!

Thank you so much, @sochi!!

They look horribly blurry, but clear up if I click through so no worries.

The way you chose to end the oven cabinet at the slope is exactly what I wanted to see and SUPER helpful (and beautiful)!

additionally, did you retrofit a sink into a MCM furniture piece?!? And I *LOVE* the wood slat “screen” wall to the stairs!

Edited to add...i needed to reboot my machine for another reason and now the pics look perfect even without clicking through,...weird!

Why didn't I see these before??? So lovely! I'm still in love with the last kitchen, but this one is gorgeous. Love the cabinet color!

Good news about picture quality, thanks.

Not retrofitted mcm sideboard, my brother in law built it new. He did the entire kitchen. :)

He is amazingly talented!!

Looks soooo amazing @sochi ! We too have a long open shelf and I love it. It has been incredibly useful and not hard to clean at all (actually, it doesn’t get dusty like the naysayers said it would)

Do you have a source for your barstools? I love them and still need to purchase for our new place.

@sochi, I feel a little bit like I'm helping create your reveal post one question at a time. LOL Hopefully these questions are quick and easy to answer. I definitely appreciate your time and help!! (again, I would have PM'd you but I can't figure out how to do that so I ramble on this thread since I'm referencing photos in this thread...I hope that's not against etiquette...)

I just zoomed in and I think I have that same faucet spec'd (either Brizo Solna or Litze with the smart touch?)...do you like it? Does it have good reach for that HUGE sink?

speaking of the sink, what sink did you choose? I have a 36" base in the design so I'm currently planning a Kraus 32" single bowl and want to make sure the faucet can wash it all out...I'm so DONE with my pullout