Heated floors would have been the first and best solution, but that's difficult to retrofit on a concrete floor. Second best is to plumb in a couple of powered circulation ducts, even if you have to encase them in soffits. They will pull the heat down from the ceiling through the ductwork and exhaust it at floor level. Third best option is to put back the ceiling fans. The fourth option is to use the portable fans, which as you've discovered, is noisy and unattractive. Fifth best option is heated slippers and an extra sweater.

Hi OP! I got your email and have to be brief since I'm just taking a mental break from packing for our move tomorrow. I saw your sketch, and you are right, we have simlar kitchens. I'm afraid I can't offer much help. My architect also wanted my rangetop on the same wall yours is on, and he wanted the hood to go all the way up to the ceiling. I didn't like that it would be off-center to my peak, so I had them move it to my window wall and we put windows on each side of the hood on that wall with everything centered. Having the vent on the window wall presented several challenges. Since I had a remote blower for my rooftop, and wanted it on the back of the house (windows face front of house), moving my rangetop meant 3 elbows and a much longer duct run. This meant I needed to get a much higher powered blower (I ended up with 1200 units of whatever they the airflow in.) The height of my kitchen was also a tricky issue (original height pre-lofting was 8') I dont' live there yet, so am not sure if the hood is venting well enough or not, but it holds a piece of paper tightly when on high, so I'm optimistic that it will be sufficient! Back to your sketch, I'm afraid I have to agree with you that I don't care for it stopping short of the ceiling with a custom wood hood. But I also wouldn't like the look of it going all the way up unless it were centered (it looks slightly to the right in the sketch; is that correct?) Of the suggestions above, I think I like the idea of having the venting pipe exposed. Maybe consider leaving your hood SS (or copper or whatever; it could really be very beautiful, although I admit a different look than the built-in white kitchen I have and that you like!) Best wishes to you! Feel free to email if you have any other questions I might actually be able to be helpful with - I'll try to get back within a reasonable time, but again we are moving tomorrow! <:o>PS. If I knew what I know now back in the planning stage, I wouldn't have done inset cabinets. I know a great cabinet maker who makes beaded inset LOOK cabinets that are actually overlay. It's not necessarily cheaper to do, but I wouldn't be having the sticking of doors due to the high humidity levels in my house (AC only recently went fully operational and the construction guys are incapable of keeping doors and windows closed!). Email me if you are in NJ and I'll give you his contact info. He did all my bath vanities and more, and I wish I used him for my kitchen!

You really don’t need anything high up on a wall. Decorating is done down at human-level. The clock is a little in-your-face, the tv is sort of the natural focal point on that wall. Do you have another spot for it?

A grand or a baby grand piano? A grand needs a 15x 20’ space so nothing else in this room. This space is 15 x25’ I have my baby grand straddling the space between the DR and this space it is a bit small but works.