I can honestly say that I like having my range against the wall. In my new kitchen, the limestone hood will go from counter top to ceiling creating a hearth effect around my 60" range. This will be my kitchen focal point. Currently my sink is in my center island. My new island will be much larger (12 ft long x 50in wide) but will still contain my sink. I must admit that I probably spend more time standing at my kitchen sink, prepping food, serving the kids , laying out appetizers, cheeseplates, baking, and cleaning up, etc, etc. I like that I am able to talk to everyone at this center island as well as see into our family room. I think if a range hood is in the center island it might look odd coming down from a 20 " ceiling. I also had a downdraft vent that I absolutely hated. I wouldn't suggest getting one of those unless you didn't do a lot of high heat searing and cooking. I feel a down draft vent that will rise up from your cook top might solve your problem and allow you to put the range in your center island. But as I said before , it is my experience that they are not that powerful and don't work as well if you do a lot of high heat searing and cooking. I hope this info helps!

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!

Thanks everyone. I'm cracking up at all your observations. Good to know it wasn't just me. The possum skulls! Casey, that made me LOL! Yes, how would you clean that thing. It also reminded me of eyeballs, like I'm waiting for one to blink. Oh that just gave me the creeps. Thanks d_gw and homechef for the info about Tabby stucco. I had never heard of that. I swear, I learn something new everyday. That copper hood kitchen was really charming. I loved the wall of windows, but I couldn't get over the height of that chimney. I wondered too if when the fan is turned on high, if it wobbles back and forth. Yes, I'd be afraid to cook under it too. Feel free to post any other strange kitchen pictures you find in your searches. I love when people do different things and actually make it work, but some I find just blow my mind. I had a few others saved to show dh, but had deleted them already. Thanks again for the laughs!

Joseph, are you saying that to reframe the joist to allow for the duct to be moved over is not a large project? Even though the ceiling has been dry walled and painted? That’s the resolution that we want, I just don’t know how much effort that would be and if it is realistic for me to expect our contractor to do so. Seems like they should have addressed when the room was demo’d to studs 🤷‍♂️