Are your pendant lights line voltage or low voltage. If they are low voltage then they need a transformer. The transformer can be put in the electric box in the ceiling if there is enough room- then you could use a flat canopy. If there is not enough room in the electric box in the ceiling then you would need the dome canopy to house the transformer. My pendant lights are low voltage and the transformer is in the 4 inch electric box in the ceiling. I don't remember if they are 12v or 24 volt. The spec sheets for the lights should tell you the voltage the lights use.

Thanks for the tips! I have been reading up on the threads regarding solid surface counters and also checked out the finished kitchens board. Regarding my new kitchen, I will have a stainless steel undermount sink. Cabinets will be rustic pecan from Dynasty Omega. Hardwood floors in a medium to dark finish. Island countertop will be butcher block. I will not be installing granite as it is too expensive. (We are a couple of hundred miles from the nearest granite yard so mileage and time for templating and installation will kill us before the price of the granite is even considered.) That is why I am going with solid surface. I prefer a matte finish rather than shiny and am leaning toward darker, earthtone colors with a stone look. I know about the issues with the heat but have never had anyone in our household set a hot pot on the old yellow/gold laminate counter so I don't anticipate that as a problem. (My KD says you can't use griddles or the George Forman type of grills on solid surface without a trivet or hot pad underneath. Anyone have experience with this?)

No reason to feel chastised -- ventilation is one of the more daunting things to deal with in the kitchen -- conflicting views, almost impossible to test the thing or know how it should work in your home, and then all the specifics and specs for top, center, rear, single or dual ducting, the sizes, the turns, the motors and blowers, the remote options and silencers, baffles or screens, power, control and lighting options, widths and depths -- and you haven't even gotten to the gazillion different looks that are possible. You can get a lot of good answers on this forum, but specifics are sometimes better addressed by specific forums. And sometimes you need someone who can see your space, the construction issues and help you figure the right sizes, shapes, turns, etc. That's what live oak was getting at. You need to look at the particular vent hood or insert to see where it is designed to exit. Some ducts run out the back. Some hoods have the option of going either way and some might have to be ordered one way or the other. If you are going to run a rectangular duct, you will need to make sure you have room to transition it because the exit on the hood is most likely round. Sounds like you have a pretty good idea what you want to do. Before you order the vent, I would suggest printing out the specs and having a couple of folks come look at your space and make sure they don't see any problems with your plan. They might have a suggestion for making things easier or prevent a major headache later.

Like most invasive species, it's all a matter of location, location, location!! Japanese honeysuckle is not an invasive species in the PNW (which shares a climate like much of the UK) and is commonly sold and grown, particularly L.j. 'Halliana' and L. j. 'Purpurea', which has a purple tint to the foliage and bicolored flowers. They have a wonderful fragrance when in bloom, especially in the evening, and attract hummingbirds. They also seem to attract aphids more than most other types of vining honeysuckle, which is not a plus :-) Considering the assortment of wonderful vining honeysuckles available that are NOT considered invasive, I see no reason to keep one in any area where this species IS considered invasive.