Okay my link goes to the whole photo gallery at MA. The hood I am referring to is the 15th, it is a wall hood in copper, over a stainless range, with pans hanging up on the wall behind the range and stained cabinets to the left, and a dark red Oriental-looking rug on the floor. I would get the island version of that design. My beams are 21" apart and 7 1/4" high. Height from floor to beam bottom is 93 3/4", from floor to actual ceiling is 101". The hood will be placed lengthwise, so the length of the hood will run between two beams and the ductwork can be recessed between the beams. GreenDesigns I would usually agree with you, but somehow our ceilings look very high even though they're not. Everyone who comes in, even contractors, think we have 9' ceilings -maybe the stain or the proportion or the room sizes give that impression? So from measuring things out, the hood *seems* like it would look proportionate even though it actually may not be. But I love your idea to try it out with a box first! Johnliu, for some reason I can't get your link to work, but I'd love to see what you are referring to! Is there a Google search I can do, or would you mind reposting the link? Anna_chosak, I should have worded my response better... I'm sure the 18" hood will look perfect in your space. It's just that I think it will look weird in mine, because the hood will be 42" long and it will sit in the middle of a 15' by 24' room (sorry, I put the wrong dimensions in last night!), and for some reason, even though the ceilings are technically low, they don't look it so the 18" hood would look disproportionately short. After sleeping on it, today I am still considering what I posted last night - having it vent out the side instead of the top, so I can mount the hood directly to the ceiling - but will also email MA and ask how much it would be to have them make the hood only 24" tall, instead of 30". That would put it about 34" from the range top when mounted beneath the beams. What do you think of those ideas? Should I do something else?

Here is a picture of the cut out for the range top. The range hood is missing but that is not a problem. The range top I ordered is 1.5 inches too short for the existing range top cut out. I am thinking that we can simply build it up underneath and trim the edge of the build up? What kind of trim...would it be possible to find a piece of stainless steel trim if we cannot find matching wood trim? From Rental

Wy didn't I do lighting and glass shelves in my hutch? I was my own GC on a whole house reno, dealing with some difficult subs, have two young children and a DH who works long hours and travels very often, and was helping my Dad through prostate cancer surgery and radiation. I was a bit overwhelmed. When I changed the layout of the rooms in the main part of the house, including moving the kitchen, halfway through the reno, I was just happy to have a dish hutch in the new kitchen space! The lighting plan for the house was a major thorn in my side. I didn't know what to put where and struggled for some time with it. Learning how to light a large cabinet with shelves seemed just too much for my stuffed and stressed out brain. I knew it was expensive and complicated to do so. I was already over budget on so many items and decided that lighting the cab wasn't a priority. Like 1929Spanish, I knew this cab would be functional for storage not for pretty display. Besides, I'm not sure how all the dishes and glass would look lit. I don't think I'd like it much. Why highlight my boring stuff? My kitchen isn't about sparkly, shiny, glam areas everywhere you look. Sorry for the long explanation! HTH!

You can get appliances in all sorts of colors. Black, white, and stainless steel are most common. But higher-end appliances allow arbitrary custom colors ... for an extra fee. And then there are specialty finishes such as copper or brass. If you want the most options, pick stainless steel. Everybody offers it, and it is unlikely to ever disappear. Some manufactures offer smudge-proof options. That's worth looking into. Some also over "black stainless". Don't go there, it's a thin coating that will eventually scratch and is impossible to repair. I'd stay clear of unusual colors, unless you have the budget to order all your appliances in custom colors; and you plan on keep doing that whenever you need replacement appliances. This will cost you many thousands extra, but it can look awesome. Alternatively, consider ordering panel-ready appliances for the ones where this makes sense (e.g. dishwasher, fridge/freezer, and some specialty appliances such as ice makers or trash compactors). As a special consideration for refrigerators please note that the side panels are frequently not made from the same material as the door. Depending on your cabinet design this can be a non-issue or it can be really jarring. I'd recommend deciding on the appliances before ordering cabinets. Make sure you give the installation manuals to your kitchen designer and/or cabinet maker. Once you have finalized your appliance selection, think about your sink. Again, stainless steel is a save bet. But copper can look gorgeous, enamel or stone can be a good option, and there also are various modern materials that could be considered. Personally, I like to give Rachiele sinks a big shout-out. Both their stainless and copper sinks are unrivaled. But they also cost more than many people have in their budget.