1. OPT FOR FULL EXPOSURE
An industrial-style stainless steel extractor calls for exposed ducting, especially in kitchens with soaring ceilings as seen in this airy loft apartment. And if your ceilings aren’t quite as sky-bound, exposing the ducting is an effective way to open up the space between rafters, creating more visible height. Avoid making the ductwork the sole focus, or it will steal all the attention from the kitchen below.
2. INVEST IN SUSTAINABLE WOOD
Cladding the extractor unit in the same wood veneer as the surrounding cabinetry presents a seamless design story. ‘With the kitchen located right off the main living room, we really wanted the space to feel cohesive with the rest of the home,’ recalls Sara Cukerbaum
3. MARVEL AT MARBLE
Cladding a hood in stone that matches the kitchen countertop, backsplash, or both, is a sophisticated way to frame your cooking area, says James Rayner, bespoke product manager at Westin. A point proved by this composition in Rosso Alpi marble by Sydney-based Tamsin Johnson.
4. GO BIG
When designing a kitchen, an outsized canopy hood is guaranteed to put your cooking area firmly in focus. As part of a refresh of her client’s existing kitchen, interior designer Mel Bean repainted the cabinets in Farrow & Ball’s Plummett and installed a new hood.
5. MAKE A STATEMENT
The more searing and stir-fry style cooking you do, the more crucial it is that your extractor is up to the task – especially for island designs in a chef's kitchen like this one. As there is no wall to help channel the steam upwards, a generous venting area is key.
6. GIVE YOUR SPACE A MODERN TWIST
Treat a classically shaped cooker hood to a modern update by choosing on-trend metal finishes that complement the range cooker below.
7. CHOOSE AN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
A simply plastered chimney-style hood can pass as an original architectural feature, which can help ground a shiny new kitchen. Enjoying a style revival right now, the most impressive plaster hoods are outsized, with clean lines and a subtly textural finish that emulates solid stone.
8. INVEST IN DESIGN WITH HIDDEN STORAGE
While extra-wide hood designs are undoubtedly impactful, they often result in storage sacrifices. Not so with this genius creation by San Francisco-based designer Regan Baker.
9. MODERNIZE WITH AN INDUSTRIAL TOUCH
The extra-wide stainless-steel extractor in this painted kitchen was curated to knock out the stuffiness of the formal cabinetry design.