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By Sarah Lyon and Abid Haque
Goodbye, boring kitchen vents: The design world is full of range hood ideas that are anything but basic. Craving something metallic? Cloud-shaped? Bright yellow? By all means, bring it on. The statement range hood is majorly in vogue. Think about it: If you’re putting effort into making sure the kitchen countertops and cabinets go together, why not consider how the kitchen range hood will come into play? “The ability to apply different materials to a hood insert has evolved and expanded to multiple material possibilities, thus creating more avenues for creative design,” says Jim Rill, principal of Rill Architects in Bethesda, Maryland. Craving some inspiration? Consider these 23 AD-approved range hood ideas.
Designer Summer Jensen adds a sleek range hood that seamlessly fits into the kitchen design.
Summer Jensen of Hawk & Co. wanted a minimal hood for a kitchen she designed in Newport Beach, California. Aware that she would need a hood six inches longer (on each side) than the 86-inch range, she opted to go the custom route. “For someone like myself who cooks all the time, performance becomes paramount,” Jensen says. In addition to appearing sleek, the hood is equipped with modern conveniences that improve function.
A shiny copper hood is definitely the focal point of this kitchen, interior designer Nadia Subaran notes.
Aidan Design’s clients already had this range, but got the custom copper and brass piece polished during a redesign. “It absolutely came alive after the cleaning and is a great focal piece,” says Silver Spring, Maryland–based Aidan Design cofounder Nadia Subaran.
“When you’re working with a neutral space as a foundation, the right hood can provide the perfect amount of color for drama and interest,” interior designer Leslie Murphy says.
Designer Leslie Murphy of Murphy Maude Interiors in Memphis worked alongside her client to design and fabricate the custom range hood seen here. “The kitchen [has a] neutral-based color palette and metallic details, [and] we wanted to build off of that old-world look, which is why we went with brass strappings and a cool blue tone that lends a lovely finish over time,” Murphy explains.
A project by Rill Architects camouflages the marble range hood.
A marble hood complements the countertops and backsplash in this kitchen designed by Rill Architects. “The marble in this case is a dramatic element, so by simplifying the amount of materials, the marble remains the focus, and the range and hood are secondary features in the overall composition,” Rill says.
Designer Vanessa Deleon used the detailed black kitchen cabinets as inspiration when selecting the curvy brass range hood.
Vanessa Deleon of Vanessa Deleon Associates was drawn to the curvy build of the hood that she selected for her own New York City home. Deleon wanted to complement the hood to her kitchen’s black cabinets and marble backsplash, an accent that is echoed in the strap color she selected.
Sometimes the kitchen space itself is a muse for range hood ideas, as seen in this Case Architects–designed kitchen.
The custom range hood piece had to be modified by Case Architects to correspond with the kitchen’s angled ceiling. Interior designer, Allie Mann, selected this bold black hood to bring “drama and flair” into the kitchen space while midcentury-modern cabinets inspired the hood’s simple form and shape. “Truth be told, we ordered the hood as a rectangle and then our carpenters cut in the field to ensure the proper angle,” Mann elaborates.
The shorter stature of a barrel-style range hood, like this Case Architects project, can make your kitchen appear more spacious.
For a kitchen with a low ceiling, a barrel-style hood is optimal. “A lot of cabinetry and chimney-style hoods require taller ceilings to look proportioned, [but] barrel-style hoods taper to a wall and do not need a space for a chimney,” says Elena Eskandari, director of project development at Case Architects in Washington, DC.
Designer Krista Nye Nicholas used blue cabinetry with traditional lines to keep things timeless yet fresh.
When Krista Nye Nicholas of Cloth & Kind worked on this home’s redesign, her clients wanted a more minimalist feel to their kitchen. Nicholas says, “This kitchen was an addition to a classic Tudor and called for a simple design that married traditional millwork with some of the cleaner lines our clients were craving.” The blue cabinetry on either side of the low profile cooktop helped provide a natural way to conceal the range hood allowing the kitchen to feel timeless.
This Studio Peake kitchen used high gloss acrylic for an easy clean.
When it comes to range hoods, Sarah Peake of Studio Peake says, “I am always looking for opportunities to embellish the functional. In this Chelsea townhouse kitchen, we concealed the range hood in a cupboard made from high gloss Parapan. This simple, luminous white acts as a foil for the more intricate, decorative elements. Practically speaking, it is also easy to clean!”
An easy way to create a sense of consistency is by referencing other parts of the property, like this Cloth & Kind kitchen does.
When designing a farmhouse kitchen, the only rule is to remain authentic to the environment—this applies to the range hood too. Tami Ramsay of Cloth & Kind designed this kitchen for a farmhouse and wanted to reference the barns and outbuildings original to the property. Ramsay says “The material we used was a riff on board and batten but a leaner look that worked with the scale of the hood.”
Designer Peter Dunham used the range hood as an opportunity to tie different materials together.
Since the range hood is a natural focal point for most kitchens, Peter Dunham says, “It’s a great way to tie together the different materials throughout the space. Here, in collaboration with Pearson Design Group, we chose to incorporate reclaimed wood for its warmth and organic quality, versus going with another hard surface from the space, like steel.”
An important consideration for any designer is scale.
To avoid dead space, plan for your range hood design to reach the ceiling; it’s an easy way to balance out windows or a backsplash. Here, McKenzy Golding of Goldenbird Design uses a pendant light to bring in texture and notes, “When we got our hands on the property, the range hood was awkwardly floating in space; the scale was totally off.” After the redesign, the hood now reaches the top of the room. “There’s something so soothing in the movement of the tile and how it carries from the backsplash all the way up to the ceiling.”
Marea Clark used the same design as the other cabinetry to make the space feel cohesive.
An easy way to conceal a range hood is with a simple hood cover like this one selected by Marea Clark Interiors. In this home, Clark had the entire structure blend in with its surroundings to have it feel consistent. She says, “The hood is flanked by two existing windows so we decided to mirror and continue the cabinetry in the hood to keep it feeling cohesive and not too choppy.”
This Two Hills Studio dresses up white metal with gold accents.
This custom range hood by Meredith Owen was designed with Two Hills Studio to create the beautiful kitchen you see above. Owens notes that the white-and-gold design gives the kitchen a high-end look and says, “We pulled inspiration from the mosaic kitchen backsplash for this hood design.” The hood itself is entirely metal and fits in well with the rest of the contemporary kitchen.
Lucy Aiken-Johnson of Ai3 uses the range for practical purposes and contrast.
A key aspect of this home’s design was to bring in the outdoors by using tall windows and wood materials. Lucy Aiken-Johnson of Ai3 notes the kitchen was no exception. “It was designed to be bright, airy, and relaxing with a modern vibe,” she says. The range hood provides a nice contrast and practical open storage for plates and bowls.
Designer Bethany Adams uses bold tile and minimalist hoods to create balance.
If you decide to invest in a striking kitchen backsplash, chances are you’ll want to pick a range hood design that’s more minimalist. As Bethany Adams says, “The hood vent needed to be minimal,” so as not to pull focus from the ribbed field tile.
In this open kitchen, Mary Graham concealed the hood with a discreet finish.
When designing an open-concept kitchen, it’s important to have the area feel consistent. Mary Graham of Salvesen Graham shares, “A concealed hood worked really well in this open-concept space, as our goal was for the kitchen to be as discreet as possible [since it sits] opposite the main living room in this apartment.”
Historical pieces like this hearth can lend themselves to unique features.
For this kitchen idea, Bethany Adams chose to turn the hearth of a historic 1870s home into a new range. “Fitting the 60-inch Hallman range required careful removal of brick, but the effort was worth it, as the kitchen range now sits proudly where it would have over one hundred years ago.” Glossy subway tile over the brick chimney hearth pulled the whole look together.
Stainless steel hoods can provide a nice visual break, like in this kitchen by Young Huh.
Regardless of whether your home design is modern farmhouse or more transitional, stainless steel range hoods can be easily adopted into the kitchen if you have a matching stainless steel range. As shown in the kitchen above by Young Huh, the matching range and hood provide a nice visual break from the cabinets to help the space feel less overwhelming.
Designer Brelan Owen Pearson encourages the use of natural elements that will age with the home.
Natural materials like brass, which acquire a beautiful patina as time goes on, can help your kitchen age gracefully. This kitchen remodel by Brelan Owen Pearson of The Owen Group uses unlacquered brass hardware and faucets to tie in with the brass-finished plaster vent hood. “For this sleek, modern kitchen, we wanted to add a touch of glam and excitement,” Owens explains.
Massucco Warner designer Julie Kleiner encourages a matching hood and range for a bold standout like this blue combination.
Traditional kitchens can feel stuffy and without color, so don’t be afraid to experiment with bolder range hoods or unique kitchen islands. As Julie Kleiner of Massucco Warner says of this custom range hood, “We used a custom pale blue powder coat finish on a steel body to match the LaCanche range. The profile is simple, but for a wide range hood, we decided on a bold color to pop in an otherwise white kitchen, which is large and has plenty of space for a bolder choice. Polished nickel strapping completes the look and keeps a more traditional range and hood a bit sleeker.”
Serenbe’s Ryan Hughes used a piece of art to draw attention to the range hood.
If bright blue ranges aren’t to your taste, an easy way to dress up white cabinets or a farmhouse style kitchen is by creating a focal point with artwork. Ryan Hughes used a plaster bull on the wood range hood of this kitchen to add a sculptural detail to the room.
Designer Anna Wooten Loggins takes a traditional-feeling range hood but adds a layer of complexity with contrasting color.
If you want to opt for a more traditional range hood shape, think about adding a layer of design sophistication with contrasting colors. An easy way to maintain a minimalist feeling is with a black-and-white color scheme and open shelving like this kitchen by Anna Wooten Loggins for Serenbe’s Designer Showhouse. “I took the traditional subway tile backsplash and turned it on its head with these striking black tiles,” Wooten Loggins says. “It adds drama and depth to the space against the white Bell cabinetry.”
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