Decorative Hoods Can Add Warmth to Designs, Experts
Suggest
Looking to add some fire to your next kitchen design? Well,
according to leading design experts, decorative mantle hoods are a
popular way to make class and warmth the focal points of your
clients’ dream kitchen.
“A wooden mantle hood rekindles that classic look and feel of
the olden days,” says Fred Richetta, president of Kreamer, PA-based
Wood-Mode. “It bridges the room architecturally from the floor and
wall cabinets to the ceiling and makes a dominant statement.”
Comprised of a front panel, and side pillars, kitchen mantles
hide the range hood ventilation fan and hardware and sit on the
countertop that houses the range. A top shelf allows homeowners to
display pictures, flowers and other decorative accents, he
adds.
And, while mantle hoods may initially seem like an acquired
taste to some clients, he assures designers that decorative mantle
hoods are becoming more popular as clients want to create an
eye-catching centerpiece in their kitchens.
The reason for this is simple, according to James W. Livingston,
president of Chicago-based Smartrooms, Inc. who offers:
“Every room in a home should have a point of interest. Design
sophistication in kitchens has continued to rise because we’ve seen
a steady increase in kitchen budgets. Kitchens are now the
gathering place of choice in the home and people are willing to
invest money in them to enhance the appearance and quality. An
ornamental hood falls into that category.”
In fact, he adds, most homeowners opt for a mantle wood finish
that matches the existing cabinetry for a clean, uniform look.
“When you have consistency in wood color, it lets the diversity and
detail in other kitchen materials stand out, such as the backsplash
and countertops,” he explains.
But, Richetta points out, contrasting colors can work just as
well. “Contrasting mantle and cabinet colors work well in some
kitchens, especially those with one dominant color throughout,” he
offers.
For other design suggestions, Richetta notes that mantle hoods
are a suitable choice when there are decorative wood moldings or
ceiling beams in the kitchen. As a caveat, he warns that mantle
hoods are most appropriate in large kitchens with ceilings at least
eight-feet high, and he adds that mantles should be sized
appropriately to the range and countertops below them, which avoids
having the mantle dwarf the other important elements in the
kitchen.