Designed by: Boform
In many kitchens, the range hood—that functional, and often highly decorative, enclosure that conceals a ventilation unit for the stove—sits almost royally above the cooking surface. But recently, designers have started to rethink the hood's place in the kitchen: Instead of being designed as a singular focal point, the hood is being asked to not only become a wallflower in the kitchen design, but to "make itself disappear."
If I were a hood, I think I'd be upset right now, but as a kitchen designer, I welcome this change. Today's kitchens are leaning more toward clean, modern lines—and less obtrusive hoods allow function to follow form. Many European designers have already adopted this look, where a strong horizontal line of upper cabinets easily conceals a ventilation unit, putting the emphasis on the overall kitchen design, rather than a specific utilitarian object.
Photo by: Susan Serra
Invisible hoods vent cooking vapors the same way that typical kitchen hoods do; it's just the outer structure that's different. Rather than a large stainless steel or decorative box, invisible hoods are concealed within an architectural element—out of view, but every bit as functional as a traditional hood. Smaller homes are perfect candidates for an invisible hood design. Exploiting that horizontal line of upper cabinetry, one small portion of which conceals the ventilation unit, creates a visual flow. The wall appears to be wider, and sight lines are softer and far less choppy.
Photo by: Susan Serra
Designed by: Susan Serra
For a more conventional look, it's possible, with careful planning, to design a short (12" or less) structure that functions as a hood over the cooking surface (venting out the back of the unit), with taller cabinets on each side. In this case, the hood is still much lighter in volume than a traditional hood that goes all the way to the ceiling—it cozies up with the architecture of the space in a more integrated manner. The wall above the hood could become a display space for artwork and collectibles for a more living-room type look.
Photo: Courtesy of Best Sopresa
When designing for an invisible hood, it's important to pay attention to certain parameters to make sure function is equal to form. An invisible hood can be less effective if mounted high above the cooking surface; if you plan to do this, look for an adjustable-speed ventilation unit with high cfm capacity. Better yet, familiarize yourself with the ventilation unit's guide to installation height recommendations to ensure your design doesn't exceed them.
Also keep in mind that an invisible hood mounted against a wall has a much better chance of capturing cooking surface fumes, odors and heat than one situated over an island. One of my favorite ventilation unit resources is Modern-Aire—they're very flexible in the design of their products according to needs and desires (and tight spaces).
Photo by: Susan Serra
Designed by: Poggenpohl
The fun part about designing an invisible hood into the kitchen is that it can take so many artistic forms. You can make the ventilation unit truly (nearly) invisible by recessing it into the ceiling, or you can create a more architecturally prominent super structure that holds both the ventilation unit and lighting. Proportion, scale and balance of both the structure and the ventilation unit play critical roles in an invisible hood design, and therefore it's best left to a professional who understands these concepts. That said, get creative and let your personal design aesthetic emerge!
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