Are Hidden Cooker Hoods a New Trend?
Find out why more are opting to conceal their cooker hoods in the kitchen
Stainless-steel canopy cooker hoods and decorative feature cooker hoods have been popular choices in kitchens in recent years, but we are now seeing a big move towards concealed or integrated cooker hoods. This goes hand in hand with our increasing desire for more streamlined kitchens with clean lines and unobstructed runs of cabinetry, regardless of the style of kitchen.
Cooker hoods, or extraction systems, are an essential part of most kitchens. They extract grease and odours from the air when cooking, thus helping to keep the air in the home clear and odour free. But, just because you have a cooker hood in your kitchen doesn’t mean it has to be on show. Here are some reasons why you might choose to conceal the cooker hood… and ways in which you can do so.
Cooker hoods, or extraction systems, are an essential part of most kitchens. They extract grease and odours from the air when cooking, thus helping to keep the air in the home clear and odour free. But, just because you have a cooker hood in your kitchen doesn’t mean it has to be on show. Here are some reasons why you might choose to conceal the cooker hood… and ways in which you can do so.
What style of kitchen?
A concealed cooker hood can work in any style of kitchen, from crisp and modern right through to traditional or country-style kitchens. Integrated appliances are the ideal choice when planning a contemporary streamlined kitchen. Concealing the cooker hood helps to maintain clean lines and avoids disrupting the continuous flow of overhead cabinets, creating a very sleek look.
A concealed cooker hood can work in any style of kitchen, from crisp and modern right through to traditional or country-style kitchens. Integrated appliances are the ideal choice when planning a contemporary streamlined kitchen. Concealing the cooker hood helps to maintain clean lines and avoids disrupting the continuous flow of overhead cabinets, creating a very sleek look.
Integrating cooker hoods into traditional-style kitchens has been a very popular choice for many years. In a traditional-style kitchen, cooker hoods are often built into ornately designed custom cabinets such as the mantelpiece-style cabinetry pictured here. This creates a feature in the cooking area that often has a large freestanding stove that is the visual centrepiece of the kitchen.
Browse traditional-style kitchens
Browse traditional-style kitchens
The current trend for open shelves in the overhead area (as opposed to the cupboards of the past) is another design style that benefits from integrating a cooker hood. Here, the open shelves are the main feature of the back wall. The cooker hood is integrated into the overhead cabinets to the right of the shelves, completely concealing it from sight. This ensures that nothing detracts attention from the shelving and display area.
What cooker hood to choose?
There are many ways in which you can integrate a cooker hood into kitchen cabinetry on a wall. The first step is to ensure that the cooker hood you choose is designed to be integrated, as not all of them are. Check with your appliance supplier and kitchen designer before making your decision, to ensure it can be seamlessly integrated into your new kitchen design.
There are many ways in which you can integrate a cooker hood into kitchen cabinetry on a wall. The first step is to ensure that the cooker hood you choose is designed to be integrated, as not all of them are. Check with your appliance supplier and kitchen designer before making your decision, to ensure it can be seamlessly integrated into your new kitchen design.
Concealed wall-mounted cooker hood
The cooker hood in this kitchen is what is referred to as either a concealed, integrated or under-mount cooker hood. This style of cooker hood is completely concealed behind kitchen cabinetry and the only part that is visible is the bottom of the cooker hood on the underside of the cabinet.
The cooker hood in this kitchen is what is referred to as either a concealed, integrated or under-mount cooker hood. This style of cooker hood is completely concealed behind kitchen cabinetry and the only part that is visible is the bottom of the cooker hood on the underside of the cabinet.
Slide-out wall-mounted cooker hood
Another option is to select a slide-out cooker hood as pictured here. A slide-out cooker hood is also built into the cabinetry above the stovetop, with just the front edge of the slide-out section showing close to the bottom of the cabinet. This section is usually finished in stainless steel, however, some models have the option to swap this out for a custom panel in the same colour as the kitchen cabinets.
Slide-out cooker hoods can be the more cost-effective alternative to completely concealed cooker hoods, and are often available with a recirculating option where ducting to the exterior of the house isn’t possible (such as in an apartment, or where the cooker hood is positioned on an internal wall).
Another option is to select a slide-out cooker hood as pictured here. A slide-out cooker hood is also built into the cabinetry above the stovetop, with just the front edge of the slide-out section showing close to the bottom of the cabinet. This section is usually finished in stainless steel, however, some models have the option to swap this out for a custom panel in the same colour as the kitchen cabinets.
Slide-out cooker hoods can be the more cost-effective alternative to completely concealed cooker hoods, and are often available with a recirculating option where ducting to the exterior of the house isn’t possible (such as in an apartment, or where the cooker hood is positioned on an internal wall).
Cooker hoods above an island
The island is a popular choice for the location of stovetops. It means the cook can be involved in conversations with family or friends gathered around the island as opposed to standing with their backs to guests.
The disadvantage of having the cooking zone located in an island is that positioning a cooker hood above the stovetop can often create an eyesore in the space. One way to overcome this is to build the cooker hood into custom cabinetry that matches, or complements, the rest of the kitchen, as has been done here.
12 slimline designs that fit small kitchens to a T
The island is a popular choice for the location of stovetops. It means the cook can be involved in conversations with family or friends gathered around the island as opposed to standing with their backs to guests.
The disadvantage of having the cooking zone located in an island is that positioning a cooker hood above the stovetop can often create an eyesore in the space. One way to overcome this is to build the cooker hood into custom cabinetry that matches, or complements, the rest of the kitchen, as has been done here.
12 slimline designs that fit small kitchens to a T
Ceiling exhaust system
Another option for above an island is to select a cooker hood or exhaust system that can be built in flush with the ceiling. These cooker hoods will be a more expensive option, as they need to be extremely powerful to suck up greasy air and odours from such a distance. The advantage of this type of cooker hood is that the area above the island and the view to other parts of the home beyond it remain completely unobstructed.
Another option for above an island is to select a cooker hood or exhaust system that can be built in flush with the ceiling. These cooker hoods will be a more expensive option, as they need to be extremely powerful to suck up greasy air and odours from such a distance. The advantage of this type of cooker hood is that the area above the island and the view to other parts of the home beyond it remain completely unobstructed.
Downdraft exhaust system
This is one of my favourite extraction solutions when a stovetop is located at an island. It is completely unobtrusive and doesn’t become visible until in use.
A downdraft extractor is built into the cabinetry below the countertop, and either behind or to the side of a stovetop, and sits flush with the top of the countertop when not in use. With the touch of a button, the extractor raises out of the countertop to extract odours and grease from the cooking area.
These extractors are extremely powerful and can be costly.
Careful planning is required to ensure that such a system can be incorporated into a new kitchen design as the extracted air needs to be ducted to outside through the floor. It isn’t always possible to do this in an existing home, so it may be necessary to choose a recirculating model instead.
This is one of my favourite extraction solutions when a stovetop is located at an island. It is completely unobtrusive and doesn’t become visible until in use.
A downdraft extractor is built into the cabinetry below the countertop, and either behind or to the side of a stovetop, and sits flush with the top of the countertop when not in use. With the touch of a button, the extractor raises out of the countertop to extract odours and grease from the cooking area.
These extractors are extremely powerful and can be costly.
Careful planning is required to ensure that such a system can be incorporated into a new kitchen design as the extracted air needs to be ducted to outside through the floor. It isn’t always possible to do this in an existing home, so it may be necessary to choose a recirculating model instead.
Some top-of-the-cooker stovetops now come with an optional in-built exhaust system. Again, these are a great option for island designs or in a space where there are no overhead cabinets to accommodate a concealed cooker hood. They operate in a similar fashion to downdraft extractors, except nothing rises up – instead, the exhaust system sucks steam and odours down using powerful fans. The air can then either be ducted outside, or cleaned and recirculated back into the room.
Bora induction cooktop with extractor fan: Reillys Home Appliances
Bora induction cooktop with extractor fan: Reillys Home Appliances
No cooker hood
Depending on where you live there will be different building regulations and guidelines that must be adhered to when designing a new kitchen. Some building codes will deem that it is not essential to have a cooker hood in the kitchen, as long as there is adequate ventilation. This isn’t a very popular choice, as most people prefer to have some means by which to quickly extract grease and odours from the air when cooking.
Depending on where you live there will be different building regulations and guidelines that must be adhered to when designing a new kitchen. Some building codes will deem that it is not essential to have a cooker hood in the kitchen, as long as there is adequate ventilation. This isn’t a very popular choice, as most people prefer to have some means by which to quickly extract grease and odours from the air when cooking.
So what are the cons?
A completely concealed or under-mount cooker hood only covers about half of the stovetop below it, as it fits inside a standard 300-millimetre-deep kitchen overhead. These cooker hoods therefore have to work harder to suck air up from pots and pans that are situated on the front burners of the stovetop. This usually means that this style of cooker hood will be more expensive than a slide-out cooker hood, which pulls out to cover more of the stovetop when in use and therefore doesn’t have to work as hard.
One more issue with a built-in cooker hood is that the cabinetry in which it is housed is generally custom made to suit an individual cooker hood. This can make it more difficult to not only access the relevant areas of the cooker hood for repair, but to find a replacement that will fit into the same cabinet if the current one breaks down.
A completely concealed or under-mount cooker hood only covers about half of the stovetop below it, as it fits inside a standard 300-millimetre-deep kitchen overhead. These cooker hoods therefore have to work harder to suck air up from pots and pans that are situated on the front burners of the stovetop. This usually means that this style of cooker hood will be more expensive than a slide-out cooker hood, which pulls out to cover more of the stovetop when in use and therefore doesn’t have to work as hard.
One more issue with a built-in cooker hood is that the cabinetry in which it is housed is generally custom made to suit an individual cooker hood. This can make it more difficult to not only access the relevant areas of the cooker hood for repair, but to find a replacement that will fit into the same cabinet if the current one breaks down.
TELL US
What do you think? Are concealed cooker hoods something you’d like in your next kitchen – or do you have one already? If so, tell us what you love or hate about it.
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What do you think? Are concealed cooker hoods something you’d like in your next kitchen – or do you have one already? If so, tell us what you love or hate about it.
MORE
How to Plan Your Kitchen Renovation With Houzz
A concealed or built-in cooker hood is one that is seamlessly integrated into the kitchen and is hidden away from sight. Hiding a cooker hood, or any other appliance for that matter, helps to focus the attention on the custom cabinetry and other design elements in the space, as opposed to the appliances themselves. Concealed cooker hoods are especially beneficial in a small kitchen, which can get visually cluttered when there are lots of appliances on show.
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