Transforming your kitchen’s look to be stylish, luxurious, and trendy, yet warm and welcoming, is a tall order to fill. You can see how a kitchen plan can soon become a decorator’s challenge. A great way to begin the process is to make a list of how important each function and feature is to you.
Certain details, like kitchen soffit painting ideas or designs for kitchen range hoods, may seem insignificant, but can actually be the starting point for unique kitchen designs. You find that your personal choice of ceiling color, ceiling texture, and wall color will magically appear when details are first included in your plan.
Kitchen Soffit Ideas
We have given kitchen soffits a bad rep in recent years. Some say that the open space on top of the cabinets decreases the amount of overall space that is felt in the room. Others criticize the look as being too yesterday in appearance. However, the underside of the soffit can provide a seamless look with the rest of your kitchen and give you a practical purpose for more storage space (especially with large soffits), and many other great ideas.
The yesteryear feel was mainly to hide kitchen wiring versus glass doors for kitchen cabinets were mainly a design aesthetic to expose cutlery and other kitchen accessories.
Make a Difference with Paint Color
White cabinets bring a modern look and expand the size of the room. However, too much white can leave it looking like a sterile laboratory. This is where a secondary paint color and details come into play. If you are a fan of tall cabinets, take them up to the ceiling and forget about soffits altogether.
A different color in a lighter shade of neutrals on surrounding walls is the perfect way to show off the white color of your cabinets in natural light. Kitchen soffits that are laced with white crown molding along the upper cabinets add a touch of sophistication to your new kitchen. A smaller molding of many flanges along the top of the cabinets will bring the entire soffit into balance and cover any awkward gap(s).
A smaller soffit can use the decorative feature of classy crown molding to cover the entire soffit area. Large soffits provide many creative ways to add new colors, textures, or other decorative detail to this long and vertical position of the wall. A splash of natural color around the tops of your new cabinets can accent your modern style.
Leaving soffits open in measured intervals is the best thing for hiding easy-to-lose items, like keys to your home office or car and remote controls. It will happen, and it will guarantee your good luck with a small area for future problems. These open cubbies can also highlight glass crystal pieces or pottery. Add LED lighting behind these painted boxes for pizzaz.
According to Swati Goorha Designs, indigo is the new gray in kitchen paint color. Greenish dark blue is a beautiful design element for adding a rich, neutral look to a modern kitchen. Either use on kitchen cabinet soffits or outline glass doors on upper cabinets for a generous portion of natural color. If this look seems too bold, paint only the trim that runs along the cabinet tops. Use this color on the base of an island for a good way to bring separation from your white kitchen.
Removal of Kitchen Soffits
Not everyone finds it appealing to cover soffits. Having exposure to the top of kitchen cabinets has its pluses. If your whole soffit is not to hide kitchen wiring or other unsightly features, it has no purpose. If you have a ceiling height of 10″, you may choose to add a wooden beam look and lower the tall ceiling. Extending wood beams over the tops of your cabinets will provide a balanced look to the room.
Another good idea for leaving this small space open is to make a showcase of your collectibles. A rustic-style kitchen can become home to antique finds, such as a manual tarnished egg beater or a metal cheese grater. Painting this extra space a different color than the existing cabinets will bring the eyes up to the focal point of your treasures. Wallpaper border and stencil are other easy steps to take in a modern splash of color. It is not simple to remove a soffit, so be positive that this is what you want before getting out the hammer and nail gun.
Decorative Range Hoods
Sometimes the most obvious features are the least considered making your entire kitchen shine. For example, a range hood is usually an afterthought only because your stove needs to be updated. Problems, like a structural beam, may become apparent if not planned accordingly.
This should never happen when you are using color and details to modernize your kitchen. Even before a kitchen soffit makeover is considered, look at the different options available for shapes and styles of range hoods. Strategic areas that require important wiring and mechanical components could cause you to rethink the design of the room if not added in the planning stage.
No matter how careful you are in creating a contemporary look with the latest kitchen soffit decor ideas and high-end stone tiles, if you neglect to protect your kitchen from cooking pollutants, your room will not be comfortable for long. This is the main difference between the ducted range hoods and ductless range hoods.
Ductless range hoods are smaller and cheaper than ducted ventilation hoods. However, they do nothing but recirculate the air in a room. They routed ducted venting hoods with ducts to move the fumes outdoors. A properly sized hood will cover the entire length of the range and half the portion of the front burners.
According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), code ASHRAE 62.2 states that all residential homes are to follow the ventilation requirements set forth, which includes exhausting pollutants to the outdoors through ducted ventilation hoods. However, less than half of all builders follow this code.
Some decorators suggest venting hoods to match appliances while others find using distinctive natural materials a good option. There should always be an empty space along the extension of the wall for the installation of a ventilation system. Depending on the route, part of the ceiling may also get included.
In an older home, kitchen soffit removal may be the only way to properly install a ducted range vent hood. You never should a vent run through the underside of the soffit or through soffit frames. There are also systems that are hidden, but still require room for ductwork.
Custom range covers can blend with the style of your kitchen. If you are a nature lover and wish to capitalize on natural products, have a range cover built to bring out the beauty of wood. Ceramic tiles add a bit of personal style when designed and installed well.
Ducted range hoods come at an extra cost compared to ductless vents but are the best option for protecting top cabinets and the rest of your kitchen from grease and fumes. The air quality will also improve substantially for family members.
Accessories
There are many ways to add the right touch of color to a small or large kitchen. The first step is to consider the structural needs of your project. The next step is to select the perfect colors for your room.
Always choose a primary, secondary, and third color that flows nicely together and decide how they should get arranged on walls, counters, cabinets, and through accessories. Open shelves and cabinet handles are always good examples of presenting the right style. Whether wooden handles for modern country or stainless steel for modern Mid-Century styles, little things prove significant.
The last thing to do is double-check the layout and colors of your intended kitchen project. There is software available for providing perfect images. This is when you can take care of that upper cabinet shelf, or upper corner, or rethink the open shelves with framed pictures. If your changes are only minor with paint color and an open shelf, leave until your room gets finished. They will be your personal touches.
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Karen Garton, Senior Writer
Experienced Writer with 20+ years. Demonstrated writing experience includes technical writing, magazines, story writing, and journalist projects. Karen has a powerful media and communication background with academic training from LaSalle University (architecture, interior design) and business college courses. She loves editing novels and contributed to a national art journal. See her detailed profile on Our Team page.
