When designing a kitchen, meticulous care is taken in choosing nearly everything from the style of the cabinetry to the brand of light bulbs used. But, in the midst of this detailed planning one of the most important aspects of the kitchen is often overlooked. Kitchen ventilation is one of the key pieces to a well-designed kitchen.

Why is kitchen ventilation so important? A great acronym for this is HOGS. HOGS stands for Heat, Odor, Grease, Smoke and Steam. All of these cooking by-products contribute to fire danger, increased humidity and temperature, more cleaning, and unpleasant smells. To eliminate HOGS, an appropriate ventilation system must be installed.

When choosing a ventilation system it is important to consider the size of your range and the distance the air will need to be moved. These factors affect both the size of your hood and the size of the motor needed to circulate the air. Systems can be vented either up or down. For updraft systems the hood should always be at least as wide as the range and as deep as possible.

In recent years, ventilation options have broadened. Current trends include sculptural hoods with glass and halogen lighting, cabinet enclosures to “hide” the hood, and space saving microwave/ hood combinations. With so many options it is possible to minimize the hood’s presence or make it the focal point of the room, whichever suits your taste and style.