Home home on the range (hood)

The new Casa de Martinak had a detached cook top that Aaron has secretly been coveting on his house wish list. But the range above the cook top was just too low- as in nose level low. I left Dad a post-it asking him what could be done and his answer was typical, "well we won't know til we look."

So down it came.

Turns out, the fan was forty years old and outs life was pretty much over. Installing a new one? An epic DIY.

Because the cabinets are not attached to the ceiling and a faux bulkhead was built above them, it would have looked pretty silly to just install a new hood (Maybe. Thinking back maybe it would have just been easier). So the new hood was going to be placed higher but hidden under the same but raised cabinet facing. (a remodel on the kitchen is in the five year plan, but just isn't possible now.)

There are many good hood options and many as quite expensive. The most important thing to me was good lighting because in my dream kitchen I covet under cabinet lighting (which I did ask if that could be included in this project just as a curiosity (the answer was yes if I wanted it to come on when I turned on the fan :p)).

This project once started only took a couple hours but required a lot of measuring and finangling and often times two sets of hands. I had to be here while the tv guy was here so I assisted while also trying to unpack boxes and do laundry. Aaron helped a lot as well with bolting and measuring.

My greatest contribution was when Dad asked for duct tape. He really did want duct tape which I don't actually own, but I thought he was talking about duck tape. I provided him with the only roll I could lay my hands on- mustache print. Awesome. Too bad it is hidden behind the cabinet. I'm sure someone will get a laugh out of it when the kitchen is remodeled.

The new higher hood is excellent and the lighting is fantastic! Cross one more project of the list and no more construction in the kitchen!