The island range hood is often overlooked when in fact, it's one of the most important appliances installed. When you think of kitchen appliances you think of ranges ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers and the like.

They seem like the jewelry that dress up the kitchen. Rarely do you think of a kitchen hood as one that gets strong consideration.

Nowadays the island range hood comes front and center as a showpiece. There is a large selection of quality hoods that come in all shapes and colors including the ever-popular stainless steel.

If your kitchen layout design has an island with a range top in it then you'll need a hood there for ventilation. (A downdraft vent is an alternative but we will save that for another article) The hood and the island becomes a focal point. If curved stainless steel units are not your style, consider a more traditional type. The blower insert is the functioning part of the vent that can be built into a number of different enclosures that can be finished in a variety of ways.

Examples include a custom made copper housing, a custom-made wood enclosure that can be finished in whatever you can imagine including tile or stucco or an enclosure that is built by the cabinetmaker to match your cabinets.

When you look beyond its outer shell you'll find that the hood doesn't serve a glamorous purpose. That is, having to remove the moisture, odor, grease, heat and steam from the room. For that reason you want to get a unit that is just right for your kitchen.

The two main types of hoods are venting and re-circulating. Venting hoods truly do vent to the exterior. The re-circulating type processes the air through filters and sends it back into the room.

It is best to get a high-efficiency model with the correct CFM (cubic feet per minute) for your size room. The usual size range is between 250–650 CFM. The cooking equipment that you choose will determine the size of the exhaust fan that is required.

Be certain to check your local building codes to see if there are any special requirements that are necessary with the larger CFM exhaust fans. Some municipalities require a separate heating and cooling system to be installed if a 600 or larger CFM exhaust fan is installed! It pays to check local codes.

Many hoods made today are very quiet but it's not a bad idea to check to see that the sound level is acceptable to you. Before you make your final selection verify that the unit has a stamp of quality certified by the Home Ventilation Institute.

Island range hoods will be more expensive then a hood that is placed against the wall under a cabinet but they are nice looking and deserve special consideration for the design affect that they create.

You never know…a beautiful range hood could work in well with your other kitchen design ideas.