cooker hoods

Designers are taking a more custom approach to extractors, ensuring they're an eye-catching focal point

- KEITH FLANAGAN

Seamless integration has rendered many of our kitchen appliances invisible (think dishwashers and refrigerators, concealed behind cabinetry), while range hoods often remain a stubborn focal point. But instead of making them disappear, some architects are leaning in, letting the hood stand out. Often considered an ugly duckling in the kitchen, the appliance is designed with gritty functionality in mind: to capture unsavoury byproducts like smoke and grease. Thus, conventional materials prioritise practicality (like stainless steel, easier to clean and durable) and purpose-driven shapes (often bulky forms, especially for ducted varieties).

The result? Commercial hoods aren't always perfect matches for highly custom interiors. "[Their] visual expression is not in line with the way our kitchens are evolving," says interior architect Jesper Mellgren of Stockholm's Note Design Studio. "There is no standard any more; each situation is unique, meaning there is a demand for more flexibility." Not to mention, the range hood is even more prominent in today's open-plan kitchens. "Since kitchens become more visible, the design of a kitchen has evolved from a rather practical to a more integrated and cosy atmosphere," says Belgium-based interior architect Dries Otten.

And so these hardworking appliances can look especially clumsy without an aesthetic touch. "We like to approach the design of spaces in a holistic way and given the range hood typically takes such a central position in the kitchen it's important that it feels as considered as every other element," explains Phoebe Lipscombe, associate at Australia's Studio Doherty.

This means a little creativity can turn these eyesores into eye-catching moments of design - and here are just a few range hoods that pop.

1 Blending In