With the growing trend toward larger commercial cooktops, there is a corresponding need for greater ventilation and larger wood hoods. The range hoods of today are no longer just utilitarian mechanisms for venting the cooking area. Designers are looking to range hoods as a means to bring warmth and functionality into the overall kitchen design.

"Although today's kitchens have abundant modern conveniences, homeowners still want to achieve the warmth and comfort of the kitchen hearth of days gone by. A wood range hood is a dramatic way to introduce that design component," says Duke Piotter, vice president of sales and marketing at Medallion. www.medallioncabinetry.com