Eliminate him from the job immediately. He has no feel for design and wants the easiest route possible for him There are other ways of running duct. Like taking the cabinets to the ceiling and running the duct through the top shelf of the cabinet.

Bring your layout over to the Kitchen Forum and we will help you with the layout and the details. And we'll help to to keep the aesthetic alive!

Thank you, live_wire_oak -- I will repost to the kitchen forum as you suggested. I have hard copies of the plans but have not yet had them scanned -- soon!

Nancy

Please dont add a drop ceiling! Your kitchen (and house) look like they have amazing potential! I am jealous of your ceiling height and design. You should not alter it.

Thank you, everyone!! I can assure you all that we will NOT be adding a drop ceiling :). Can't imagine that I actually entertained such an idea!! I will have the plans scanned and upload them for further comment -- there are several design challenges but the range hood issue/ceiling issue is the biggest.

Definitely keep the '50s ceiling. In fact, you might want to consider going the whole or part retro look. So much better than the typical meh that most home decor inspires.

I wouldn't be so hard on the contractor. He's not a designer. Don't expect him or her to be one.

See The Atomic Ranch for further information on these iconic '50s homes.

I've lived in and around ground zero of this style--Don Mills, Ontario--since 1987. Due to economics, I've been among the "monster builders" demolishing homes like these just west of Don Mills. What was a distant suburb is now at the centre of the region and home to a much changed demographic than the homes were originally designed to accommodate.

Here's a recent bucks unlimited re-imagining of one these homes--despite the tongue-in-cheek headline dubbing it a "sprucing up."

A Don Mills original. Source: Toronto Neighbourhoods.com