This style of vent is recessed into the ceiling.

Spring is the time of year I always look forward to. My garden starts to blossom and along with it comes an outburst of my allergies. All the spring pollens from flowers, trees and the air trigger people’s allergies. Since staying indoors is not an option, making sure you have good indoor air quality is what you need to strive for.

By good indoor air quality I mean an atmosphere where minimal pollutants are present. While there may be many sources of poor indoor air quality, if you regularly clean your home and maintain your HVAC equipment that does help a little. But one of the most important areas that can contribute to good indoor air quality involves your kitchen range hood. It should be duct-able to the exterior to be the most effective in diluting the offending air particles generated in the kitchen. Since we are in the kitchen several times of day, this cannot be overlooked.

If you have a circulating fan that is part is of a floor standing microwave/oven combo, you need to know that it serves only to recirculate and distribute any kitchen particles and odors. It does nothing to remove grease particles and improve indoor air quality.

Many older ventilation hood options are limited in style and type, especially if you are trying to make sure it compliments your kitchen as well as your home. This has been quite noticeable if your cooking surface is in an island or peninsula that looks toward a seating area or a view outdoors. Too often the ventilation hood makes too strong a statement and ends up blocking part of what you see.

The photo illustrates a recessed ventilation hood over a cooking surface. It is the “Cirrus” model in the “Sorpresa” collection by Broan/Best. It works effectively because it is recessed into the ceiling, thus not obstructing any views. It also is ducted to the exterior to remove any kitchen air particles.

While it may appear a bit too modern in a traditional home, it’s actually not that noticeable because it is in the ceiling. It can be used in most styles of kitchens.

There are other options that will help to improve your indoor air quality with an eye toward complimenting your kitchen and home’s interior style.

Teal Michel ASID, is a licensed full-service interior design firm specializing in residential interior design and renovation-remodeling design throughout the Carolinas. Teal has won awards from ASID for interior spaces and furniture design and from the Home Builder’s Association of Charlotte Excellence in Remodeling for remodel design and interior renovation. She has participated in HGTV’s “Designer’s Challenge” and her work has been featured in several books. www.tealmichelasid.com.