Sophie, Patricia you are right cleaning the crystals would be a hell of a job. Hence I would like to look at designs like the other pic I attached which is I believe from the e.ion range of Falmec. As I have mentioned before this is a second chimney. The primary chimney hood is above my gas job in the kitchen countertop and is the main and daily area for cooking. This is the secondary area which I plan to use for some quick heating, occasional stir fry etc. The pendant chimneys that I have come across in brands like Elica and Falmec do not require ducting. The filter needs to be changed every 6 months or more. With my kind of usage I am assuming I would need to change it even later. What I am looking for is different brands which have pendant chimneys. Right now I am only aware of Elica and Falmec. I know Siemens and Bosch don't have it. Siemens has 2 models which are like a flat rectangular panel to be attached to the ceiling or false ceiling. But the cost is same as the Falmec chimney. My only respite may be the cylindrical Isola chimney models from Faber or even Hafele which are ip within budget.

Congrats on getting closer to your dream home. There are a few glitches and the corrected plan is attached. Main problem seems to be lack of natural light to the dining and living; introduction of a courtyard will bring in light and act as a visual link between the kitchen and other living spaces creating interesting viewpoints and play of light. The handwash is now tucked away from plain view; the toilet cutouts can be a glamorous light washed courtyard instead. North direction is not provided but we guess from the front door and gas hob direction that east is towards the porch, so why is the pooja diety made to face west? Arrangement of toilet fixtures is also corrected so that the shower can be curtained/glass partitioned off to avoid spill on to the rest of the dry areas of the toilet. Good luck!

@ sam ser. I have been designing and making kitchens both budget and high end for over a decade and I can tell you with confidence that mdf does not suit indian weather and cooking habits. If you can source water proof mdf or prelaminated you can alleviate the pitfalls to a small degree. These are not easy to source in india yet. Here are some of the major pitfalls: (more available online if you perform a simple google search) mdf will off-gas small amounts of formaldehyde (causes cancer). MDF which has been painted reduces health risk but doesnot eliminate completely MDF tends to be high maintenance - if you chip it or crack it, you cannot repair or cover the damage easily as you typically can with solid wood. The chemicals used in making MDF make the material less child-friendly than other materials. Direct exposure to water will cause MDF to swell, guaranteed.

Hi Karuna, Here are a few pros and cons of using large tiles on walls - Pros - 1] They have lesser joints to fill and hence give the space a larger look and feel. 2] They look like stone cladding if installed properly. Cons - 1] They are costly as far as their rate/square foot and labour cost is concerned. 2] They require epoxy grout / adhesive instead of the regular cement grout which usually adds to the cost. 3] Since they are huge in size, they are not suitable for small areas due to the hassle of cutting the tiles manually to fir the size. 4] There is a high possibility of warp age in the tiles due to their size and because of this either their joints wont match or the surface may look undulated. Hence, it is recommended that large tiles be used for floors instead of walls. We would suggest to go in for the smaller sized tiles like 2'x2' or less for a more aesthetic look. Just apply tiles between the kitchen cabinets and avoid doing so near the peninsula. It would make the kitchen look lighter and brighter and not like a bathroom. Also for the back splash you may go for any of the following tile options - 1] Mosaic 2] Ceramic tiles/ Vitrified tiles 3] Natural stone such as granite All the best! Regards, RnD Atelier Nagpur