We have a ceiling mounted extractor in a very large room and it works really well. We ended up with a Brittania BEST extractor (bought from John Lewis) simply because we have a structural steel running above and the position of the internal ducting fit best with that model, though it's a bit bigger than we ideally wanted. The slightly lowered section of ceiling around the extractor is also because of the steel and wouldn't otherwise have been needed. We were actually told that there is a minimum height, rather than maximum, for it to work properly - see http://www.besthoods.co.uk/2011/08/ceiling-extractors-8-things-you-need-to-consider-before-buying-a-ceiling-hood/ It's very powerful and we've had no issues with it. A family member has the pop up option and that has been a bit of a hassle - it's not that powerful and ends up getting dirty from cooking every time.

Hi Claire, both compare the same I'm sure and they should give you some max load strength on the packaging. The floating shelf brackets are perfectly strong enough but again you just need to check your load capacity. Personally I think they look much nicer than the other brackets and you should be able to get a good fixing in your wall. We've fitted a number of these and never had a problem :) All the best, Jason

Hi Jack, You said you want curtains and also wanted a really neat and balanced solution. The problem with curtains is that they will always have to be pushed to the side to get in and out of inward-opening doors. As there is some space between the top of the doors and the ceiling, yes, another option is blinds. When these are closed they will nestle in that space above the doors, you won't need curtain poles, and there are several different types of blinds that can be compressed tight into that space. Yes, velvet curtains soften a room, however, as blinds come in so many different colours and patterns these days, the right choice could also do that. And you could still have your preference of “dark green / teal." In the two bedrooms, blinds with a blackout fabric would block the unwanted light you mentioned. Furthermore, if they were remote-controlled they could be operated from bed, or even have timers so they opened and closed automatically at set times of the day and night. In the end it’s such a personal decision – some people love curtains and others love blinds. Hope that helps. Joy

Hi Betty, it came in kit form, so a sturdy plastic pond inside and then you build the wood surround around it following their instructions, and then I painted all the slats. Quite a lot of work but I love watching the fish, so very restful! Look forward to seeing the raised bed when it’s all done.