In a small kitchen, every cubic foot matters. So in this "Essential Step" (part of Sonya's larger kitchen remodel) I reclaimed the utility of two upper cabinets from the reign of the old range hood exhaust duct, by removing the duct completely. I then sealed the hole left behind in the side of the house, taking care to shingle the weather resistant membrane (Tyvek) and tape in the correct, water-shedding order. I then identified and special ordered vintage Hardie Plank siding, along with paint that color-matched the sun-faded paint color. I hadn't worked with fiber cement siding like Hardie Plank before, so I made sure to read the installer's instructions on the James Hardie website. I'm glad I did because it's a very particular material with very particular installation instructions. +1 victory for small, thoughtful kitchens!