The fact that you want the wall to look as if it is all cabinets tells me that you want "full integrated", not built-in. Subzero makes semi integrated look with their built in but you see the door slightly and the grill cover above the frig. The best place to look at the options is the Subzero web site. They show you how the integrated and built ins look. One of the big difference is where the air intake grill is. The built ins are at the top which are often covered with panels. The integrated frigs have the grills at the bottom behind the door with a small gap that lets the air flow around it. When the door is closed, you see nothing. The frig is designed so that the bottom of the door is at the same level as all the other cabinets next to it with the toe kick where you should see the standard toe kick. If you think about it, it makes sense that the gill cover at the top is what gives it away. There is nothing else that can be up there (above 7ft) except the grill cover for the frig and it is a dead give away that it is a frig. Either you don't care or you do. The Liebherr has the toe kick vent so there are air vents cut into the grill, which makes it a not a "true integrated" Small difference but these things make a difference in the look AND if you know what to look for, it jumps out at you. Mieles and Boschs are integrated, not built-ins. The do not make a line where the grill cover is at the top. Thermador makes built-in line and integrated line. Subzero makes both also. There are people that want the look of the SZ built-in so that it "showcases" that there is a SZ there. (This probably helps with resale more than the integrated since more people know what SZ is but not what it takes to do the full integration.) There are people that go the extra mile to make sure that it is fully integrated. Do the research and see what you want. Good luck.

I have what KristianCO has, but without the wine slots in between. At least at the time, that required ordering a panel that goes between them -- an insulation panel, I think? She mentioned the ice -- another reason I liked the Thermador over the SZ. The SZ had the ice down at the bottom, nearly on the floor. That just doesn't work for all the ice we can use here in Texas. Fori, it's not having a second fridge to make up for the failures of the first one. People who spend $3 million on a house as well as the guest who walk into one expect a certain lifestyle to go with it. Even if they don't cook, they probably entertain. If they don't entertain, they want to look like they do -- or at least they could. In my area, people look for a space for a second fridge in homes by the time they hit $250-350K. By $1 mil, they expect a second fridge regardless of how big the one in the main kitchen is. Beverage fridge somewhere in the house or in an outdoor kitchen is probably also desired if not expected. I've seen homes below $1 mil (at the time) that had built-in fridge, second fridge space in the utility, a wine fridge and a small beverage fridge in the master suite. Those homes are probably between $1 mil and $2 mil now, but they give a clue what folks look for when they reach a certain price point. Yes, you can design for change and tear out a pantry, assuming you also left the upper clearance, and maybe it won't make a mess of flooring and cabinets, but in a $3 mil home, I don't think you are going to save a lot of money in the long run. First, you have to plan the layout to include a tall pantry and cabinet above the fridge that would be lost or have a 12" or greater opening and dress that off. That would all be lost when changing the fridge and you could have the cost of cutting down the above fridge cabinet and doors or a new cabinet. All the crown on that wall will probably need to be removed to change the upper cabinet. Your toe kicks will have to be removed and adjusted. Not a big deal, but another detail. And if any of these trim pieces split when being removed, you have to match trim and finish. This won't break the bank for anyone living in a $3 mill plus home, but it is enough that you can see the savings may be negligible or non-existent. Not to mention that after suffering through an entire build out, the last thing you will want to do is any reno any time in the reasonably foreseeable future. Most folks are exhausted well before the build is done. Ok to do it - but be honest with yourself about the cost, especially if you are not a DIYer.

yes exactly what is happening to gthigpen... That would have easily been avoided with a panel cut at the depth of the countertop... Don't over think this... follow the requirements of the ref and make the panel at least the depth of the counter... I even do a 25 - 25 1/2" deep panel with built- in ref like subzeros just so the counter lands flush on the side of the panel... I feel like it looks more finished.. ..

Carrie - What brand is your fridge and how wide is it? I'm open to exploring alternatives to a honking big fridge. (Though during the pandemic our big sub zero has been phenomenal for storing huge orders of meat, fish, soups, and sauces.) There are only two of us in our household so on a regular basis we could do with a smaller fridge, but we do have large dinner parties and my parents stay for a week at a time and I can see a smaller fridge being challenging for that. IloveMod - Yep, you are right, it is a trick of the lens. The great thing about integrated fridges is that they have some kind of hinge component that allows them to open very wide without needing the clearance you are talking about. So the door could be flush with the wall and open wide. I may have just explained to myself another advantage of an integrated vs a counter depth!