I am going to be doing this Recessing Of My Fridge/Creating An Alcove For My Fridge Project in the next few days, just received Today an Estimate from my Handyman for the Project. Plan summing up everything I've read in this post is to Remove the Baseboard then cut into the wall & remove the Drywall on the Kitchen Side + Studs. Then Frame in a Header as it is a Load Bearing Wall. Cut a 4x8 Hole & install a Cold Air Vent in the Drywall on the Dining Room Side of the Alcove. Reinstall the Baseboard then Cut 3 ~1/2" Holes 12 Inches Apart along the Back of the Floor of the Alcove closest to the Wall. The left most hole will be for the Water Line running through the Crawlspace. The middle hole will be a Drain Hole with a Drip Pan below in the Crawlspace. The right hole will be for the Electrical Cord from the Fridge which will run to relocated Electrical which will be below in a Surface Mount Electrical Box on the nearest stud in the Crawlspace. Mud & Paint All then install Medal U-Channels Horizontally from Top to Bottom the Wall spaced 15" apart to add support & a ventilation gap. I think that's everything. Let me know if I've missed anything or any further suggestions/comments.

Making the cabinets deeper on the fridge wall would allow you to put deeper upper cabinets there as well - not a bad thing. I do have other concerns about your layout, however. Where do the doors go? It looks like your cooktop is in a traffic path, if that door in the lower left is used much. So is your wall oven. Switching the peninsula to the other side - extending from the bottom of your drawing instead of the top - helps to direct traffic to the other side of the island - but creates a whole new set of problems, like trapping the fridge in a corner. Where will you keep dishes and glasses? It doesn't look like you have any space near the DW.

How deep is the Case of the refrigerator? That is meant to line up with the edge of the counters typically so the doors stand in front of the counter edge and have room to swing without impingement on the countertop. You may need to pull this forward to have adequate doorswing. Do they make a model that has a case of about 28" with door thickness adding a few inches bringing it to 32 or so? The other issue that you should check is that counterdepth need significantly less airspace around them, because they are insulated and ventilated a bit differently than a full depth fridge.

Thank you, Palimpsest, for the examples and the suggestion of making the walls the depth of the refrigerator cabinet. Your second picture is what I was thinking of. Thank you, also for the reminder about the fridge & oven door bumping. I remember reading that story, but had forgotten. And I know just the regular visitor to our house who might do that :-) The reefer is a french door/2 drawer model and we are bucking the trend by having just a single oven. I *think* that the fridge doors will be at or just above counter level and the oven door just below so that may mitigate some of that risk. A trip to the appliance store with a tape measure is probably in order. @Hollysprings & Greendesigns I appreciate your feedback. I have read Marcolo's I/W/S/F post. Maybe it's just me, but it seems that each of the gazillion decisions that go into a house require balance and compromise between form, function, budget and the stuff you just want, even if it is not entirely rational. What the current kitchen design does right for us: -Clean-up sink, DW and dish storage are located near the dining area and the door to the outdoor grilling/eating area -Fridge is closer to both main & garage entries and to the small pantry behind it, so there is less grocery schlepping and all the food storage is together. -Fridge is also accessible to people not working in the kitchen who want to grab a drink or some ice. -Fridge is not in the lane of traffic between the rest of the kitchen and the door to the outdoor area. -There is more than one option for a prep area. Yes, a secondary prep-er might have to walk around the island to get things from the fridge without getting in the primary cook's way, but there is an option to help without getting in the way. -We think we will like having the cooktop on the island so the cook can be part of the action while stirring the risotto or whatever. If the cooktop is on the wall, there is no option- cooks face the wall. Maybe it will turn out that we hate this. I have seen the question asked in the past and there are people who like their island cooktops. I pledge to come back after 6 months or so of using the kitchen and let y'all know if we regret our choices.