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Cabinetry around fridge - thoughts or creative solutions?

11 years ago

I'm a bit undecided about types of cabinetry around the fridge. Mine is at the end of the countertop/ cabinet design and by the door. I'm not particularly a fan of the giant slab of matching cabinetry that covers the appliance. Is this standard? What if we get a different sized appliance later on? They are also pretty expensive. What is it really covering up?

Also, confused about what to put over the fridge. I currently have old-school, small cabinets that we hide little used kitchen items in. Do we need the super deep cabinet over the top? What if I get a different appliance? Considering a counter-depth down the line too. Will the deep cabinets work with counter-depth?

Any creative uses for this area? Anyone have open shelves? Something different?

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Comments (5)

Mizinformation
11 years ago
If you Goggle "Gardenweb refrigerator cabinet" and other combos of search terms you'll find many threads about this topic. (Don't do the search here on Gardenweb; the search function is clunky). I linked to one below, and while the topic is on what people keep up there, there are many examples of cabinets themselves. Most people want the cabinet to come to the front of the fridge. And yes, it would probably look odd to have it stick out above a counter-depth. If you think you'll go that route in a couple of years, choose a standard WIDTH for the opening and build the cabinets above to cabinet depth. Also, since it's at an end run, any reason not to leave the fridge free-standing until you decide what you want, then build the surround?

Here is a link that might be useful: Cabinet over Fridge: What do you keep in there?
amandapadgett
11 years ago
My kitchen remodel is a hodge podge. The new cabinets that were just built were made to flow with a pantry we had built over three years ago. That cabinet is 24 inches, top to bottom.

When we had our island made last fall, we bought a counter-depth refrigerator to give us more room between the island and fridge. I LOVE that my refrigerator isn't sticking out in the kitchen so much anymore.

Anyway, when we did new cabinets in December, I opted NOT to have a cabinet built over the refrigerator. I really don't like those deep cabinet so high because they just become black holes.

So, my solution is to put a thick shelf over the refrigerator, bridging the two cabinets. There will be two different groove on it, at different depths, so I can just rest pictures against the wall and they catch in the groove. I will also put a tall vase and maybe a plant. Underneath I will likely put a few shallow baskets.

Our carpenter is making the shelf now. Once it's in and I have some pics/accessories up there (and like it LOL), I'll share pics on here.

Good luck finding your solution. Hopefully you'll get some good ideas from responses here.
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Thanks for the ideas! Unfortunately we do need it for the sink. We discussed swapping it out with one of the unplanned base cabs, but they are all bigger and really throw off the layout of everything. I don't want to paint the cabs (they are natural cherry and high quality, so pretty in person), but I love the idea of making it look like a free standing piece next to the stove! I could really play around with that as far as colors, etc. Hm. We also have all the corian that came with those cabs. It's too expensive to fabricate for the whole kitchen, but if I did the freestanding hutch type thing we could just have it fabricated for that... Hm. a 28" ikea cab would fit there nicely and could be painted. Or we have a 30" in the basement that I think can be repaired... The ikea cart was another idea floating around my brain. bmorepanic - you kinda lost me on the first paragraph ... oh, unless you are talking about the backsplash? That's a pretty idea! Thank you! More ideas floating around in there now ;)
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The horizontal hinge is nice because it holds the door open. An ordinary hinge will allow it to fall closed if not held up by you or something. So not absolutely needed but nice to have. Check with Ikea, I have the impression that, although they don't show the lift-up hinges separately in the website, they could be bought separately. Or, I think that if you bought the cabinet, it might be possible to just keep the hinges and return the rest of the cabinet. (I think this because I have read how people created custom sized cabinets by putting parts of various standard ones together, then returned the extra pieces.) Someone on the Ikeafans website might know the answer -- or just call Ikea. If the base cabinet on its side isn't the right width for the space, then you could get a 30" tall wall cab with door and another wall cab without door, put the cabs together to fill the whole depth of space. Just carefully measure your dimensions and the dimensions of the cabinets. Return the extra rear wall.
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Fori
11 years ago
I did this in my last kitchen so we wouldn't bang elbows going around the corner. Held a lot of booze and a phone:
tinkersouthernbelle
11 years ago
Fori, I really like your cabinets. Is your fridge standard depth or cabinet depth? Do you have a photo with the fridge in? Can I see a photo of all your kitchen???
Fori
11 years ago
Thanks, Belle. I moved and no longer have my kitchen (but am embarking on another remodel).

The fridge cab...well, it's 24" deep because I was planning on a built-in fridge and wanted the cabinets flush with the standard depth cabs instead of sticking out an inch as is standard. (Turns out one reason it's standard is so that fridges fit better.) But I forgot to change that with the cabinet guy when I decided to go with a freestanding fridge--put cabs on the top but forgot about the minor depth difference. So I had the GC put a hole in the wall to recess the fridge or a CD fridge would have been a little too deep. That recess would allow a counter depth fridge to sit back properly in a 24" deep cab. The hole (width and height anyway) is sized for the tallest 36" CD fridge of a few years ago (I think it was a KA).

We never got around to buying it so had our old 33" full depth stuck in the hole. Not an ideal look. Some people should not have magnetic fridges. Heh heh. And yeah, the electrician was an idiot.

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