Before the remodel, I sold my perfect condition 4 year old Kenmore fridge on CL. At that time I purchased a 3 yr. old counter depth SS KitchenAid for $1000 from a young woman on CL who had received the appliance as part of her divorce settlement. There are bargains if you are diligent about scouring CL daily even beyond the new Liebherr. Most of the folks who buy Liebherr have really tiny kitchens and need taller, thinner fridges than standard CD. How many sq. ft.is your kitchen? You may not need to go the more expensive Liebherr route. I would not buy the 14 year old KitchenAid. Even if the mechanics are great, the plastics inside become brittle and deteriorate over time. Three years age my 32 year old Montgomery Ward fridge was left with the house I sold still running great. However, the door lining was pulling away, and the door would not close completely due to a loose door casket. Neither of those items could be replaced any longer. I should add that we were a small family and careful with our possessions so this occurred due to age, not abuse. Paneled fridges are one technique to make a small kitchen look larger. However, door panels are an expensive option. You are at the beginning of your remodel, and there is frequently project creep. My approach was to go with SS and use the money for all built in appliances in my small kitchen so that the counter flow is not interrupted. I put the money in an induction cooktop over a 27" wall oven. This is a long way of saying go with the Liebherr over the KA but before you do, make sure you need to spend that extra money on the Liebherr over a standard counter depth like a KitchenAid. My apologies for rambling about on this post and good luck with your remodel.

We are considering all the same issues as this poster. Our fridge will be on the far left of the row of cabinets in a galley kitchen, so it seems that opening a single door left-hinge fridge will be more convenient than an FD. I also am very concerned about energy efficiency and durability, so I have some questions about how well the FD models will seal long term. I have no interest in throwing my $2000 fridge out in 5 years! We did find a GE model that seems to fit the bill: PDCS1NBWLSS GE Profile Energy Star 21.1 Cu. Ft. Stainless Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator - Left Hinged. We have not bought this yet but are still shopping around. We want a modest sized one like this (again to avoid wasting energy for space we rarely need), but there may be something similar in a larger size. Good hunting! Good luck!

kksmama - I am really liking this layout also. I never thought I'd be able to have an island centered on a large range in this kitchen and am thrilled that it might work. I think I agree about the prep sink being on the island. One good thing about my clean up sink now is I can face people at the peninsula when I'm washing and prepping food, and I'd still be able to do that if the prep sink is here. I'm willing to sacrifice some storage space under the island to allow an 18" overhang on 2 sides so I can fit 4 seats there. Prep space and seating are my main priorities for the island. I'll draw it tonight when I have access to my computer. Sena - I love, love the drawing. Thank you! I will definitely consider a narrow oval table for the banquette. I usually prefer rectangle or round tables, but the oval will probably work better here - more table space than round and doesn't have sharp corners to bang into. Great idea! I'm wondering, if I put the prep sink in the island, 1) where do you think the fridge should go on the DR wall - near the doorway or closer to the range, and 2) which direction should the prep sink face - the fridge/pantry or range wall (I'd like 3 stools facing the range if possible so I'm thinking this may affect placement of sink)?

You probably saw Erica L's thread, it is on page 1 below yours. Just in case you didn't, here is the link... http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3693456/freaking-out-about-counter-depth-fridge-sticking-out-past-pantry-cabs?n=100 You should read her thread because it discusses the whole 2" clearance verses counter depth issue. It does seem contradictory. Naming it "counter depth" to me is misleading. For instance, in Erica's case her GE cd fridge specs says the case without the doors is 24 3/8". Now on top of that you need to allow 2" air clearance in the back according to their recommended specs. So how on earth can they say it's counter depth? Go figure! If you want the sides or "case" covered by a panel or cabinetry, it needs to be bumped out further the the normal 24". I guess somewhere around 2-2 1/2". I'm not an expert, so I could be wrong. But in Erica's case that's what happened from what I gather. As a side note, is that a wall to the right of your fridge? You need space so the door can open fully. edit: counter depth is more like 25 1/2" so I guess technically they can say that, but with the back air clearance they say is needed, then it is not.