Rhome, thanks so much for reviewing this. You've raised some points with which I've been hassling. So here are my arguments. Please rebut if you want. Re: pantry door Bifold doors take up too much side-opening space when open, and are a pain to close completely. Same for accordion-type. A curtain would be difficult to keep clean (think dirty hands and dirty/dusty clothing from the workshop), and also would get in the way of a step stool used for reaching the higher shelves. The solid door allows attachment of door shelves/racks (term?, the wire thing that screws into the door and holds foil, plastic wrap, and other skinny things). I need that door rack. But I'll try not using the one in the present pantry and see if I can get by without it. BTW, those wire slide-out thingies that slip onto fixed shelves would take up shelf space that, in my case, would be better used for foodstuffs. Re: snack bar sink I agree for the need for a sink, but don't want to give up counter space and under counter drawer space. For hand-washing, we can use the half-bath or the utility quasi-mud room (off the den. There's another entrance into the house from the deck.) For cleaning, I might use one shelf in a wall cab for a spray bottle and towels and keep a small canister on the counter for trash? Dirty glassware would just be left there until I get around to moving them to the sink. I don't want to extend the wall to the den so that a longer counter would fit. Making the wall longer would obstruct the view and screw up the den-living room symmetry. Extending the outside wall is not an option. I need to think about this. Re: oven I put the oven where I did so that I could watch what's going on in there while I'm cooking. The height is a compromise among bending over, microwave reach, and frig landing space. If the oven were placed at standard counter height, I may as well get a range instead of a wall oven. If the oven were placed at a higher height and along the long wall, the counter would be broken up, I couldn't watch what was burning, wouldn't have the counter space for making and rolling dough (for example), enough landing space for sorting groceries. The mixer is on that long wall and I want to leave it there instead of putting it away when I'm finished with it. BTW, a toaster oven is also on that long counter which I hope to retire if and when I get the single/double oven. The toaster oven has given me some insight into problems associated with having an oven on that counter/wall. As far as traffic pattern is concerned, there may be no good place for the oven? Ordinarily, there's not much traffic in the kitchen except for the dogs. Anyone I'm feeding would just have to wait until the oven door is closed to get by. Re: landing space The base cabinet is ~27" deep, or else 24" deep and pulled away from the wall so that the counter is ~28 1/2" deep. I need the 15" deep wall cab to house items that are, say, 13"-14" deep, and to hold the microwave (small countertop size). The ~12"high landing space is high enough for frig items. The 12"height takes into account the UCL rail/strip. The microwave is elevated to avoid hitting what's on the counter when the microwave door is open. Dunno. Another difficult choice I'm debating for the frig wall is cabinet depth. Use 24" deep cabs and pull them from the wall so that the frig looks built-in, or bite the cost bullet and use ~27" deep cabs and gain storage space. I'm leaning towards the latter. Please continue to make suggestions. If you want, I will provide vertical sketches for usage in the proposed layout.

Counter depth is a little of a misnomer -- the box will likely be approximately the depth of your counter, but it can vary a bit. The door will stick out beyond cabinet depth. This is the version most folks are looking at -- budgeting $1,500-2,500. Built-in may be counter depth or flush. They will also be taller than standard fridge openings as well. And they run $6-7k and up, give or take. Outside of this forum and similarly obsessed folks, most who ask about counter depth are not asking for a built-in fridge. crl_ gave you my best tip for starting your search for either -- got to ajmadison and search by size. If there is a model to fit, they will probably have it there.

Post a photo of the copy of the approved plan they were supposed to build to. Does it show deeper sides with the adjacent counters butting into them? Enough room for 24.375 plus the 2 inches behind so that the sides of the refrigerator BOX can be installed flush with the front of the cabinetry? Normally a cabinet shop would make this allowance or at least go over the options and differences. But if someone else did the design and it was adhered to, you don't have much to stand on. Also, is the opening the correct height because the hinges not fitting into the opening (like the photo above) can keep it from going back as well? Did you by chance consider another refrigerator that would fit properly? That might be the easiest and most economical way to address the issue. Switch them up and sell the first one. And to the guy that commented about "custom shops" ordering components, this is a common practice throughout the industry. It's very rare to find a cabinet shop that builds every part of a cabinet anymore and as long as what is ordered is of acceptable quality and fits, what's the problem?

You can create a built-in look for a cabinet-depth refrigerator. That's what we did. Notice the walls are not visible. Also, keep in mind that a cabinet depth refrigerator is actually around 30" deep when you count the doors & handles. The only thing that's counter-depth is the refrigerator carcass/box. The doors must stick out past the surrounding walls, cabinets, counters, etc., to be able to open them fully. Only true built-ins or the high-end counter depth (like Liebherr) can be flush, all others cannot be (unless there's something new in the past few weeks or so). You could try asking on the Appliances Forum about CD refrigerators that are true CD and are inexpensive. Another option is to recess the refrigerator into the wall behind it - but you still have to be sure the doors stick out beyond the surrounding items. My album: http://s182.photobucket.com/user/Buehl/library/2008-2009%20Remodel/Kitchen/220%20How%20to%20Build%20In%20a%20Refrigerator Here's a picture: Here's a slideshow of how we did it: http://s182.photobucket.com/user/Buehl/slideshow/2008-2009%20Remodel/Kitchen/220%20How%20to%20Build%20In%20a%20Refrigerator .