I don't know that I'd frame it out like the doorways. If it were my kitchen, I wouldn't use any molding or corner blocks on the sides of the refrigerator alcove.

It's hard to tell the depth and scale of the space over the refrigerator, but I would perhaps install a matching double-door cabinet there and top it with the same crown molding that's on your existing cabinets.

I'm not usually a fan of wood cabinets (even though I have them) but I really like yours, from what I can see in the pictures. Very pretty!

Sorry - I just realized you said you love the molding and corner blocks! It's late and I'm tired so I missed that part :-(

Yes, I would add a cabinet to close up the space. I'm not really sure about the blocks on each side but I really like the trim that you've added to your doorways.

We're right in the middle of doing that ourselves (crown, baseboards, casing, doorjambs - everything, and there's sawdust all over my house!). It seemed simple enough at first but now I'm amazed by how many little details there are that require us to make decisions. Each day I come home from work my DH and the contractor have more options for me to think about!

Good luck and please post after pics!

Thanks, juddgirl2

I do love the molding as we're using it on the doorways and a couple of windows but I think I would be okay with not putting it there as long as we could make the space look good. The first pic of what it looked like before we started messing with it is what I DON'T want to go back to. :)

So if I take this molding off the sides, it's still going to need something to finish the edge. The subzero fit flush and this one has to stick out a little bit.

I hear you on it seemed simple to start. Now I feel like I've fallen down a rabbit hole. It's making me a little bit crazy.

We had a similar issue and my husband built a wine rack to fit. Closing up that space, in some way, will deter your eye from zeroing in on it. Maybe you could do a false panel using the rosettes you like. And then maybe the trim will make sense. I do like juddgirl's cabinet idea.
I'm not convinced you need the moulding, to me it attracts more attention.

I also do not like the molding there...

paintergirl94 the wine rack is a great idea!

Well I figure the two options are to make a cabinet that matches that rest of the kitchen cabinets or to just do a false panel that makes it look like the wall.

I'm okay with either using or not using the rosettes...my concern is what to do going down the sides since you come into the kitchen looking at that angle in the 3rd picture. Whether the handyman does a cabinet or panel, what should be on the edges? The first pic shows the narrow trim that was there before and that doesn't look right either.

Should it just be a corner wall with no wood trim at all?

If you do put a wine rack above the fridge, please, please do NOT put any wine up there, unless you dislike wine.

If you do put a wine rack above the fridge, please, please do NOT put any wine up there, unless you dislike wine.

Ditto!

Not to worry. All our wine is in the bar in the living room. :)

If I had to trim this opening, and I am with the "no trim" people, I would cut angled fillers to bring the casing on the sides out so it was oblique to the front of the fridge. Working all those angles is just silliness.
Casey

Another vote for no trim in this area. I wish I could remember where I had seen a pic of how someone filled in that area. Pretty sure it was on a blog. You could do the wine rack and just use empty bottles.

tina

The wine rack is a good idea if you can actually keep wine there - which apparently you can't! (I like to drink wine now and then but know nothing about the best way to store it.)

I'm all about having extra storage though, so if I couldn't store wine in that space then I'd rather have the cabinet for storing kitchen/cooking items. I have a similar cabinet over my wall oven and use it to store lesser used appliances (blender, food processor, etc.) and extra serving dishes.

Okay...so the molding comes off all the way around and then I guess he just patches the sheetrock where he removed the original molding? (1st pic) The fridge sticks out a few inches but it is what it is, I guess.

sombreuil_mongrel - I'm not sure I understand you.

I would cut angled fillers to bring the casing on the sides out so it was oblique to the front of the fridge. Working all those angles is just silliness.

So then as for above the fridge the easiest option of course would be to just extend the wall down toward the fridge but then, wouldn't you still need to do something at that edge? Or would it just be a plain sheetrock corner?

I wouldn't mind having a cabinet up there that matched the rest of the kitchen. I can always use more storage and maybe that would take care of the finishing?

You know what bothers me most about the rosettes? They are inside the lines of the fridge. To 'match' a doorway, the rosettes should be outside the lines of the opening. Take a look at the doorway nearby and see what I mean.

I have a cabinet over my fridge...it stores stuff we only need once or twice a year. Very handy.

Another vote for no trim for that space!

I guess I feel obligated to say that we do not put expensive wine above our fridge. Yes, some heat does escape at the top, but not enough to 1.) ruin the cheapo wine we put up there: and 2.) it is decorative and looks very pretty.
In addition, we have never had a complaint. In fact, sometimes, we can't get rid of our guests! I chose not put a storage space for things we only use twice a year.