Nope. Not feasible at all. Don't you think if that kludge would work that everyone would be doing it? There is no shortcut to doing a true integrated refrigerator. You pay the costs to be the boss. Or you give up your aspirations to a kitchen above the level that the house, and your pocketbook, can support.

That pic looks to me just like the fridge is hidden, but not integrated. Is that what the OP is looking for? To hide the fridge only?

IMHO, I have seen many gorgeous kitchens with the fridge with its stainless steel door is proudly visible. Why are some people obsessed with hiding the fridge? (that is a rhetorical question, don't bother answering). Anyway, there are a couple fridges that aren't in the Subzero/Miele pricing stratosphere, and look good on there own. Fisher & Paykel for example.

Click on the link and read the article freida. This fridge has a DIY custom panel, which is exactly what the OP asked about. The sides - whether they abut cabinets or drywall is irrelevant. I'm certain she didn't ask to be talked out of this or pointed to a different brand of fridge :-)

As for your rhetorical question, different strokes for different folks. Just because someone wants something you don't doesn't mean they are obsessed.

Eam44 - you are right, I was using the word obsessed just in the same vein as the entire question - there isn't really an answer, and I was talking in hyperbole. Nevertheless, it appears the OP is willing to go to some length to try to get the integrated look but not to spend the money for a fridge that can be integrated. I was just suggesting that if the budget is constrained, perhaps the OP can consider that the stainless steel front of some fridges is not a bad look in a kitchen.

The fridge pictured has a custom panel, but is not integrated with the cabinetry. From the OP's discussion of trying to replace hinges, I had the impression s/he wanted the fridge to be integrated, but perhaps that solution of just hiding the fridge would be a good one for the OP.

I'm fine with stainless too, in fact that was what I'd planned on. I bought a SubZero floor model just before the models changed, so I got really lucky in that respect. Then the entire renovation screeched to a halt, so I'm currently living with a panel-ready fridge that has no panel. It's all do-able... It has food in it, and I am grateful.

How fun, I love that link, thank you for providing. Seems like a great idea, although I see a lot of people trying to go into the pantry and getting the fridge instead, haha. I will have to search more to see if I can find anymore pictures of people doing this.

I should have clarified, I knew I was going to get a couple of rude comments trying to talk me out of it or telling me if I can't hang to get out of the kitchen. We have the budget for it, but feel like it would be worthless spending. Like the other poster said, a plain stainless fridge looks perfectly fine in the kitchen, I don't have a problem with it, but I happen to love the look of all hidden appliances. I like the farmhouse vintage style without modern amenities. With me, when there is a will, there is ALWAYS a way, just takes a lot of time looking and a lot of creativity. I always take the cheap way because I enjoy saving money and I love being creative. But I spend the time to make sure what I have in mind will not look DIY and I always find a way.

Here's another interesting one. Seems like just an enclosure built a bit wider than the fridge with the door only attached on just the end, allowing for a small gap on the sides for the normal fridge door to open and close. Am I looking at this correctly?

That looks fantastic! It might be complicated getting both sets of hinges to work together - but it looks really cool. It also looks counter depth unless it is recessed into the wall.

That is some serious will. I wanted integrated fridge but my brother insisted on stainless. I accommodated him and it was probably better for the budget.

Integrated helps the kitchen not looking too chopped up with additional finished surfaces.

I went down this road too a few months ago. I didn't feel confident that we could pull it off and I was spending countless hours obsessing over it for weeks and weeks. As much as I love getting creative and problem solving (and I totally agree with you, there is always a way!), I finally just had to get on with it so bought a SubZero and panelled it the way it is intended to be. No regrets. It looks stunning, no compromises, and I feel like it will live longer than I will. The thing is even more solid and higher quality than my Volvo.

And you can practice on your current fridge!

As noted, the tricky part is ensuring enough ventilation. That last example really has gone the extra mile -- I'm guessing they are 24 or 30" columns. You have to be careful, there, though that such custom cabinets plus the special columns start getting really pricey.

Has anyone tried the new Blomberg integrated fridges? They are priced more akin to integrated fridges in Europe, where there is not as large of a premium as in the US. Reliability and service availability is an issue, I suspect. Two 24" units side by side could work.

We have done this in a previous kitchen. Husband made the custom kitchen cabinets, with a cubby for the fridge. Then bought a bottom freezer single door fridge, took the handles off and attached, from the inside, a custom panel, one on each door. We found some long bronze cabinet pulls that matched our cabinet hardware for the pulls.

It was not a totally integrated look because we had to leave about an inch and a half on either side for the door to open. But it was fully recessed in it's cubby. We had extra deep counters and cabinets so fridge section didn't stick out even though it was a 35" inch deep fridge ($800 if I remember). But it helps to have a partner who is a fine woodworker. :)

We aren't too worried about the cabinet cost because we would probably build the casing ourselves, would just be the door fronts we'd get from the cabinet maker. Thanks for mentioning Blomberg though. I just looked them up, seems like you probably would need two fridges, but it would still be about $3k for two built in fridges, much cheaper than others I've seen. We don't need anything larger than 20-22 cubic ft in our family.

Signet Marlumnus - do you happen to have a picture? I wouldn't mind seeing what it looks like with the space on the sides to see if that is something I would mind or not.

Also, I believe I saw, at IKEA, some fridges with those type of hinges (name?) that open without much sideways extension. Sorry a bit brain dead today...

I might be able to find a picture of that kitchen. Just not sure it has the fridge area.