Fridge 1:

Fridge 2 (This one actually has a panel just above it in the space, so it's not so set back...Like a false slab drawer front...And we're painting the white grills at the bottom of all of them. The extra space trimmed in around it is in case we ever need to replace the 32" fridge with a 36".):

36" Refrigerator with 36"W x 24"D cabinet above. It's surrounded by 3/4" end panels.

Taken the day we installed the new GE fridge (which we love BTW :-).)

Hi Buehl - It looks like the left side of your fridge is flanked by a wall. How does your crown molding end on that side over the above-fridge cabinet? Does it carry over on to the wall? I am going to have a very similar set-up, except with a full depth pantry. The wall extends only about 25 inches and I wasn't sure how to end the molding.

I hope its OK that I jumped in to ask this! Thanks.

We have a 36" wide counter depth refrigerator. As with beuhl, it's surrounded with 3/4" panels. We have a filler below the upper cabinet to allow for a higher refrig in the future. The upper cabinet is 18" high and houses our tv.

Fridge is 36'', built-ins are 55'' long with a 30'' deep counter. The cabinet with the temp. foil is 15'' deep, the MW/CBO is 21'' deep. Each cabinet is 27 1/2'' wide.

Rhome - that's what I call thinking ahead and being prepared - great idea!

Due to incorrect manufacturers specs on refrigerator we needed to change original planned placement of refrigerator, change pantry to upper & lower case cabinets, and recess refrigerator into LR wall several inches. We're glad the changes were needed because we like this layout better.

{{!gwi}}

spacer needed at right of refrigerator for room to open door; partial wall separates kitchen and adjoining room

{{!gwi}}

Yes, the crown molding extends out onto the wall...closeup...

During remodel...

Our wall is approx 24" deep. We did this deliberately so we wouldn't have to have a filler b/w the wall & refrigerator (we had to have a wall for HVAC to the upstairs MBR).

We also have filler above for a future taller refrigerator...our alcove is only 70" or so tall (IIRC) and refrigerators are approaching 72" now...so we have some wiggle room above in the future.

I now have BB counter on the island, so disregard the white shelves on the island. You can't see it, but I have the Advantium with a drawer under it in the island facing the fridge.

Here's our frigerator (LOL)... It's a regular sized fridge but the cabinetry around it is pulled forward, and the fridge is slightly recessed into the wall behind it, so it looks built in.

We are still using our 20 year old Subzero with the original wood panels on the doors and a framed out cabinet enclosure that the fridge fits into. We have small upper cabinets built into the top of the enclosure above the fridge. The fridge sits right next to the opening to the sunroom so the side enclosure is paneled to match the kitchen cabinets. The other side is connected to the counter with the sink and dishwasher.

Here's mine. It's a standard depth fridge that we recessed into the wall studs. The surrounding pantry and base cabinets are 24" deep. There will be a microwave upper cabinet installed to the right of the fridge.
{{gwi:1587923}}

Here's mine:

Cabinet to right of fridge: top-empty, middle - set of dishes we use daily (three shelf areas), bottom - divided for trays/cookie sheets.

The fridge is staying, the rest will be going (eventually).

To the right (where the stained cabinets are) will be the double wall oven with a 12" cabinet between it and the fridge. To the left will be a large pantry cupboard - two or three double doors with shelves inside. This will be open to the floor and back to the wall for extra storage. The recess actually goes back about 6" more than the opening on that side.

When we did the two story section, we took 2' out of the expanded bedroom and gave it to the kitchen for the Fridge wall. We actually did a lot more than that, the fridge is sitting where the stairway use to be. Now the stairs is on the wall oven side. The cabinets will all be built out so the fridge looks "built in" but it is a regular sized unit.

This is a side view, you can tell where the room wall use to be.

We just put the microwave over the dishwasher to see if we like it there. The floor just got finished a few days ago and I'm enjoying having something that resembles a kitchen again. Hard to imagine what it will be like when finished.

Cathy

Ours is a Thermador 48" with 2 18" pantry cabinets on each side, we then put crown moulding across the entire thing to make it look like "one piece"

(These pictures are from the "during" part of the project which I feel I may be stuck in for the rest of time....kidding--I think we are making progress)

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Here's mine.

buehl, what size is your lower cabinet left of the refrigerator? I have room for a 15", but I wonder if that will be to small, I plan to have a mini desk area with phone,mail drop, etc. I like it small, because there is less room to let things pile up and spread out. We are in the planning stages, and if we move the fridge, we will have a similar arrangement. Thanks in advance, parts

Hmmm....I don't have a cabinet to the left of my refrigerator. I suspect you mean country_smile, or perhaps marcy96, socalusa, or beekeeperswife.

I'm not sure 15" width would be wide enough for even a small Message/Command Center You might consider taking 24" wide x 15" deep cabinets and turning them 90o. Of course, if this cabinet is against a wall it won't work, but I thought I'd suggest it.

This is our fridge area now

The cabinet to the left was part of our old desk area that we moved over when we took down half the wall into the dining room. I didn't want the fridge door to swing open into the entance way. The drawer stack is 20" wide and the top two drawers have divider trays for pens, notepads, extra keys, tape measure, small tools, etc. This set-up created the dreaded "black hole" area so I didn't have an upper cabinet installed to try to minimize the effect.

The cabinet above the fridge and the 3/4" end panels are new. To the right is the open wall to our dining room, so the end panel was essential. (don't mind the stove there in the pic, I took this while they were installing my backsplash!) We have a 36" wide CD fridge and the cabinets were installed to leave a 72" height since I wasn't sure what fridge we were going to get.

This has turned out well for us and I haven't had that area turn into a drop zone, so it pretty much stays clear all the time now. Unlike my old desk that used to be there, which always had lots of stuff dropped there :D

Sorry buhl, I quess I got my pictures mixed up. I need to ask country_smile what the width of the cabinet left of the fridge is.