For our new build, we're creating a niche for a nominal 36" FD full depth freestanding refrigerator. I'm looking at the Samsung RFG298AA because it is supposed to be quiet and has good reviews.

I really need help figuring out the dimensions for the niche. It will be between a walk-in pantry and a small base cabinet with uppers on the other side (had orignally been the wall ovens so ignore that on the picture). Here is a picture of how the home designer (not a KD) had drawn this:

At the bottom I have a link to a Google Docs folder that has the spec sheets for this refrigerator and the GE equivalent that is supposedly made by Samsung, as well. There is a huge discrepancy for the clearances between the Samsung Quick Start, the Samsung User's manual and the GE Spec. Here they are, in that order:

- [Page 2] Sides: 3 3/4"; Back: 2"; Top 2"

- [Page 8] Sides: 1"; Back: 2"; Top 2"

- [Page 1] Sides: 1/8"; Back: 1"; Top 1"

As you can see, Samsung is not consistent between their two documents and there is a huge difference with the side clearance for the GE which should pretty much be the same box.

I can alter the plan to make this and, I hope, most any future refrigerator which is nominally 36" wide fit the space. I just need to know how to do it. Does the door protrude past the edge of the pantry/cabinets wall? By how much - the depth of the handle or the depth of the refrigerator door? I tried reading the article in the Feb issue of BH&G Kitchen & Bath Ideas on making standard depth refrigerators look build in, but there isn't much help on figuring out the dimensions.

We're meeting with the house designer & builder next week to get the plans finalized, so any help y'all can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks - Jo Ann

P.S. I'm leery of letting this to the house designer because, at one point, her assistant drew it with the refrigerator switched with the wall cabinet because she said there was some "rule" about having 10" on the side of a refrigerator. I didn't know what that was all about so said to use 3'9" since that was the width of the fridge and some roundup for the 3.75" air clearance needed on each side.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to Folder with Fridge Info