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2 French Door Fridges?
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Posted by tr1140 (My Page) on Thu, Aug 20, 09 at 16:47
| Hi everyone,
This is our idea: we currently have a SubZero fridge in our kitchen and a "regular" fridge in our pantry. In our new home, we have space to recess 2 French-door refrigerators into the wall to make them counter depth. We are considering this option instead of returning to the SubZero/pantry-fridge we currently use. Are we crazy for wanting to ditch the SubZero? We just always seem to need the extra space!
Thanks for any thoughts/comments we may be overlooking! |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: 2 French Door Fridges?
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| Have you looked at all of the built-in and regular fridges? It would be worth your while, if you haven't to look at all the options. For instance, the BSH models, which I think are taller than SZ, and which definitely come in different width combinations, might work better for you (depending on how big a deal the recess is or isn't). But crazy? Not at all! The thing to remember with the french doors is that you have to have enough space between them in the middle for the center doors to open correctly. If there's swing room for a single door, it might be better to put two single door units together, and have them open from the middle, so that it looks like one big french door installation. You'd probably still need to have a small space between the units, but minimal. Do check on the ventilation, however. Freestanding units often vent to the back, and expect there to be a little space around them for the hot air to get out. If you're putting two in a single enclosure you might need to leave a little extra space for venting, or otherwise channel the air. I think I read somewhere the extra hot air makes the neighboring unit not work as well. |
RE: 2 French Door Fridges?
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| I might prefer, if putting them side-by-side, to find a set of single door, bottom freezer units that will have their handles toward the center...But it depends on the rest of your layout and how you plan to organize them. I had planned on 2 bottom-freezer fridges, but ended up with 2 Electrolux Icon all-fridges, and 1 all-freezer. I put 1 fridge nearer the eating areas (it holds milk, breakfast, lunch, condiments that go on the table, and snack produce items), and the fridge/freezer set it near the pantry and cooking/baking areas (that fridge holds condiments and ingredients for cooking and baking: eggs, butter, meats, veggies, cooking sauces, etc.). Get the room you need, in the configuration that works best for you! :-) |
RE: 2 French Door Fridges?
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| If you do two complete fridges, rather than an all-fridge and an all freezer, I would recommend separating them. Even if they are at opposite ends of the same run, for example, their storage function should be different enough that both of them are not just a jumble of everything. If one is in a primary location (say for cooking) and the other is in a secondary location (or "primary" for snacking, beverages, and maybe long term freezing)--you will be able to remember whats in what. |
RE: 2 French Door Fridges?
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| Christopher Peacock did this in his "Kitchen of the Year 2008". Below is one photo of that kitchen, but if you Googled, you could find more. I’m trying to make this decision for myself as well. I would prefer columns as I think they give you lots of fridge and freezer space. I don’t think bottom freezers give as much space. My problem with them is the cost and the fact that we can’t get crushed ice through the door. 
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RE: 2 French Door Fridges?
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| If you're considering two full sized fridges in your current kitchen instead of one fridge and drawer fridges, I would probably stick to paneled fridges unless you want these appliances to the be focal point of your kitchen. My only reference would be my sister's huge kitchen for her family of 9 (yes 9 with another on the way!!) One whole wall has three very tall and wide pull-out pantries (cabinet uppers) book-ended by paneled fridges. It looks very seamless and tasteful. Can you do french door fridges in panels? I am also partial to the french door fridge style. |
RE: 2 French Door Fridges?
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| This is just my opinion... but I would find all those handles on 2 FD installed next to each other distracting. If I needed that kind of storage and had the space I would either separate two single doors or install 2 single doors next to each other as rhome suggested. |
RE: 2 French Door Fridges?
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| 50-60 cubic feet of cold storage seems like overkill for an average sized family with an average sized kitchen. It will visually dominate even a large space. Separate your current functions out, and decide what you use % wise for what. Separate the 2 fridges as well, based on the functional layout of the space. You may decide that 2 30" fridges would serve your needs instead of 2 36" fridges. That's still 36 cubic feet of cold storage. I had a couple do a left and right hinged "regular" stainless 30" bottom freezers in a space, and because they balanced it with open space in the middle, it looked OK. They used one for beverages/snacking and the other for cooking ingredients. They also had a dedicated ice maker and wine fridge in the middle of the "snack/bar" area along with a built in MW for reheating those snacks etc. |
RE: 2 French Door Fridges?
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| Thanks for all of the ideas/suggestions/thoughts on this issue. Many of you have confirmed some of the angst I was feeling: too many handles, it might take over the kitchen, possible overkill. Maybe two 30" units with left and right handles would be more appropriate. Thanks again - I love this forum!! |
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