Fridge/freezer flush to counters

8 years ago

Hi all - gut renovation of a kitchen in the works. Our architect is telling us we need a fridge that is no more than 24-25" deep (which seems to then force us to a $7-10k fridge) so the appliance is flush to the counters. This seems crazy to me. How do people get 30"+ appliances to be flush with counters that are normally 24"? Am I missing something?

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Hamma

8 years ago

I've always wondered if there is some conspiracy behind it :) Why is that most American and Canadian fridges have to be these enormous hulks, that don't fit (depth-wise) with the STANDARD kitchen cabinets? And yet we have to pay more for (essentially) smaller fridges?

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PRO
Sativa McGee Designs
8 years ago
The only way to use a standard fridge and make it flush is to recess it into your wall.

If it isn't a load bearing wall he can cut away studs and reframe interior so that your fridge is inside of the wall 3".

This brings your fridge almost flush, like a 27" fridge.
User
8 years ago
Look at photos of kitchens and see how important it is to you. My fridge is deeper than the counter and I could care less :)
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Hi there, my husband and I are embarking on a self-build and we're in the early stages - have sketches but not formal drawings from our architect. This is going to be a small starting point because we have a small budget, with plans for extension in the 5-10 year range. The site is in a rural part of Wicklow, so there's no traffic as such (I have seen this as a consideration in other posts :). The question I have is around the size of the kitchen, which you can see in the photo below. The house is on a two-level site, so the main entrance will be through a lower level, under the living area, and up through the stairs in the bottom right corner (marked Down). The kitchen is only 2x4m and I'm not even sure it really qualifies as "galley". I am looking for some guidance as to the placement of our appliances. We'd really like to have big fridge/freezer (XX in the drawing) and dishwasher (not currently in the drawing) in there (in addition to your standard hob/oven/sink). There is a dotted line for counter or island against the wall with the stove, but we think we probably won't have space for that in the current dimensions. There is an option to extend the entire house by 0.5-1m out towards the deck (make it "longer" but keep it the same width), and we'd likely give all of those gains to the kitchen - kind of stretch the inside of the house. However, this would really strain the budget and we may not be able to swing it. Do you think we can make do with the kitchen at the current size and have all those appliances? How would you suggest we lay them out? Thanks so much for you advice! Seems like the people on this site really have a wealth of knowledge :).
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acm
8 years ago
Yeah, I think that the main answer is "they don't." But kitchen designers, who care more about the photos than storing their leftovers, pay extra for the counter-depth ones. Forget it and get the fridge you want.
sfball06
8 years ago
I bought a counter depth and hated it. No space at all! I don't mind that mine juts out now
User
8 years ago
This is my fridge
PRO
Sativa McGee Designs
8 years ago
acm
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Here are some deep fridges in standard cabinets:

cottage remodel · More Info

Teri Turan · More Info

and here's a couple examples where they actually made the surrounding cabinets deeper!

Buena Vista House · More Info

Victoria Residence · More Info

You should check, though, to be sure there's not some other reason they say you *must* have a shallow fridge. I've really lost some sleep over rehabs with narrow front doors, where even taking the door off the fridge wouldn't get my preferred model in (although ripping the frame off the door did the job -- eep!).
Elizabeth Carr thanked acm
Hamma
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Our current kitchen would have looked odd with the standard size refrigerator (i.e. it would stick out too much), so we opted to pay more and got a counter-depth one. For us it was well worth the expense.
User
8 years ago
Hamma I'm confused as that fridge does stick out beyond cabinets doesn't it?
Hamma
8 years ago
My previous kitchen had a wall-cut out that accommodated a full-size unit. I thought I would def. miss the extra inches, but I don't. Things don't get lost in the back, so to say.
Hamma
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Alison, probably hard to tell from my dark picture, but on the left side I have a wall (next to the pantry), and the refrigerator has the same depth as the wall there, but on the right side (where the desk is) one can see the side of refrigerator a little. Head on, it's flush with the wall. That was the whole point (for us).
PRO
Danielle Grenier
8 years ago
I would make the surrounding cabinets deeper. It looks terrible if your refrig sticks out from the side panels. Recessing the refrig into the wall also helps... but it's usually easier to just make the side panels and upper cabinet deeper. Just make sure you have the walking space of 42" at least in front of the refrig cabinets! :-)
User
8 years ago
I honestly think it depends where the fridge is in your kitchen. If it has cabinets on both sides I could see it needing to be flush. If it has a wall on one side and would stick out beyond the wall, as Hamma indicated his would have, then again it makes sense to be flush. I still go back to ours and wouldn't dream of getting a smaller, flush with counter, fridge. It wouldn't have been worth considering the expense at all to us with where the fridge is.
PRO
Bradson Flooring
8 years ago
You can get a countertop depth fridge around 2k. Where did you get 7-10k? Or just extend the panels and fridge cabinet out like in the photos above. Counter depth fridge give the kitchen a sleeker look. If you don't care about that and a normal fridge doesn't get in the way, extend the panels and upper cabinet.
PRO
Sativa McGee Designs
8 years ago
http://www.samsung.com/us/appliances/refrigerators/RH22H9010SR/AA
leelee
8 years ago
The Buena Vista pic above is the answer.
PRO
S Mistry Interiors
8 years ago
Look for a counter depth fridge if you want it flush to counter.
PRO
Sativa McGee Designs
8 years ago
Or if you are concerned with floor space, in smaller kitchens every inch makes a huge difference.
leelee
8 years ago
The GE Cafe line is also counter depth.
leelee
8 years ago
I'm sorry but if you're going to spend $$$$$ to renovate your kitchen it does look bad to have a standard size fridge jutting out 5 or 6 inches beyond the counters. Plus, most companies cheap out and use a different color for the sides of the refrigerators which also looks not quite right. You're going to live with this for a long time.
Jennifer K
8 years ago
The surround for my fridge is 2" proud of the counter (like in the Buena Vista kitchen that @acm posted). This means that only the door of the fridge shows. It looks intentional (which it is) and therefore it looks correct. It's like the difference between capris and trousers. Both are nice; but in between just looks like your pants are too short.
Elizabeth Carr thanked Jennifer K
PRO
Sativa McGee Designs
8 years ago
It sits proud of the counter top 2" for more than just esthetic purposes. The counter top itself comes out 1.5" past and needs something to die into. And you cannot make the surround to deep, otherwise the doors cannot open properly.
PRO
Red Door Design
8 years ago
I agree that you can get a counter depth fridge for much less than 7-10 thousand! I would like to point out that a counter depth fridge still has doors that extend beyond the counter. And they're not always smaller. You can get counter depths that have more room than some standard depths - but they're wider to make up for it. So you definitely want to know which fridge you want before you build in that space. I have had clients who really need a counter depth but they are locked into standard because their built-in fridge space isn't wide enough to accommodate a counter depth. The thing about a fridge is that it tends to be very visually heavy in a kitchen and can be the 'elephant in the room'. Going counter depth helps reduce the visual impact of this appliance.
J S
8 years ago
I'm a fan of recessing a standard depth frig. Depending on layout can you steal a few inches from a closet or other area? If not, you can frame it out and build a header and recess it, even in a load bearing wall.
smileythecat
8 years ago
I got a kitchenaide for less than 2k that was counterdepth, I like it
User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
The architect has specified a built in refrigerator, not a counter depth, and not a hack to make a regular depth be counter depth. Better find out WHY he has specified that. They are not interchangeable in a design.
Kathi Steele
8 years ago
Always listen to Sophie. Call architect and find out why he wanted a built in fridge. Could be some reason it cannot stick out.

Mine is not flush to the countertop but it is flush (except the door) to the wall next to it. Here is mine:
kathi_steele's ideas · More Info
susanalanandwrigley
8 years ago
I have a counter depth, a regular depth would extend into my kitchen in a walkway and look bad, and I've not found the storage space a problem, and it certainly did not cost 7-10k! I think Sophie is correct, he is suggesting a built in. It is important to understand the options and choices to ensure your money is being spent wisely. A quick on line search will show you what a counter depth fridge should cost, and a visit to a decent local appliance store will allow you to educate yourself about options and see the products in person. Best of luck.
PRO
Great Oak Studio Architecture
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Read consumer reports before giving in. Most of the built in models have spotty reliability, and are ridiculously expensive to fix.
User
8 years ago
Her OP says flush with countertop...
Elizabeth Carr
Original Author
8 years ago
OP here: Thanks for all the help. Yes, correct - architect is specifying a built-in fridge, which is indeed $7-10k. We're exploring moving a wall to allow a "counter-depth" fridge to recess enough such that it doesn't stick out 6 inches into the room (they seem to be 29-30" vs. 24" counters). I'm just not sure I can stomach $10k on a fridge which is actually smaller than most units, no matter how seamlessly integrated it is into the rest of the kitchen. Thanks again!
susanalanandwrigley
8 years ago
Counter depth does not stick out 6 inches into the room, really it's just the width of the refrigerator doors, unless you are counting the handles and that isn't much of a protusion. I'll post pics of how mine looks when I get home if you want, although I think I posted some not long ago that you might find by searching my posts. My fridge is (by necessity) basically in a walkway through the kitchen, and the counter depth fridge allows it to look completely in place and allow complete access through. I don't think it's possible for counter depth to not stick out at all as the doors need room to open. Again I encourage you to visit a good quality appliance store so you can understand the options and how they work. Good luck.
acm
8 years ago
I just don't like built-in refrigerators. I want to pick all the options and gizmos, and the built-ins cost you a fortune for the panel fronts without offering as wide a range of choices. Find out why they want that, other than for the portfolio photos. ;)
User
8 years ago
A built in sub zero will run you $10,000, but will look so much better! It will be a custom look. If it is in your budget I would recommend it. Even a counter depth free standing fridge will stick out about 3 inches if you have a cabinet built around it, for the doors to open fully.

Fridge/freezer flush to counters

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