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Design Dilemma
elizabethlucinacarr

Fridge/freezer flush to counters

Elizabeth Carr
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?

Featured Answer
  • 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?

    Comments (35)

    • 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 :)
    • 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.
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