I have a very open kitchen/livingroom and my refrigertor sticks out like a sore thumb. I'm wondering if one can build some kind of cabinet around the existing fridge to blend in with the rest of my cabinets. Does anyone have ideas on who can do this or if it's even possible?
In some cases a 2" think wall can be constructed to stand beside the refirgerator and hide it. Built in effect. Does not take up a great deal of room either. In one Kitchen we remodeled we turned the refrigerator around and built a cabinet over it. It is in the same spot it was prior but facing the other way. Your post did not say anythign about which way it is facing or the existing walls and cabinets beside it.
You can build a cabinet to enclose a refrigerator but there are a number of factors involved. The princple ones involve clearances required. The way the refriegerator door is hinged is another. I like to suggest a "cabinet depth" refrigerator and like to have doors for storage above the unit for veritcally divided storage of such things as trays, cookie sheets, etc. A cabinet doesn't make the refrigerator seem smaller but it does make it part of the cabinetry and more architectural.
You also may be able to fix your problem with a refrigerator panel/trim kit. These come in a number of panel styles (here are just a few refrigerator panel examples; I'm sure there are plenty more at other sites). This particular site offers a chalkboard kit that seems perfect for creating interest in a modern kitchen. Fill the board with shopping lists, the day's menu, to do's, a favorite poem, or decorative art.... Hope this helps!
Hi, We had the same problem. My husband built a cabinet (no back) around the fridge, leaving room to open doors. The important factor is, what you build it out of. We used Birch Plywood, as our cabinets were Birch. Plywood comes in all wood finishes. Just ask. You can also purchase thin wood stripping that goes on the edges of the plywood. So it gives it that finished look. (we put a TV on top) We have a huge kitchen. However I like the idea of Putting trays and cookie sheets there. Hope this was of some help. Judy
you can get a panel from your favorite cabinet place to match your cabinets ands build this around you frig. If possible you can bump out the back of your wall an extra 6 inches to allow for your full depth frig. go w/ the panels online. buy a cabinet depth frig that is 2-5 cubic foot less that a full depth frig and pay about $500.00 to $800.00 MORE for the cabinet look Paint your frig sides. Do nothing and keep it or move.
I have not idea how this appliance is set up but suggest a trellis with plants, vines or hooks to hang decorative objects on. Perhaps a curtain if the space is narrow between it and a wall. Or a pegboard which can also have things hung from it, like utensils. A beaded curtain is another possiblity.
If the refrigerator is, indeed, that ugly, then you might consider replacing it with a newer, more energy-efficient model, one which is wider, taller, and shallower, so that it can be in-line with the base cabinets and countertop. Sub-Zero, General Electric, Jenn-Air, Kitchen Aid, Electrolux, and Liebehr are among the brands that offer that type of unit. Any one of these can either be allowed to stand alone, or can incorporate cabinet door panels on the side(s) and front to make it blend in with the existing kitchen cabinetry.
Posts: 105 | Location: West Haven, Conn. | Registered: 15 November 2005
Did EVERYBODY miss the most important caveat here???? Sure, you can build in the fridge, BUT ... and this is a VERY big BUT ... It is VERY important that you provide for the air exchange / ventillation that the manufacturer specifies! Refrigerators have something called a condenser which removes HEAT that is created in the refrigeration process. It is usually located under or behind the box that holds the food. It must be vented to the "outside world" to allow removal of the heat. If there is insufficient ventillation, your electric bill will go through the roof and the fridge won't work properly. ALSO, if you decide to get "clever" and place the fridge in an outside wall with the compressor and condenser exposed to a cold (read that "FREEZING") garage or the outdoors, you risk the chance of destroying the compressor if the fridge tries to start up when it's below zero. (Some newer refrigerators have a heater around the compressor to prevent this, but the heater will spin your electric meter too.)
I build cabinets for a living. We make a cabinet that is a raised panel end. It matches all the other cabinets. You can go to a cabinet shop and they can build one for you. It will cover the side and yes you can also have a small cabinet over it or beside it. They look very nice, I think. Good luck.
