Comments on: What to do When Only Ugly Refrigerators Fit?

By: Paula C

Paula C — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 21:51:05 +0000

I ordered the 32″ French Door Fisher & Paykel for a cabin in Colorado. My only alternative was a very low end (probably GE, a good brand for sure but I wanted higher end). I was aware that it did not have an ice maker, only ice trays, but I was fine with that because the cabin was vacant for months at a time, and filling ice trays made fresher ice that was not in high demand anyway at 10,000 feet for most of the year. What I wasn’t aware of was the freezer does not have a light. My sales/install man was also surprised that there was no freezer light on such a high end masterpiece appliance. So, that required another light source for mid night snacking and freezer cruising. A little bit of a bummer.

By: Jess

Jess — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 02:24:35 +0000

Let me guess… it was the budget GE that actually fit… I’m having the exact same quandary, and my built in really isn’t easy to change.

By: RoseAG

RoseAG — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 12:30:51 +0000

I second Kelly about whether the new panel next to the stove will be OK.
The side of the fridge offers value as far as a surface that can be wiped down without messing up the paint or whatever.
I don’t think the two different heights will be odd, but getting the new doors to look like the old might be a challenge.
My other question is: what’s in that storage over the fridge? Is it worth all this work to keep it?
Stuff I store over my fridge mostly gather dust.

By: Elizabeth Deuhs

Elizabeth Deuhs — Sat, 12 Sep 2020 16:51:56 +0000

I think this is a great find for your cabin., or anywhere someone needs a fridge, for that matter. The access to the way back of the fridge will be so efficient on the daily too.
I know you’ll get it set in that spot . Because that’s what you do, plan , solve, act. I hope to have an ice cold sip of bubbly from that very fridge one day in the not too distant future! Again, good job. I like the plan.✍️Mother Approved

By: Taylor

Taylor — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 00:16:14 +0000

Great solution! I don’t think the two cabinet heights are going to be an issue at all. I’ve seen a lot of kitchens where they’re different and it never stands out. You are making the right choice for how you live in the cabin and that’s much more important than the cabinet height. I can’t wait to see the result! I love your posts. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and processes.

By: yasmara

yasmara — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 22:42:18 +0000

Yes and besides what @Monica said, which is an excellent point, we discovered that some fridges are overfilled with insulation on the top, leading to a doming of the top, and making the vertical measurement a LIE. Best to fit it in place.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 18:49:48 +0000

Love it! What will you use for the side of the fridge enclosure? Is wood safe beside a range with higher BTUs?

By: Monica

Monica — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 17:59:08 +0000

I think this is a great solution! One “learn from my mistakes” tip, though – you might want to wait until the fridge arrives to set the final height of the cabinet bottom right above it … depending on whether you need to use the adjustable feet on the bottom of the fridge to level out uneven floors etc, that will change the in-place height of it, and you may also want the 2″ of recommended clearspace above the fridge for ventilation/heat exchange (especially if you end up not having clearance on the bottom.)