Storage Space Gem: Above the Refrigerator

Matt T "Because high temperatures can affect the aging process of wine, this idea works best above modern refrigerators where the coils are on the bottom of the fridge instead of on the back." My first thought when seeing some of those photos was about the heat. A wine rack won't work best above a bottom-coils fridge, but _only_ above a bottom-coils fridge. I'd just as soon not risk it. The other ideas are pretty good though.

patscats2 I'm not a wine drinker so maybe someone out there can tell me if I'm wrong. Isn't wine suppose to be kept in a cool place? Every time I see wine stored above a refrigerator I can't help but think this is not the place to store wine. Am I right?

I wish I had had my husband (contractor) put in a decorative opening above the fridge instead of 2 cabinets with glass doors and lights that I might add, still remain empty of decorative items!!!

onthefence I always hate to see wine storage above a refrigerator. Even if the coils are on the bottom, the area toward the ceiling is the warmest part of the room and not a good place to store wine.

I think my favorite here is the enclosed deep cabinet - great place to store big bulky items that don't get used often!

patscats2 Thanks for confirming my suspicions.

mansonm I love all of these great ideas and I have one more to add. I borrowed this idea from a friend's kitchen renovation. We used it above our double ovens, but it could be used above the fridge as well.

We had a lot of problems with our kitchen renovation company, so my husband ended up installing these vertical dividers in the cupboard over the ovens. We use the space for storing baking trays and pans, cutting boards, a griddle and even a fold-up step stool for reaching the highest cupboards. I love it as it's easy to reach and see every item. Ingenious! Props go to Fischer Custom Cabinets Ltd. in Newmarket, Ontario, the renovation company that build my friend's kitchen.

scashin As a certified sommelier I concur with the previous comments that storing wine above a refrigerator or in high cabinet spaces is not a wine friendly idea. A couple of issues here. First of all wine is affected by both heat and light. It should be stored in a cool dark place. Refrigerators produce heat and heat in a house rises towards the ceiling so the wine gets a double hit. If the wine is stored directly on top of a refrigerator it is also subject to vibration from the refrigerator/freezer cycling off and on. So in short wine does not like bright heights. Think cellar not ceiling!

thebeatonpath I have to agree with everyone else on the wine rack. Breaks my heart thinking of all of that wine going bad,

nycdesignfan When I did a gut renovation of small small NYC condo kitchen, I opted for the deep storage above the refrigerator. It provides great space for those appliances that I don't use as often. Since it is such a deep cabinet, I made a list of what is on each shelf. This is really helpful for the items that are all the way in the back and can easily be forgotten. I placed the list inside a plastic sleeve and attached it to the inside of one of the cabinet doors.

thebeatonpath ncydesignfan, that is BRILLIANT! I've done similar lists on the inside of cabinet doors, but never thought to put them in plastic sleeves. Guess what I'm doing this weekend!

karelina If I had anything big and heavy above my frig, even with a ladder, I'd have trouble getting it down. The cabinet above my frig is too high for me (ladder and all - and I'm tall) and currently remains empty.