I used to have a wonderful old, real broom/mop cupboard in a real butler's pantry in an old apartment I lived in. It was about 18 inches wide.

I don't have a pic, so you'll have to use your imagination, and see if this adds any value to your plan.

It was divided into 3 parts: A bottom box that went to the floor, about 20 inches high, so you could slide the mop bucket right in without lifting it; the center portion with hooks all around, for hanging mops, brooms dusters etc.; and two top shelves for polishes etc.

I didn't keep a mop bucket, I kept things like paint cans and antifreeze and things in the bucket part so I didn't have to lift them (just kick them in!), but it was nice to not have the brooms all fouled up on the bottom of the cupboard with all those things

A little ventilation is also good, particularly if you're keeping a damp mop next to a warm fridge.

(Love the Liebherr, incidentally! I think that's here I'm headed.)

If you stop at fridge height, you might even find a way to span the two with a light cabinet of some kind that's not built in.

I think you'll love having a broom closet. I had one for years original to my 1914 kitchen (I had the original cabinets & re-made them in the renovation. I was sad to give it up but the choice was between having a refrigerator actually inside the kitchen for the first time & retaining my charming, practical closet. The fridge won.)

I think a skinny cabinet going straight to the ceiling will be wonderful in that spot. Assuming your kitchen floor will be an easy clean wet-friendly material, let the floor continue into the closet. This will make cleaning easier as you will be putting messy damp things into it at times. My old broom closet shared the original kitchen floor (linoleum) & that seemed practical. It also had upper shelves -- nice.

You say you don't think there's room for a shelf above the fridge but I'd love one there. With cupboards on both sides flush with the ceiling I think it would look great to have a skinny shelf or two for less used flat things behind a door -- or even one open shelf for pottery or other less used decorative items.

Believe me, I fought for every square inch of my bungalow kitchen nooks & crannies & I really do use them! I have a few flat baking items I use seasonally that I would love to stash above that fridge ..... or, alternatively, lesser used handmade soup tureens.

Thumbs way up on a broom closet flush to the ceiling and straight to the floor.

I have seen several photos here with pull-out broom closets which would look great in your kitchen. When you get a chance, so a search here and on the cleaning forum.

I think a 12 inch wide cabinet with side hinges might be too narrow to be useful. I suggest you check these pull-outs for inspiration. I don't think any of these specific units will work for you, but you might look at them as a jumping-off point.

This is a rev-a-shelf tall pantry pull-out.
http://www.rev-a-shelf.com/Common/ProductCategory.aspx?Class=Tall/Pantry%20Acc.&Family=Chrome%20Accessories&Category=Wire%20Pantries

Here is a base pull-out that would be perfect for your purpose in a taller and wider size:
http://www.rev-a-shelf.com/Common/ProductSeries.aspx?Class=Sink%20&%20Base%20Accessories&Family=Wood%20Accessories&Category=Filler%20Pull-Outs%20-%20Base&Series=434%20Series%20-%20Base

Ikea also has a tall cabinet that has slide-out interior fittings for cleaning supplies, but it's 24" wide.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S99826422

Here's the thread!

Keep in mind, you might lose space for your pegboard. We're doing one with a 6" filler and losing about 2" to the pegboard and general finishing.

If you decide to go this route, we got great hardware from Lee Valley. It took less than 2 days from placing the order to finding the box on our doorstep.

Here is a link that might be useful: Broom Closet Thread

sounds like you got a good deal with your cabs. we have a bungalow kitchen also, about the same size, although we connect to another room, so no nook. i second the advice of athome1914...go all the way to the ceiling and all the way to the floor. we do not have a broom closet, but for the first time, we have a place for the broom, vacuum, etc. inside the under the stairs pantry. i need to install a hook on the wall...the broom flops over. but it is nice to have somewhere to put these things! this is the only closet space on the first floor btw. you know how that goes with the old houses. kren

Here's a pic of mine! It's about 18" wide (1/2 of a 36" pantry cabinet), so 12" would fit less. It's a regular cabinet that sits off the floor with a toekick at the bottom. You will really love having a broom closet -- it is so handy!
{{!gwi}}

I have never had a broom closet either. Those who have walked through my new house hear me say "this is my favorite closet" lol. Stupid I know, but I do love that closet. Its between wall and refrigerator also.

either. Those who have walked through my new house hear me say "this is my favorite closet" lol. Stupid I know but I do love that closet. Its between wall and refrigerator also.

We have a 12" cabinet next to our fridge. Because our cabunets are frameless that 12" cabinet is quite roomy.

I have an 18" broom closet next to my fridge. I didn't check closely enough while ordering, the height of the bottom cupboard- too short for most of my brooms/mops, etc. Luckily with a vacpan I could throw out the broom, and I made sure to buy an adjustable length microfibre mop. My floor attachment for the central vac stays in there, along with the pole to open greenhouse windows. I added a pullout shelf unit from Lee Valley- they come in narrower widths too.

Broom closet was one of 'must haves' to add to my new kitchen. I am sure you will love yours too!

{{!gwi}}

Oooh, yes yes! You are all FABuloso, thanks so much. I have been sidetracked with sink base issues, but will be back with more on broom closets shortly.

Love your cabinets and what a deal. I love the re-store store! In our last house we had a tiny kitchen, but managed to modify a pantry to have pullouts plus a six inch space for broom closet along one side. I know a lot of people would say that's not enough space, but it was plenty for a broom, swiffer and a hand vac. You will love this space. If you order a cabinet, a face frame will narrow the space, though. You will likely also be limited on heights available. You could probably just make this cabinet with 3/4 panels if you want to go to the floor and order your doors separately. We used a 3/4 panel in this way and used angle brackets on the floor and ceiling (at the top ours was also attach to another wall cabinet, though.). The angle brackets on the floor were tiled over since we went down to the subfloor. The ones at top were hidden behind our frig.

I think trimming it to the ceiling would look best and maybe find a way to bridge the top of your frig. It will link the two sides visually and give the frig a more built in space. Even if you just put a nice straight line valance with a plain bead at top like your cabs, stained to match, you would get that finished look. We had a cabinet bridging that space. Whatever you use, there may still be that little bit of space to slide a cookie sheet on top of the frig. That's what we did--we used every square inch! Now I'm planning our last dream house kitchen and I'm still wanting to use every last bit of space well. Hate those fillers unless they pull out :)

Isn't it fun to find a use for the little spaces that others would just use filler of leave an empty space on the other end?!

alku, your refrigerator set up will be similar to mine. We will have 24" cabinets on either side with a 6" in cabinet for

Thought of you when I saw these wine cubbies over a frig. Though you do have a big frig. Not sure I could even reach. This with trim to top would look great.

Thank you all so much! This is exceedingly helpful.

Alku -- yes, the Re-store has been a truly awesome resource. I found not only my cabinets (truly the deal of the century; phoned the local distributor who remembers selling them to the original owners for upwards of $45,000 in 1996, and I got them practically unused for $3,000) but also a fabulous big enamel utility sink and enough reclaimed fir floorboards to re-floor my bathroom with an identical match to the original boards.
Another similar local outfit had gorgeous new fir cottage-style doors for a pittance, so I've been able to re-door my whole house as well. (Although my boyfriend will probably never stop laughing about the day I spent sanding the "Reject" labels off of them.) Hooray for salvagers, reclaimers and recyclers!

Ginny - the cubbies are really gorgeous and a perfect solution, but here's my worry: won't it get too hot on top of the fridge for wine?
My fridge is 80" tall, so almost too tall for me to reach (although that's why I have the broom closet, to store a stepladder!).

The dealer tells me that Heritage Custom Cabinetry (somewhere in PA) was bought out a while back and the quality has suffered, so they no longer carry the brand, but could still order the odd door for me. A new broom-closet-sized door should cost between $300-$500, they said. Is this about the standard going price? My carpenter is happy to make the box to fit if I can provide that door.

Question: how tall to make the door? Should it be level with the top of the fridge? That's a rather long skinny door, 9" or so by 80". Lower? What are the aesthetics here?

PS: a question for those with the pegboard pullouts -- doesn't stuff fall off with the motion? I confess to being a klutz and worry that I couldn't pull off the balancing act -- am nuking the super susan and turning it into pullout shelves for the same reason. I worry I'd wind up with a pile of fallen items blocking the bottom of the cab.

No, things don't fall off. Some might swing just a little; and, of course, you might need two hooks for things like ladders. I do find it's better to use 1.5" or 2" straight hooks. With a curved hook, you have to maneuver the broom or mop up into the air and back down to get the handle situated properly.

I finally found a good selection of pegboard hooks at Ace Hardware. Lowes and Home Depot didn't have what I needed. I also found some velcro loops that I'm using to hang my fire extinguisher on the pegboard. The pull-out also secure enough to use two hooks each to hold bottles of cleaning spray (Windex and the like).

All that said, my pull-out may be sturdier than the usual. I've got sliding hardware at top, middle, and bottom; and the carpenter put a melamine board on the back side.

Hth - Cate

I have a 6" deep broom closet with storage above.