Hi - If you have not done so already, I would try to post this question on the kitchen forum. You may find someone there who has had this same issue. Jama

Good grief...Sorry, I didn't make it clear what the problem is!

There is a cabinet over the refigerator!! There is about 1/4" between the bottom of the cabinet & the top of the fridge. A fridge that is 69 5/5" tall won't fit under that cabinet. What can be done?

Jama, thanks, yes, I realize there is a kitchen forum. But I know the people on this forum, trust their opinions, & value their insights. (Though I'm sure the kitchen people are just peachy too.)

A good carpenter could easily install a slightly smaller cabinet above the fridge. The fact that you're painting the cabinets should make it even easier to replace or cut down the cabinet door.

Also: Does the bottom of the cabinet have trim? Does the measurement of the fridge height include the hinge, and what would it be without the hinge?

Yes, I had the exact same problem. Replaced old side-by-side with french door bottom freezer counter depth refrigerator. It was taller than my previous side-by-side. I removed the small cabinet above (which I never used since I couldn't reach it). It was easy to do. Did not have to do anything with cabinet next to it. And, since entire kitchen was being painted at the same time, they painted where cabinet was. Sorry, I know you said you didn't want to remove cabinet, so not sure this helps you. But, I will add that I LOVE my new refrigerator!

Still-lynnski, thanks! You ask a good question. I know nothing of hinges. Got the measurements off the tag in the store. Glad to hear you think the situation can be worked around!

Jill, thanks for sharing your experience!Good to hear you found a solution & you love your fridge!
I don't mind removing that one cabinet & replacing it with something else. It would look odd in my case, with nothing there. I just don't know what is possible with carpentry. I should add, the cabinet is under a soffit.

Saw a neat "wine storage unit" built over a fridge in a magazine. It had criss-cross compartments for the wine bottles. Looked great.

If you're going to store something over the fridge, DON'T store wine. The heat from the fridge will ruin the wine. You could store the empties, though ;-)

maybe you get get a carpentar to come in and give you an idea of your choices? Love the wine storage idea. You could paint it the same color as the cabinets, add similar trim and have it look like it was there all along!
Did you paint the cabinets yourself? That project is in my distant future, LOL!

We had the same situation. Refrigerators have definitely gotten taller since our kitchen cabinets were built in 1956! With our previous refrigerator we had to trim the cabinet above, but when we wanted a new one most recently there was no alternative but to completely remake the cabinet, since it was already trimmed to the shelf. The hard part was finding a finish carpenter willing to tackle a relatively small job. We finally did it when we had an excellent carpenter building a deck for us. It came out well. The carpenter was able to re-use the cabinet door, which was laminate, by adding some new trim to the bottom once it was cut down.

Do take seriously the advice to account for the refrigerator's hinges in figuring the overall fridge height, and any gap the fridge manufacturer recommends for air circulation. It's better to have a bit of a gap than to have the fridge fit too tightly.

We also went to a cabinet-depth, bottom freezer, french door fridge. I like the cabinet depth, fewer science experiments hide out in the back reaches, and I *love* the bottom freezer since it means fridge contents are at eye level. I don't particularly care for the french doors and I wouldn't really recommend my particular fridge, a GE, because the inside shelves haven't held up very well. But do check out the appliance and kitchen forums for more recommendations on models.

Suero, thanks for the warning! I wondered about that when I saw the pic, but the thing just looked so neat & I couldn't help but wonder if that was just what I needed to solve this problem. Saw it in the Winter 2010 addition of the BHG special interest mag, "Kitchens & Bath Ideas."

Homebody, well, the wine unit may not be the way to go afterall! I think your suggestion is good. I really must ask a carpenter for ideas. No, I didn't paint the cabinets myself! Had them done about 3.5 yrs. ago. Have been in the house 4 yrs & 4 months.

Summerlove, thanks! I will take into consideration all of your suggestions & feedback. Thanks for sharing. Good to know the style of fridge I was looking at is well-liked by those who own them. You don't like your GE? Is it a Profile? I looked at a Profile & a Samsung. As you know, there aren't gobs of CD fridges out there. Saw in a mag that JennAir makes one too. Haven't seen that one in person.

Here's a pic of the current scenario:

{{gwi:1812664}}

There's the cabinet over the fridge! Also, notice how this fridge juts out. Will a counter-depth model really look better? Do y'all think stainless would be a good finish?

Counter depth will really look better in your kitchen where the big bulk of the existing box is blocking the view and light from the dining area.

Most stainless fridges are only stainless on the front, not the sides, since so many fridges are between walls/cabinets/counters. There is an active thread now on UGLY fridge with this problem.

Andee, thanks for your input & for pointing out the "side" issue. I just saw that thread! So, NO makers of SS fridges make one that is SS all the way around? If so, gosh, that stinks. But better to have it called to my attention now!

The biggest complaint, only complaint, that I've heard about counter-depth fridges is the capacity issue. That's a non-issue for us. It's just me, dh & the cat. For a larger family, I can understand the need for an overflow fridge in the garage. We don't go to Sam's & stock up like that!

Hey Stinky! congrats on the new kitchen updates, sounds lovely. In regards to the cabinet issue, you can raise the cabinet. It's not hard to do, we raised ours 3-4 inches when we installed our microwave and it actually adds some character to the room.

Also, I just want to share 2 things about the counter depth fridges even though I myself didn't go that route. Brand wise, don't go with Electrolux in addition to reading many poor reviews, I have a friend who bought one a year or so ago and she's on her 3rd warranty replacement by the company, they're junk. It's just her and her DH and she has complained that that model, a side by side is also very confining space wise.

My mother has a Frigidaire and likes hers but it's also a side by side and she has experienced problems with the ice maker, as did we when we had our side by side Frigidaire.

Ours died about 6 weeks ago and we went with the Samsung French door that has the water dispenser inside the door and ice maker in the freezer drawer. I (we) totally LOVE it. It is full sized though and does stick out beyond the counters. I wanted the extra space inside though so I don't mind. After suffering for years with a side by side I hated, I was more concerned with function than form.

As far as the gray sides go, they do that purpose and I am really glad they do. If they didn't it would be a cleaning nightmare also it's a spot for magnets if you need one since they don't stick on SSL. I was concerned at first about the gray, but it really blends well and now I like it a lot. If you want to see a picture of it installed with the gray showing or to see a sample of the raised cabinet I can post one for you, just let me know.

My kitchen is a circa 1988 and I am seriously considering painting our cabinets for the same reasons you stated. Can you post a pic? I'd love to see them! --Lukki

You could have a carpenter create a gable end for the fridge opening, a full 24" deep gable would hide most of the side of the fridge. Also if you extend the gable up to the ceiling you could have the carpenter construct a few open shelves to display your lovely china. I've attached a drawinging that shows the details.
Doing this would probably require a little bit of extra work to the bulkhead above, but the finished look would be seamless with your existing cabinets as you dont have to worry about cutting down the cabinet door or matching the door detail!
As for your question about the color of the appliances, I think stainless is by far the best option with off-white cabinets, I have this combination in my home and love it! Also, there are a few appliance models that come with grey cases instead of black, the grey sides are less obvious than the black and you don't have to pay the extra money for a stainless steel sides.

I'm in the market for a counter depth refrigerator as well. Wow, they're pricey!

I had the exact same problem. In my case, the cabinets had a front face that dropped down a bit lower than the bottom shelf of the cabinet. A bit of shaving of the cabinet face and in went the refrigerator.

Lukkiirish, thanks so much for all the info, especially for the warning about Electrolux. I called the lady who as helping me at Sears & asked her if there were any models out there with stainless on all sides! She said Electrolux & GE Cafe! Unfortunately, the Cafe does not come in a counter-depth model. Now I know for sure I won't be getting the E.! Also read bad, bad reviews (no more than 2 stars!) for the E.! Would love to see pics of your fridge. Glad you are happy with it!

Decorateonline, I so appreciate your thoughts. You sound very design savvy. I will have to re-read your ideas to digest them further. Thanks!

Homersmom, yes it costs more to get less fridge! Go figure! I DO think it will make a kitchen look & feel a bit roomier, & will look nicer next to the counter. I think it will be worth it!

Graywings, oh gosh, yay! I'm so glad to hear that. Problem easily solved, huh? I got such a headache yesterday after I came home & measured. Then, I couldn't sleep last night. Thanks! Things are looking up.

More kitchen pics:

{{gwi:1812666}}
{{gwi:1812667}}
{{gwi:1812671}}{{gwi:1812673}}

What a lovely kitchen, Stinky. I agree that wine should not go above the fridge. A cheaper fix, if you're hiring a carpenter, would be to make it a bookshelf for lesser-used cookbooks if you have them. I had a big gap next to my below-counter microwave and filled it with some oversized books. Voila! The other benefit to making it a bookshelf is that you can make it any height you want. You will not be constrained by standard cabinet sizes. Pick the fridge you want and build around it.

I want to have a serious conversation with you about stainless. :-) It is a bear to keep clean. I had all stainless in my last house and this time around, I went to paneled appliances. If I could panel my range, I would! How to keep stainless clean is an ongoing topic for discussion over on the Kitchen Forum. You'd think someone would have figured it out by now. But it comes up again and again. Life's too short to be chasing after smudgey stainless...

From what I read on the Kitchens Forum, there is a trend back to white. How do you feel about the way the white fridge looks with the Bone White cabinets now? When I imagine your fridge, as it is now, only not sticking out into the space, it looks good in my mind's eye. A SS fridge there will just draw more attention to itself, detracting (IMO) from the French doors and everything else around it. You are fixing the problem by going with counter depth, but possibly un-fixing it by choosing a new material which will be more visually prominent.

I have had two quartz countertops and I love the stuff. I am just sold on the zero maintenance aspect and don't need all the excitement of granite with lots of movement. I can see your kitchen with white appliances and a soft charcoal counter. That would look great with the green walls.

Hi Amy! First of all, it's so great to "see" you! It's been a while! Thought maybe you were off sailing somewhere, & were miles away from the nearest computer. Hope you've had a good summer, whatever you were doing, & glad to see you back!

You gave me the feedback I was looking for. I was hoping the finish issue would be addressed. I wondered about white, but my concerns were around 1) the cabinet color (which could be lightened to Linen White) & 2) the "resale" hot button. There's not a real estate agent in this town who won't say "stainless steel" 10 seconds after they introduce themselves. Makes one a little paranoid.

Two friends IRL suggested black!!! Eeek! In my small kitchen? It feels so "soft" in there to me, I just think black has nothing to do with what's going on. I think they see the dishwasher & garbage disposal & really, they DO look neat with the Bone White. But a big, honkin' fridge in black?

So the trend is moving back to white? You don't think SS will ever be "out" do you? I love what you have! Since I'm not customizing my cabinets, I can't do that, but truly, panels create my favorite look. The kitchen in my inspiration photo has cream cabinets with all appliances paneled.

I love all I've heard about quartz, & yes, I'm hoping to find something not too busy & mottled looking. Some granite just has too much going on for me. Glad to hear that you've had good experiences with it. Btw, have gotten NO positive feedback about doing quartz! The same people who think I should rip out my cabinets shake their heads & say "Granite!" when I say "Quartz!" I have decided that's what I want. Period. It's so nice to hear from someone who understands!

As far as the cabinet goes, I am hoping the carpenter can give mine the same treatment that Graywing's got...just trim it to allow for the fridge. If something more drastic is called for, I like the book nook idea...really cute.

Thanks so much...I always enjoy & learn from what you have to say!

If you are still interested in stainless, then you might consider Fisher Paykel. Like you, I didn't need a large fridge and I also had width and height considerations but wanted a counter depth. I really like mine, but it takes a bit of organization in the smaller space. Additionally, it is stainless all around, and magnetic (some stainless is not magnetic). It has a bottom-mount freezer. It will most definitely fit your space.

I'll echo the recommendation to look at Fisher and Paykel. They made what looked like a well-built, small, counter-depth fridge. We considered it, but ultimately went with a GE that was had a bigger capacity (and which, as I mentioned, we haven't been thrilled with). Lowe's also carried a very reasonably priced Samsung that wasn't advertised as counter-depth, but which pretty much was. This was a couple of years ago, I don't know what's currently available.

We have white laminate cabinets edged in oak. Very 80's, I know, but we still like them. Neither of us are crazy about stainless so the choice was between black or white. I would have preferred white but my husband liked the pop and contrast of black. Since I make more than my fair share of decorating decisions I conceded to him on this one. Yes, the fridge does look big, but the black is pretty easy to keep clean and having a black wall oven, cooktop, fridge, dishwasher, and microwave door definitely ties things together.

If I were the OP and replacing all appliances, I'd think about bisque to go with the off-white cabinets. Take a look at how close it is to your existing appliances in almond, maybe you wouldn't have to replace them.

We got a wonderful LG SxS in our last house. It was taller then the previous fridge and our ceiling was vaulted so we could not raise our over the fridge cabs. We had the lower trim piece shaved just enough to fit (with nothing to spare). We had to pull our fridge out a couple of inches every time we wanted to be able to open and close the upper cab doors because it was snug (and our upper cabs were wide and deep, so the door would hit the the fridge door top which was higher than the fridge itself).
Since we had no sides enclosing our fridge, it could breathe.
Can you see about notching into the soffit a few inches and raising your cabs?
BTW - do you regularly have extra space in your current fridge after grocery shopping? I think going to counter depth and down in capacity might be harder than you think.

Andee & Lovesummer, thanks. I'll look at the F&P options!
Lovesummer, when I first moved into this house I thought I'd eventually change all out to bisque, but wonder if that seems fuddy-duddy (soft, pretty & coordinated, but dated?) I can always paint the cabs a lighter white, though I don't want stark white. Dh would nix that since our previous kitchen was as white as white can be & he's glad to be done with all that pure white (he reminds me now & then!)

Dianalo, I don't think I want to get that heavily into construction (soffit raising) since I'm not re-doing the cabinets. And...yes, I do have lots of space in my current Whirlpool fridge! I don't really stock up at the grocery store. Instead, I go to the grocery store a lot...& we gobble up the food very quickly! (Not the way you're supposed to do things, I realize.) I freeze next to nothing, as we don't eat frozen veggies/meals & I buy very small amounts of meat at a time. Right now in my freezer there is a box of popsicles & a few frozen chicken breasts in ziplock bags.

No experience with counter-depth fridges. We did have a beast similar to yours in the old kitchen. It had awesome capacity, but just filled the room. Chose a SS built-in for the remodel.

If I could "train" dh to use the handles on the fridge cleaning would be much less of an issue. Really the only area I have to clean every other week is around the handles. We don't have a water/ice dispenser and I wouldn't want one for all the obvious reasons.

Not all granite has movement. I chose New Venetian Gold for the hutch, but wanted maintenance-free quartz for the working countertops.

Hi again, Stinky. Thanks for the kind words! I've been around, but quite busy.

A couple thoughts. I love a cabinet depth fridge because nothing gets lost. I have this theory about pantries and fridges that only the front 2/3s of the space is actually functional. All that stuff way deep inside is a lost cause. It sounds like you live like the French do, shopping often, buying and eating fresh. I actually considered getting an under cabinet fridge for my summer place at one point, based on that kind of shopping/eating style.

About resale...are you thinking of selling in the near future? If so, then maybe SS makes sense. But honestly, if I were looking at your house right now, the stainless thing would look like just another house with a straightforward kitchen, trying to glamourize with the shiny stuff. That's what I did when I sold my summer place in May. ;-)

I see your kitchen now as an honest, friendly, inviting space. It does not need to be slick. I don't think SS will improve it's actual appearance. It will just appear to have been improved (based on someone else's standards) if that makes any sense.

So, Martha is now doing kitchens for Home Depot and she is showing white appliances. Can't be long before the rest of us catch up. I think Mrs. Marv has white appliances. So does KGWLisa. Go to the Finished Kitchens Blog and look at Hoffman's kitchen. How gorgeous are those appliances?!

You can also search the FKB for white appliances, though I tried and came up with plenty of non-white, so the search function is not perfect. I also just discovered that when you open up the drop-down list by letter, you can hover the mouse over the camera icon and see a quick pic without opening up the whole page. All these years and I never noticed that before!

If you really want some SS, take a look at the Bosch stainless/white combo range. I have seen it in person and I like it. Kind of a strange hybrid. If you were really worried about resale and wanted to amp up the ooh-aah factor, that might work. There's a white/SS Bertazzoni out there, too, but it's gas. A white Jenn Air glass-front fridge would certainly be upscale enough. But, who needs to spend all that money? Maybe you? I dunno....only you know the answer to that one. :-)

As for quartz, I had it in the Florida kitchen and people who commented on it all referred to it as "granite." It is possible that more people know about engineered quartz now and can tell the difference, but back then, if it was cold and smooth, they assumed it was stone. I don't think quartz is the kind of thing that would turn a buyer off.

The most important thing (IMO) for resale is whether or not one can live with existing finishes until they have the time/money/inclination to re-do. I would find your kitchen attractive enough with white-on-white to live with for a long time, and I assume others would, too. It is NOT a kitchen that would make me champ at the bit to renovate.

Here is a link that might be useful: This thread might be interesting

Your plans sounds great! Make sure you post photos when it's done!

I think the cabinet could be trimmed.

I'd definitely look into a cabinet dept refrigerator with only two people. I hate how mine sticks out (be glad yours is at least on the end instead of the elephant in the middle ;) ) and we really didn't need one this big.

Your kitchen is very pretty those floors are gorgeous!

I'd go with the white or stainless. I don't know if I could handle prints but I hear they make "fingerprint free".

Sheesharee, thanks for your input & support. I appreciate it!

Amy, bless your heart! Thank you so much for your kind words & detailed suggestions. You make me feel really good about my kitchen!

Also, I think you've convinced me! I think I'm going with white appliances (if dh has no objections!) Saw the Samsung with the french doors online in a color called Pearl, which I'm sure is just regular old white, but I think it looks very nice. It's # RFG237AAWP, & highly rated.

This change of plans has generated some questions! May I ask for your input regarding the following?:

Was originally thinking about a bronzy brown for the countertops & ORB cabinet hardware in the bird-cage style. I also forgot to mention, was thinking creamy subway tile for a backsplash.

Do I need to look for quartz & tile that integrate white & cream with maybe some gray? What kind of hardware would you put on the cabinets, or would you leave them bare, as they currently are? (I do have cream porcelain knobs on the drawers.)

Would you have the countertops installed flush with the wall, & have tile start from the counter up? The 4" backsplash w/the counter material seems to be a thing of the past.

Would you paint the cabinets a whiter white or stay with the Bone?

Btw, really enjoyed the thread you linked me to. I want to review it further. Great looking kitchens with white appliances, for sure.

Thanks again!

If you like the look of SS, but don't want the prints, then I'd suggest a Titanium finish. That is what I have by LG and it doesn't show any prints, yet coordinates well with other SS appliances in my kitchen. Sounds like a cabinet depth is the way to go since you don't require so much space. Since you don't use the freezer much, I'd also suggest a bottom freezer so that all of the refrigerator space is at eye level and easier access than a SxS. I'd suggest finding a good carpenter to discuss creating a more built-in look for the beast which would include pulling out the cabinet above to 24" and putting a 24"D side panel to make it look enclosed.

Okay, well...I agree with you that the 4" splash is kind of dated. So, yes, start the tile at the counter.

Regarding quartz, I think you should go see what's out there and see what you're drawn to, in isolation at first. Think about the depth of color. I like light counters from a functional, light-reflecting standpoint. Decide if you like the big chunks or a relatively small speckle. I used Astral Pearl in FL because it had little sparkly chunks in it. Lots of other "oatmeal" colors from other brands did not have that extra sumthin'.

So, go out and look at all the major brands. They are all made on the same equipment out of Italy. Functionally, quartz is quartz is quartz. It is only the colors that are different. So just pick what you like. But do check pricing. One vendor I spoke with lately insisted that Ceasarstone was "the most expensive." Ultimately it priced out less than the Zodiaq. So, it all depends on your source, etc. I will warn you though, the stuff is not cheap.

The charcoal I was suggesting was something like Zodiaq Meteor Grey or maybe Storm Grey, kind of a soft soapstone color. You could just as easily go with a brown. It just depends on what's in the room around you and what you like. Whatever color you decide on, it doesn't need to have the white or cream in it, IMO.
Before you make a commitment to the counter, be sure you can find a tile you like. It sounds easy to pick white tile, but I am working with a white counter and white tile and white walls for my kitchen here in MA and, as we know, there are a million whites out there!

Have you thought of a color for the backsplash? Something that could remain subtle but act as a focal point? If you're going to keep both neutral, I'd work on tile and counter simultaneously. Alternatively, you can fall in love with one or the other and use it to drive other decisions. I am not into counters so I try to let tile drive the design. Everyone is different.

As for the pulls, I'd probably opt for a very simple vertical oval egg shape, quite slim so it fits nicely on the edge of the cabs. I am a little afraid the birdcage might feel crowded. I don't think you need to have knobs unless you think you need them! Let the function be the deciding factor. Have you thought of bright brass? It is also coming back and could look fresh, especially if you don't have SS appliances. I also think the white-on-white works visually. Clear glass might also.

As for the cab color, if you are happy with the color and it works with the appliances you like and then you can find tile and a counter that works with it all, then you don't need to change the Bone. I'd pull a door and take it to the appliance stores with me first.

I just wanted to throw in the idea of off-white appliances. We have off-white cabinets (factory finished, but they are very close to BM Natural Wicker, which is our trim color in the kitchen) and I was able to find "bisque" appliances that matched pretty well. I don't know how the bisque would work with your cabinet color because I don't have my BM deck right here, but it might be worth a look. I have GE stove and microwave in bisque. My fridge has the cabinet panels on it, so I don't know if GE makes a fridge in bisque or not, but they might.

I don't think SS appliances are that hard to keep clean, especially if you don't have little kids or slobbery dogs, but I also agree that white or off-white would look just fine!

I love the combination of your floors, cabinet color, and wall color. I really like your table and chairs, too!

Stinky, I've been looking at your fridge for a couple of days now. I think a counter depth fridge would be your
best choice. I have a narrow kitchen (galley) so we took
out the 2 x 4 in back of the fridge so that we could
even pick up a couple of more inches.
If you get a counter depth fridge, you could extend the
cabinet out to the fridge. The carpenter pops off the back
of your existing cabinet (extending it to the depth of the fridge) so that you can use the front
frame and doors. He can also build walls (either from
sheetrock or wood --keep in mind wood takes up less room) on both sides of the fridge.
Your existing cab is about 13" deep, after the extension
the part that won't be covered with soffit will be
about 10"...you'll then have to come up with something
decorative to put up there...or you could extend the soffit over the cabinet as well.

BTW. I love SS, that would be my choice.
your kitchen is lovely...

Valinsv, thanks for your carpentry & fridge suggestions. I appreciate your reply. Haven't seen you around lately. Nice to see you!

Amy, thank you, thank you! Again, you gave me tons of helpful suggestions. Yes, I need to go over to the place that sells all the brands of quartz & check them out. They have samples I can borrow. The best tile shop in my town is across the street from that place, so I can spend a lot of time over there between the two. Wish you could come with me! Like the idea of an egg-shaped knob. Sounds cute. Glad you think the Bone could still work with white appliances.

Sueb20, Thanks for the suggestions. When Summerlove mentioned bisque, I researched it, & can't find a fridge that meets my criteria in the color. Thanks for the compliments. Know I have a very humble kitchen. It's nice that some people can still see some charm in it in this day of lavish "dream" kitchens! Bought those chairs 10 years ago at a antique place in PA for $3.00 a piece. Spray painted them khaki to go with the beige crackle finish on my light fixture, which I found at Bellacor (the previous owner's fixture looked like something from a dentist's office...say ahhh!) Bought the table at Target online for $80.00, free shipping. Glad you think they work!

Think I need to post a thread asking about bathroom upgrades now!

Cliff & Joann, just missed your reply!

Thanks for the ideas. If I could get another 2 inches off the back of the fridge, that would be great. Will need to speak to the countertop carpenters once they are hired about such further details. Appreciate your thoughts & the kind words!
I know how handy you & your dh are. You two are very creative & design savvy!

I just went through the saga of choosing a fridge. I don't know why it was such a hard choice!

We ended up going with a bosch sxs counter depth, and so far, we absolutely love it. I have a fairly small kitchen (10x18), and we used to have a twin of your current fridge. I'm in the process of painting my cabinets and haven't taken the wrapping off the fridge yet mid-renovation, but I really like the counter depth. It somehow fits close to what the old beast held. I still might get a 2nd fridge (we have 3 kids), but I'm pleasantly surprised that we wouldn't really "need" an extra one.

Our space under the cabinet was 69" tall, and it just fits. Whew! I didn't want to move the cabinet any, so it worked out.

Ours has gray sides and it's exposed, but I don't think they will glare out.

Oh, and I also got ours at a sears outlet, brand new for 50% off. So it ended up being in line with my fairly modest budget ($1265).

Wow, Noel, it's a beauty. No, your gray sides certainly do not "glare" out. Looks very nice. Please post pics when done with your improvements, & thanks for sharing your fridge shopping experience. Great deal!

Stinky, I haven't read the replies but I wish I didn't get a counter depth fridge. I'd rather it jut out. That's because the counter depth's aren't as deep as the other one's so I struggle daily when I store leftovers! If the fridge were any wider there'd be no room for it since there's a wall next to the fridge.

Sometimes function is better. Seeing a fridge in someont's kitchen jut out from the counter doesn't make it ugly. :)

I have a galley kitchen with an Amana counter depth bottom freezer and love it! I've never had a problem storing anything in it. In fact I think I get more in it than I ever did in my top mount fridge. The one thing I discovered is that some counter depth fridges can be wider than others. That's something to take into account. Good luck, these decisions can be so nerve racking.

Oakley, thanks for stopping by! Not being people to have a lot of leftovers, the larger fridge won't be missed at our house. I can understand how others really need as much room as possible in their fridges, & even need overflow fridge space in the garage, but we never will!

Sjt, glad you are liking your cd Amana. Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, better organized compartments that you really use can make a positive difference I would think. I have seen extra wide cd's out there, but the model I'm leaning toward, the Samsung, is just 3/4" wider than my current Whirlpool. For me, the smaller the better. I just want to tame the "beast" as so many of you have lovingly described the great American fridge on this thread, lol!