Thanks! Realized I should have clarified that we won't have a built-in refrigerator; we're building a cabinet enclosure for a freestanding counter-depth refrigerator (with no front panels---just a normal white fridge). So the refrigerator isn't true cabinet-depth; without the door, it's 24 3/8 including the needed clearance in back (deeper than typical cabinetry), and if we want the door itself to be flush with the cabinetry, it's 26"+ deep. So if we build the side panels to be flush with the cabinetry, the body of the refrigerator will stick out a little bit unless we pull everything out from the wall; if we build them deeper, they would extend past the cabinetry, but the body of the refrigerator would be hidden. Seems like each approach has merits and downsides (which I guess is why the manual includes both!)

Hope that makes sense now! :)

Artemis, it sounds like you are doing what Buehl did. I did the same thing with a standard depth refrigerator and just had the cabinets on that run built extra deep (which gave me additional counter space as well). You can google "Hiding the Refrigerator Carcass Gardenweb" which may have a link to Buehl's solutions. She used a counter depth refrigerator. She and I both built the cabinetry to the edge of the door - ie the doors extend beyond the cabinet. I think I have pictures of hers in my clippings also.

Thanks cocaty---yes, this is exactly what I meant (not sure what it's called!) So you hid your carcass entirely, but not the doors? Did you need to pull out your cabinetry in order to do that, or was it custom so you were able to get the exact sizes? This is one of the things I'm stuck on! :)

buehl posted some good close up pictures of her fridge, mine is like hers (one of many good ideas stolen off GW!). Basically, the end panels come to the edge of the refrigerator box or carcass. The part sticking out beyond the panel is the weatherstripping and door itself. Looks good. By the way, be sure to leave some space behind the fridge for the plug and the waterline (the specs will show you required clearance -- we left some extra (about 1.5" - 2" total) so that we'd have some room to make sure the fridge could go back far enough. I do not have a counter-depth fridge, my side panels are about 30" deep, so since they already weren't lining up with the plane of the cabinetry next to the fridge, the extra 1.5" was not a problem).

My cabinetry actually was custom so I was able to get the exact sizes, leaving me extra deep cabinets along that run. However, it can be done with stock cabinets. The stock cabinets are simply hung with some sort of spacer in the back which brings them forward however many inches are needed (as I understand it).

The cabinetry surrounding the refrigerator itself is 31" by 39 1/2" (including the cabinet on top of the refrigerator). My refrigerator specs required something like 2" clearance in the back which I decided to honor. My upper cabinets next to the refrigerator are 18" deep. My lower cabinetry is 29" deep so that with the granite overhang, it pretty much all lines up leaving the refrigerator doors protruding forward. And, unlike Buehl's, there is not a wall next to the refrigerator. So the side of the cabinetry is what shows. Looks fine to me. I don't think I would change it.

Does anyone know where to buy a fridge that accepts custom panel doors;

Thanks

Marcelloulou - everywhere. Just look for fridges that say "panel ready". You can spend a lot on Sub-zero and Miele or spend less on Kitchenaid, or spend even less on Kenmore, GE sold at Sears and Best Buy

marcelloulou - this is a very old thread (5 years old!) that most people will ignore figuring some pro has resurrected it to advertise him/herself. I suggest you start your own thread with your questions.

Here's the "Read Me" thread for the Forum that will help you navigate it and provides some tips for use: New to Kitchens? Read Me First!

Thanks for the link, and info.