I can't speak for the built ins, but you do need a bit of clearance at the far wall for a french door cabinet depth refrigerator. We have ours at the end of a run of cabinets, but the wall it is up against is angled, so there is clearance for the door to open.

No matter where you put it -- up against a wall or up against cabinets, measurements need to be taken and enough room needs to be left for the doors to open and for someone to slide out the fridge.

I don't know if people clean behind/under built-in fridges. I don't think they do. If they do, maybe they hire people to do it.

Not only would you have a drawer issue, your hand will be smashed every time you open the door. You will need a tall, narrow cabinet between fridge and wall to allow clearance.

I had the same concern and decided to put a narrow pantry-type cabinet between the wall and the refrigerator. Construction is slated to begin soon, so I can't report on how it works.

Thank you. I can't help but agree. Maybe the photos I have seen of this application on Houzz were showrooms, and not working kitchens.

Can you link to one of the Houzz photos or ask the designer who posted the photo about it directly? Perhaps we aren't understanding the situation you are describing correctly. For example, if there is a doorway on the side wall, that sometimes allows for clearance.

One more point....most built-in style refrigerators have a detente to stop the door opening at 90 degrees. It can be over-ridden to allow wider opening. With the detente on for our last install, we accessed every piece of the interior cabinet...man, there is a lot of tape a foam and sticky stuff in new refrigerators!

Having a french door fridge at the end of a run of cabinetry isn't optimal because anyone coming in or out of the room near that end will have to walk around the fridge - normally the double doored fridge is put on an alternate wall, but can be done with proper planning.

I was hoping to put the ref. in the cnr so I don't have to sacrifice too much counter space between sink and ref. The photo I saw is referenced under @feeny. Am trying to get the look of a built in using a counter depth. Believe I will need to have a tall narrow cabinet at the side, just need to figure out the minimum width for full access to the ref. and removing drawers and shelves - unfortunately I do have to clean mine!
Thanks everyone for great suggestions and info.

@ feeny, the photo is the 3rd one if you go to kitchens, then search "built in refrigerators". It is a Viking pro built in. and it definitely looks like it is in a cnr. The others were Bosch refrigerators & think it must be a showroom.
I did ask a question but no answer yet, and I am in a hurry on this. On searching the questions further though I did find that the designer used a "2 - 3" filler so ref. could open fully.

@JWinters, still looks like a hand smasher to me.

@Ironwoodbldrs, thanks for input on fully intgrated built-ins. Looked at specs online but must not have delved far enough, to see door opening requirements to remove drawer & shelves.

Do you mean the image below is the photo inspiration for the built in next to the wall? I see what you mean. But for the counter depth one that looks like a built in that you say is "referenced under @feeny" do you mean the one in my own kitchen renovation? Because my fridge is not up against a 90 degree angled wall, though it is a counter depth fridge that mimics a built in, and it is at the end of a wall of cabinets. But my adjoining wall is angled and is also a doorway, so my french doors can fully open.

yes, that is the one! I couldn't post the photo. No, not your kitchen, just how to find the photo under my reply to you. I want to do what you did tho, a counter depth that mimics a built-in, but understand now that it needs another cabinet against the wall so the door can open enough to take out the drawers & shelves, because it will be at a 45 degree cnr. Thanks for posting the photo and for sharing your info.

May 2017 comment viking makes a french door with 90 degree clearance if you raise the shelving on the door. I know old post but for anyone who see's this as I did looking to answer this question

In the same spirit of Levell Design's post above, here's another idea for putting the french door refrigerator next to the wall: Instead of putting it immediately next to the wall, put in a narrow cabinet - for a broom, or pull-out spice racks, or . . . Narrow cabinets can be very handy. That will give the door room to open, while still preserving a maximum amount of counter space on the away-from-the-wall side of the fridge.

When you say add a narrow cabinet, how narrow? I am in the same design dilemma and am panicking.

@pgeis how narrow a cabinet would be sufficient?

I know it's been four years Lisa, but how did you fare? I am currently in the same predicament, trying to figure out the best placement for our counter-depth french door fridge. We're building an in-law apartment, so there's no actual space to measure out right now.

Just adding here-- I have a counter depth Kitchen Aid side by side refrigerator up againt a wall on right side. This is bad. Cannot get drawers out to clean and all have broken during my attempts. Also freezer door has a dent from hitting oven handle next to it. Bad desginer kitchen.