Okay thanks, that makes me feel a little better!! My entire kitchen, 3 walls of cabinets and the island were $18,000 totAl, installed. So I'm kind of thinking it may not be too much to reconfigure fridge cabinets? I will talk to cabinet maker and a see! Here is the like for the other fridge https://www.fisherpaykel.com/vault/pdfs/pdf_specifications/7357_DCS_Built-in_Guide_RS36A72JC1_PR_US_Letter-2015-08-21 HR.pdf - Never heard of this brand either so if anyone knows the good or bad please let me know!

I personally even find the look of the standard SZ not so hot. It's one of those design things where close but not quite right, for me, is worse than not so close.

For what it's worth, I think this issue pervades remodeling. There are similar stories with regards to cabs, windows, and fixtures. Those orders can be really fiddly. Even with a vendor that has the best intentions/is spending time, there's always a little gap for a small mistake/miscommunication.

We have two Fisher Paykel Fridges in two different homes. They are a different style than the one you're looking at and we love them. No problems so far in a couple of years and they are extremely quiet.

The RS36A72J1 has been talked about a lot in Integrated 36" Refrigerator.

That's very reasonable for the cabinets. So if you don't mind redoing
my suggestion is to do the research. Start googling the F&P fridge
model. See if there are reviews. Post and ask for info here and on the
Appliance forum.

I believe that fridge may be new to the market.

But
if you like it and decide to go with it be aware that with a nearly 28"
deep cabinet the part that's now black will become a cabinet. IOW the
cabinet will stick out about 3 inches beyond the counter next to it.

You'd need to check to be sure your door on the bottom cabinet that's adjacent can open fully.

You
also may want to look at Bosch, Thermidor, and Sub Zero who all make
integrated FD fridges and do the research on all of them. Also see them
as the finishing and features are different. Liebherr is the other brand
that will fall between Bosch and Thermidor in price. Miele doesn't make
a FD fridge but makes an excellent one that is competitive with SZ in
terms of features but not at the top of the price curve.

Also, I
would pay attention to compressors. For a built in, mainly there are 2
vs one. One for the fridge and one for the freezer which means no air
exchange. Accordingly there are claims that food lasts longer if that's a
concern.Don't want to bore you with detail but my b-i fridge thread
from 2 years ago on appliances has info & pix that might be useful.
I got great advice there and haven't regretted my choice for a moment.
But it was grueling until I got it done.

I believe she's talking about this one: Fisher paykel fridge

I don't know if that link is working? I'm on my phone and thinking some things are malfunctioning (food poisoning or the flu - cannot move from the couch or bed :( so thanks everyone for commenting and helping me along with this and keeping me from going insane) - here is a pic of the model number and specs

@rococo - my cabinet depth is 25 1/2 inches. Did you see the cabinet layout pic I posted above? I may have posted the link for he wrong fridge but in the last post you will see all dimensions of that fridge seem like they would fit in my existing cabinet. They include the compressor on the specs for the "overall fridge" height, width, etc, right??

The plan says your cabinet is 25-1/2" d. I would measure it to see if that is what it actually is.

Using the diagram, everything is included.

Again, you cannot go by the fridge dimensions alone. The diagram needs to be gone over carefully. Don't take anyone else's word. Look and see if you think it will work based on the specification diagram compared to existing cabinet with dimensions you checked yourself. Diagram only.

Look at how deep the box is. How thick the door is. The overall thickness and then where the hinges sit -- inside or outside the cabinet. When you feel better, refer to my post up thread where I discuss the diagram. That shows where the door hinges sit.

The diagram for a fully integrated refrigerator will show only the handles sticking out. The front of the door should line up flush with the front of the cabinet if the hinges permit.

Once that's posted with the spec sheet we can second guess. Details count here.

Following this with personal interest. We just got a new induction stove and giant cook a turkey size inverter microwave: both of which I'm over the moon about. But it means putting the fridge close to a doorway, so I really would like a truly flush fridge.

My sympathies. My son was sick with a knock out flu for 2 weeks. Horrible. Hope you feel better soon!

Passages & walls are yet another detail that's easy to overlook.

I'm near passages and a wall in my designs. I went over the constraints with the designer. Then I downloaded all the specs/install instructions for the fridge and looked at the swings.

Then I went and found one in person and opened the door and measured/tested.

I've still got to give the specs to the cab maker and convince myself we're on the same page about all the details and nothing's being overlooked.

I'm still not 100% sure there won't be any surprises but I figure I've done about everything I can.

Brittbelquist, I made a similar mistake and put magnets on the sides too :) maybe I should have exchanged the fridge but I was tired of remodeling at that point I just let it go :) but my fridge is not paneled like yours either. I learned quite a bit during my remodel too which I mostly handled myself.

I had the same virus on Thursday! It's nasty. I felt like death and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Couldn't move. Pawned my kids off on other people because my DH was out of town. I couldn't function. Like you, I thought it was food poisioning as I had sushi the day before. Then I talked to a local friend that had it and a friend in CT had it the very same day as me (I am in MD). I bet it's gone in 24 hours. I had a little nausea the day after but that's it. Feel better!

I can offer only a temporary fix until you decide what to do -- Duck Tape makes a shade in glossy white. Amazon sells it. I used it once to replace a piece of white dishwasher trim while new one was on order. Pull the unit out a bit, and run a strip around that black edge. It might take two runs to kill it all the way back. From the front angle the fridge looks great. If the body had been white, it would have looked much better. Good luck!

I agree with you. While someone selling refrigerators isn’t responsible
for understanding how to specify or design cabinet housing, they should know
enough basic information to be able to tell a customer the difference between options
like standard depth, counter depth and integrated. I don't think that’s out there on the
expectations list. It’s really not asking much at all. It would have given you the opportunity to take
it from there in order to achieve the look you wanted. If you also told your cabinet man the
cabinets were to be flush, he should have advised they would not be when he was
designing the cabinet. The drawings you
approved should have shown it sitting proud so you could catch the problem. That said, experience tells me to be
proactive and verify things even when a designer or other professional is involved. That’s easier said than done as laypeople.

I also agree that it
misses the point to panel the refrigerator if it juts out from the doors
above. It’s naturally intended to look
like one seamless unit.

Since you would have
paid more to get the integrated style, I hope the cabinet adjustments will be
affordable so you can have it changed and that nothing else gets damaged in the
process. Be sure the new batch of paint matches
too.

Responsibility for having things fit falls on the contractor or kitchen designer. Anyone doing a kitchen on their own -- especially if they are new to it -- cannot be expected to have the same knowledge as experienced designers or even GW experience.

Doing is the best teacher and the reason someone comes here -- and the great benefit of this forum -- is and always have been crowd sourcing highly specialized info.

Historically, there's not as much respect here as there should be for the specialized information and design issues that kds have. We pretty much take it for granted until something like this comes along.

But if there's no GC or KD you live with your errors or learn how to correct them.

I've done 2 renos. Currently expanding a powder bath. It's like trying to hold onto a wiggling live fish! I thought I had the floor heating aced and a trip to the tile store for another reason threw me into floor heating hell. There were 2 different systems than the one I'd picked for bidding and one of them solved the insulation and water proofing I've been concerned about. If the new shower leaks it's on me. Appliance measurements are a thriller compared to bath stuff which requires an engineering degree to digest.

It's both the challenge and the chore of a reno to learn something new that can't be pre-tested and have the confidence to go with it because you think you get it. Not easy.

I wish I would have discovered the houzz forums sooner!!!

Brittbelquist: so what happened? What was the final outcome? Almost went through the same thing this year but decided on the fully integrated Monogram and have decided to only eat hot dogs from now on due to the expense.

Almost finished with kitchen. Waiting for drapes.

magner69 that looks beautiful and I love the color especially.

Cpartist, thank you. Actually tuxedo cabs. Here's another shot:

Are those tin pierced panels under the sink?

Your granite is also spectacular and I love your hood.

Yes, they are pierced tin panels. And, that's not really a hood. There's something "else" under there!!!

Sorry for the hijack but what is your backsplash magner?it looks like one I am considering. Thanks!

Beenzmail, that's Jerusalem gold tumbled marble subway tile

Any update to this?

Sorry for the delay on the update- but yes!! We figured out a solution! I ended up getting the 36" Fisher Paykel fridge that had almost the exact same specs (other than depth) as the Jenn- Air, so the custom panels fit almost exactly on! It took awhile for the fridge to come in and then to get the doors on, so I've been waiting to post this! My son is asleep now too in the room below so I can't push the fridge in or I'm afraid I'll wake him. But it is quite a few inches shallower than the Jenn air so will be flush! The only glitch is a small space on the right and left edges of the fridge. But compared to what it was - I don't even notice it!! Appliance store happily accepted my exchange and my cabinet guy happily switched the doors! The only expense occurred was the price difference in the fridge - less than $1,000! I'm happy! Thanks for everyone's advice and input!

I will adjust in the morning - cabinet guy did say he could easily make some trim as well!

Sneak peak kitchen reveal because I can't resist- still waiting on backsplash, stools (shipping next week??) and decor! This was taken pre-panels, but my pendant lights that were on back order for 3 months finally came in!

Huge improvement on the refrig! Thanks for letting us know how it was resolved. Kitchen is looking great!

Giant improvement. It looks wonderful.

Beautiful kitchen! Thanks for the sneak peak. I'm so happy for you that you were able to switch out the frig. The new one looks great.

Perfect!!!

WOW brittbelquist your kitchen is SO stunning!! I can't wait to see it again when the backsplash is installed. I love the oven vent hood with that wood trim on the bottom. Did your cabinet maker make that? Where did you get those beautiful light fixtures? I especially love the one above the sink. Thanks so much for sharing and so happy you were able to fix the problem with the fridge!

Thanks everyone! Feels so good to be coming together!! Chris - yes, cabinet maker made the hood- I have a big stone wall with a fireplace and a big timber mantle and wanted to incorporate a little bit of the rustic feel from that into the kitchen! Light above sink is Feiss Urban Renewal collection & pendants are Arteriors lighting (the electrician just put in some generic light bulbs, so will look a little better with the right bulbs!) I will take more pics when the backsplash is up!

WOW the entire space is beautiful !

Great resolution.

Just for fun- here is the before!

Goodness, what a transformation!

This post has been so informative. Thank you. Since I'm just starting my kitchen remodel journey, I now have some of the right questions to ask.

By the way your new kitchen looks absolutely gorgeous! I'm really glad it all worked out at the end .

Oh it looks so much better with the new fridge. Glad you were able to work it out.

Wow, it looks so much better, plus you won't stress out every time you walk in the room! Beautiful.

As rococogurl pointed out, design is not something anyone can just pick up and get right the first time. There are so many details, and a lot of math, haha!

And, as she said, that is the beauty of these gw home forums! Laypeople like myself can garner a lot of knowledge and advice, both from professionals and from regular people who have learned from their mistakes. At the least, we can see what we don't know and can learn what questions to ask.

I'm rebuilding a house, subfloor to roof. It's going to take ten years, unless I win the lottery or have a long lost relative leave me the family fortune, lol! Can I afford a KD (kitchen designer)? Are you kidding me?!?? It has nothing to do with not respecting the profession: I have immense respect for designers and the work they do. It has to do with what I can afford.

This forum, and the others here on GW, have been invaluable! I've learned so much from all of you! Today I learned about refrigerator depths, stuff I wouldn't have thought of by myself. Thanks!

And I'm glad Brittbelquist got the look she wanted without a huge expense!! YAY! :-)

@brittbelquist, great resolution and I'm so impressed you designed this yourself! Can you please share the color of your cabinets?

Thank you krs126! :) The cabinets are Benjamin Moore's Ashwood.

Kiko- are you talking about my cooktop? There are no scratches? Maybe a dirty cooktop as I hadn't properly cleaned the kitchen before snapping a pic, ha! But the items that are around it aren't actually on it :)

I think kiko means the spoon rest and pot lid on the cooktop in your pic from Wednesday.

Hi Gang: I am also in the middle of a kitchen renovation and have the F&P integrated french door frig getting custom panels. The doors are well inside the cabinet but my cabinet maker said the attachments are really cheesy and wants to put bolts into the actual frig door. Does anyone have custom panels that were installed according to the manufacturer and how are they holding up? Maybe your guy will talk to mine? I'm afraid the bolts into the door might damage something else...it is not a cheap frig!

I don't care how cheesy he thinks it is. Is he going to pay for a new fridge when he screws it up by putting bolts in? You need to call the manufacturer and ask them about it.

Quampegan, he needs to follow manufacturers instructions. Get the template for him. If not, you will definitely void your warranty.

I'm late to this thread, but congratulations brittbelquist on a great outcome on the fridge for a small financial outlay. It looks so much better! And all those cabinets for $18,000--very nice. Did you ever do a full reveal, or are we still holding our collective breath?

Likewise magner69. Your kitchen looks wonderful, and I'd love to know what your non-hood hood is. I couldn't find a reveal thread; can you post a link if there is one? Or get busy and post a reveal for us? :)

Quampegan- My cabinet guy had never installed doors on f&p before and I remember him being a bit overwhelmed as it was definitely a different process than the Jenn Air fridge panel install. I would definitely demand that he sticks with following the manufacturers install guidelines!

AvatarWalt- Thanks so much! I feel like $18,000 is a lot now and kinda tense up reading that number haha, but I am SO happy with my cabinets and kitchen, it was worth it! I have not posted final pictures yet I will soon :) Backsplash was finished just a few weeks ago, I took months to make up my mind about it!!!! Now for the finishing touches :)

AvatarWalt, don't know why but I'm just seeing this message now (trying to find out what in the world I should do with my ugly peninsula fireplace!). The hood in my new kitchen actually lifts up and soft closes and reveals my speed cook oven! Very neat stuff! I didn't want a lot of stainless in my kitchen as it's quite small, so the only seen stainless is the oven.