Replace fridge with stainless steel and add cabinet above it!!

I agree you do not have to match with the range. As the range has much less stainless surface! E differences are not obvious. If you dishwasher was very close to the fridge, that would be different.
We recently bought a cabinet depth french door LG and love it! We checked out many brands, and our main criteria were to
-like the color (we did not like the stainless look ones)
- does not get a lot of fingerprints. We have two young boys, and we sure got them to put their hands on the different fridges! We had heard about the LG customer service, so we got the store extended warrantee.

We put a cabinet over the fridge, and even though it looks good, we only use it for stuff we only need rarely

Sorry about the spelling- it is the ipad's fault!

Go away jonsanjon you're getting boring

I purchased new appliances about ten months ago. I wanted a slide-in double oven range that would fit in my existing opening so I would not have to cut my granite (just another expense)! I found a stainless LG range that fit perfectly, had all of the features I was looking for and had great reviews. I bought a Bosch dishwasher that is beautiful and ended up getting a french door Samsung refrigerator second hand from a relative who was moving. All of the stainless matches beautifully although I will be looking for another fridge soon as the icemaker has never worked properly. I do though love the french door fridge and would never go back to a side-by-side!

I have chosen different appliances based on their performance. I guess I have different handles, but hadn't really thought about it in the 15 years I've lived here. It's only a problem to mix appliances if it bothers you. BTW, I love my french door-style refrigerator.

I think the area above the fridge would look nicer with a cabinet. It can either extend the same as the existing cabinet or could be taller, even up to the ceiling. It can also be the same depth as the others or extend forward. It makes a great place to store little used items. And you can never have too much storage. What about putting a TV above the refrigerator? I have one built in above my fridge. I love having cooking shows playing when I'm busy in the kitchen.

I did not replace my refrigerator when I redid my kitchen, but had to replace it recently. I had a built in cabinet above the refrigerator that limited the height of the new one (as has already been pointed out in these comments). I had stainless appliances and ended up with an LG--the stainless was similar to the other appliances and best of all, it does not have handles at all. Actually only my oven and microwave have handles--dishwasher does not. Your present refrigerator looks old fashioned because it is; anything new will blend better with your new other appliances. BTW--I love having the storage over the refrigerator--if you are worried about access, not too expensive to have a pull out shelf iinstalled in the cabinet.

I need the three step ladder kept in kitchen" cleaning closet" to get to the top of that cupboard, actually to get to the top shelf of any of my cupboards LOL, so I keep less used items there... looks strange to see vases on the top shelf of the baking cupboard when I open it but it works, only use about 3 vases at a time and then during spring and summer mostly, but have about 30 of them to choose from... so far in one month, I've only had to get out the ladder twice, It hangs on a hook in the closet, nice and handy

we are just finishing a kitchen ren which we did in short bursts of energy and $. I had exactly the same frig and in transition I applied a static cling "blackboard" material. It went on easily and made a huge difference in the look of the old frig. I ended up with an LG french door and dw which I leve, but LG dis not make a 36" dual fuel range which was the object of my renol plan.

I have LG french door frig and love it!, If I remember correctly it looks alot like the GE models... find them and look at them side by side. at the handles, mine is just like Patricia Shymanski's frig...mine is a smaller version, as I have limited space (32inches wide)...

Tess, Just put a really nice, low-maintenance plant on top of the fridge! Be sure to put it in a decorative pot with either texture or color like wicker or a colorful glaze finish!! :-)

If you do not like the maintenance and up keep of plants, try using baskets for display above the refrigerator. It's a great way to incorporate a new texture or color into your kitchen, without having to water or dust it all the time!!

Is there REALLY a stainless steel that doesn't absorb finger oil, cleans easily??? Share, please!

Glad to hear all the kudos for LG appliances!

revss, the Frigidaire Gallery stainless has an interesting finish that cleans very easily.

LG isn't too bad, but there are prints that do show. do you use a stainless steal cleaner? Some stainless look ones have a duller finish and they seem to hide prints better, I just didn't care for the ones I happened to see when shopping, I walked down the refrigerator isle and with both hands, put prints on every refrigerator, right in front of the salesman.... I'm sure he wanted to KILL ME!, but I apologized and told him i needed to know first hand! LOL.. and I bought $5000 worth of appliances from him.

Here's what I've learned about cleaning my stainless: One day the dog got into the garbage, and rubbed her greasy face all over the bottom of my new SS fridge -- I thought I'd never be able to get it clean again. All I do is use a soapy (dish soap), clean microfibre cloth and wipe it WITH THE GRAIN and then dry it with the grain with a dry microfibre cloth. Works perfectly every time. Sometimes you need to do it twice. But always with the grain with a soft cloth or you risk scratching (advice from the sales guy).

Mine is a Samsung, but sometimes I miss the Frigidaire I had with the special coating on it. Never a print!

I use Weiman's stailess steel cleaner and wipe with the grain using a microfiber cloth.

If you think you may sell your house during the life of your new appliances, I would definitely suggest you go for a matching suite. When house hunting, the 'wow' factor and clean lines of a matching suite are a big factor and we all know that kitchens and bathrooms sell homes. Appliance brand is personal, we all have different requirements/preferences/spaces, so I wouldn't recommend any particular brand. With regard to the area above the fridge, I would put a bulkhead above the cupboards and 'fill in' the space above the fridge with a cupboard for large dishes/platters. Bulkheads create a seamless modern look and there's no dust collecting on top of your cupboards.

With all due respect, I completely disagree w the notion of suites for future buyers. Kitchens routinely get replaced by future buyers almost as soon as the papers are signed. Crystal ball design for strangers takes this to a whole new level of 'more money than sense' conceptuality.

As a Realtor, I've found that the mid to low end buyer will rave about the stainless steel and some of them Matching appliances, but the higher end buyer will more than likely have plans to make many changes soon, so the fact that they are all the same brand is not as concerning, matching colors yes for all, but not always the suite.

Totally agree with studio10001 & Lynne Forrestal. I spent 3 full years house hunting this last time, and the "wow factor" of something new & matching, but which was obviously done cheaply to market the house, never impressed me. But the fact that the previous owners of the house I bought put in Thermador & SubZero appliances caught my attention, both because they're high-end & I'd had/liked them at my last home.

I have a GE Profile stove sitting next to my Samsung French door fridge with just a slim cabinet in between. The handles are a little different, but not a big deal because both are stainless steel. We bought a Bosch dishwasher and opted for the model without a visible handle to minimize the conflict. We originally took down the cabinet over the fridge because the new fridge was so much taller. But then when it came we realized it was only taller in front and lower where it slid beneath the cabinets. It looked bare so we put the cabinet back up, even though we can't reach it to use it. It just makes the kitchen look more cohesive. We eventually want to replace cabinets and will reconfigure them at that point and mayble go with something different over the fridge--an open display shelf?

If that's all you have to worry about consider yourself lucky. Is it a home or a showplace? Does not matter if it makes you happy!

I think your appliances should match. We renovate our kitchens for functionality and beauty, The appliances should function and be beautifully coordinated. Don't settle for less.

If you are not quite ready to buy a new appliance, I have seen pics of older fridges painted with blackboard paint. Really cule effect. Must at least put shelves over the fridge. You're right, it doesn't look good with just blank space.

Your kitchen is lovely! Don't feel pressured to match appliances. Paint the fridge with black chalkboard paint. When it is in the budget, install a stainless counter depth fridge fridge. Install some type of shelf over the fridge or a built in looking cabinet.

Quite frankly I find this whole stainless steel fad very annoying. I think it looks commercial and in 10 years when the "taste makers" decide something new should be the fad, The appliances will be what makes your kitchen look dated. Because I always told my son "It's good to be different", my child rearing was easy. Why do you NEED stainless steel appliances? Because you want to "fit" in?

Go for a counter depth stainless steel refrigerator if you can. If you decide to add a cabinet over the refrigerator be sure it is the same depth as the refrigerator and not the 12" depth of the other upper cabinets. Continue the crown trim on the new cabinet and pant the same as the others. Consider adding shaker style or bead board panels on your island and painting it a contrast color such as charcoal gray.

I wouldn't worry about matching appliances. I bought all new recently and went with the features that I preferred...unless you are super into detail you would not notice. As far as over the refrigerator...I have a cabinet. It is difficult to get into unless I have a step stool. I would prefer to have an open display. Think about a large pottery platter, on a plate stand, sitting out from the corner...add a couple of smaller items to round out the collection.

If stainless steel appliances last another ten years they will have been one of the longer length kitchen fads.

That's what I mean, don't people have memories? I unfortunately old enough to remember when people thought they couldn't live without avocado or harvest gold appliances. Back then the smart ones went with tried and true white. We all know which ones stayed and which ones went before they were worn out.

@Gantt's Decorating - Don't you just love it on HGTV's "House Hunter", when a young couple who hardly have enough $ to buy a house, INSIST that they anything but stainless steel appliances is horrible, and they can't live with it?!

"I think it looks commercial" --Gantt's
Isn't that exactly the attraction? SS appliances are used in professional kitchens. I suspect that is why their run of popularity has already outlasted avocado green and harvest gold.

Aren't "professional kitchens" commercial. That's my point.

feeny - The trend started with professionals wanting similar appliances in their homes, as in their restaurants/catering places .. much higher BTU burners, etc. But true commercial appliances were not only really expensive, but much heavier as well. So manufacturers started making residential versions of commercial appliances .. and the next thing was that the affluent decided that was the next "must have" for their homes; commercial look, almost-commercial grade appliances. Now that EVERYONE wants/has them, the affluent will have to find something different, and the trend will change. Maybe it will be those foreign, enamel-finish stoves; AGA, for example!

Just learned something; if you are planning on adding a gas stove and oven and have other appliances on gas, be sure your intake pipe from the outside gas source is the right size to add another appliance; we just got word we would have to increase the entire pipe along the outside of the house to increase by another appliance that draws another 150,000BTU's!! Something to be aware of when considering gas over electric and number of appliances! Just an FYI.

@jasuds - yes, that's true! When I arranged to get a whole house backup generator (gas powered), the first thing the contractor told me, was to contact my gas utility, and have them check not only the piping but the meter as well, to accommodate the larger gas flow. So ask about your meter too .. should be a free switch.

I had to add a high powered electric line to accomodate my dual fuel range. My old gas range had a standard household electric outlet which just powered the clock and the elctronic igition, but the dual fuel has a gas cook top and an electric oven.

Yes, professional kitchens are commercial. That's my point too, Gantt. Many people like the aesthetic of professional, commercial kitchens and want to reproduce them by using professional-style appliances at home. Your initial comment seemed to be using "commercial" as a negative term, whereas I see many people embracing it as a positive. That is, I believe, part of the appeal of SS for better or worse.

DOES ANYONE HAVE AN INDUCTION RANGE? So far I've seen them ONLY in SS...

We have the same microwave and similar stove as you. I had a stainless fridge and replaced it with a black one. Hated the way it looked because it was always dirty and the stainless seemed to take over my kitchen. The black breaks it up nicely.

The top of the fridge is for things you want to keep out of little fingers, like their baskets of Easter candy :-) Since my kids have out grown throwing tantrums for Easter candy while I cook dinner; we just have a larger basket that corals the bread sacks. we also have a near worthless cabinet that is half the depths of the fridge. It's near impossible to get into. I'd just put a nice picnic basket above yours and store paper goods in it. Functional and pretty.

Tess, are you dizzy yet from reading all these varying opinions?? I'm tired just reading them! Such a lot of helpful comments. :)
--Cabinet above the fridge looks boxy and clunky. You are right, though--it looks empty. Surely you have a nice vase, dried flower arrangement, serving dish, etc. you can put up there. A pox on people that complain you have to dust up there. (This said tongue-in-cheek here...) So if we have no kitchen counter, we don't have to clean it off all the time, right? :)
--Glad to read the comment questioning all appliances from same manufacturer. It makes sense to make sure the appliance will serve you for as long as possible. Who cares if it looks pretty and/or matches perfectly if it doesn't work or costs you tons in repairs (to say nothing of the aggravation)?
--I have always thought it would be good to have some sort of magnetic cling you can stick on the fridge just to change out how it looks if you can't stand the color or whatever. Why replace a perfectly functional expensive appliance just because it's the "wrong color"? Then I find out tonight you can actually buy such things...now I have something else to want. (A snowman on my fridge in July? I chuckle just thinking about it--and my husband, who hates snow and cold, would totally shudder. Heh, heh.) I also just looked at a blog post by a couple that painted their fridge with blackboard paint, and I see a comment here about that as well.
--The fridge doesn't quite match the cabinets, but isn't that far off. If it were my kitchen, I'd hang onto it as long as it works. (My 12 x 25 kitchen--long story on that weird size--has an appliance run of almond fridge on its last legs, white standup freezer, white washer, then white dryer. And I'm not replacing that almond fridge or the almond stove till it (they) gasp and wheeze no more. We are still recovering from the cabinets and counter--no way I can replace appliances that work.)
--How in the world do you use that island? It looks very small. If it were in my kitchen, I know it would be the drop-off point for anyone coming in the kitchen--i.e., a junk trap.

We buy and redo houses and have done the mixed bag of appliances most the time. Ideally we have matching but as long as they are pleasing stainless steel appliances it is my opinion you are fine for a majority of people. Every once in a while though....

You could have a different manufacturer, just be careful of the style of handle. With regards to the top of the fridge, Id suggest a decorative box.

Hello, I see all the posts about appliances and I believe it is the same as purchasing a car. Some want Electric, some want gas, some want diesel. This is a very personal decision based on if you cook, if it is a "show" kitchen, or if it is a family of 4 kitchen.

Having a suite of appliances generally is a "bargain deal" buy 4 get microwave free.

Asking about ranges, in various homes and depending on lifestyle I think the following is a good way to decide what you might want.

How long will you be in this home?

If not long, then purchase what works for you at the right price and get the warranty extended.

If forever, and you can afford you "dream" range and oven than go for it. The amount of changes in refrigerators is mind numbing. Computers that take shopping lists, doors that only open for drinks and the internal food stash stays cold.

One of my favorites is the Mitsubishi ( I believe) it has 7 compartments and they all change.

One can be for sandwich meats, or fruits and veg - based on temperatures. Later that night you can turn it into a cooler for wine, great. Or, if you are having a party a platter for 5 lbs or 10 lbs of shrimp and a whole poached cold salmon can be put in at the correct temperature.

The freezer can freeze, not freeze etc.

I used to throw large parties and cook for days - 150 people to feed and I loved it. Now, I do not need a fridge to have a huge shelf to lay in for party events, long platters etc. But, I still like a single door and a big shelf.

The induction top, I do have one and it is great. Food cooks magnificent. And, as one grows older you cannot burn your hand by hitting a flame etc.

The stainless era is great, I think it is a good option for those who want it for those who do not, go for black. Personally, I would love to see an array of doors available.

My favorite kitchen is to hide it all with doors that cover the fridge, nothing lovely about a refrigerator, it is a massive box and it takes up space.

The new drawers are far more attractive and intelligent. I would prefer to have all drawers and say goodbye to 7 feet x 30" of metal, enamel or white or yellow. Art would be far prettier and nice to look at.

My 2 cents is over. One final comment, in this thread there is the mention of a school house. That sounds wonderful, exciting and the best to build and live in. If you have a kitchen that was used as a cafeteria and can keep a walk in box instead of a fridge, I am turning green. What a treat. Keep a freezer in this great kitchen and a walk in for food and one for protein. Best of luck on the design.

Enjoy your GE LB FP Sub Zero Gagganeau, Commercial Wolf etc. etc. I love them all.

This question is more about matching stainless steel finishes! AND it is an issue. Not all stainless steel looks the same, some have a bluish tint others gray. Especially a refrigerator! it's the biggest stainless steel surface in your kitchen.

Older post, I know...but a frequent question. Just wanted to say I'm sure there are some stainless steel finishes out there that could look 'off' with another brand. Like me, most of my family and friends have different brands of ss in their kitchens. I've yet to notice a problem with the finishes.

2013 Dilemma!