I am 5 feet tall with puffy hair LOL. YES I have a three inch gap between my fridge and cabinet. I actually pushed the fridge over to make it a bit bigger for my stool. It folds up and pushes in out of the way it is always right there but out of the way. I say yes do it

And who cares everyone that knows you knows your short and need it handy so they’ll tell you you were clever for doing that

Pullout is nice but extra work. Anyway I have a magnetic curtain rod and bought hooks to hang my aprons so the aprons hang down onto the stool. I think it’s fine.

The rod is magnetically attaches to that side of the fridge up the side The very top and the aprons hang down

Or you could make the ladder decorative .....

Thank you Lisa! It is so nice to hear from someone who has done this. You don't happen to live in Florida do you? We could share clothes :-)

Marlene, I do like the look of the shallow cabinet on the island! I have an L-shaped kitchen and that may work on the end of my counter.

Like the idea of deliberately creating a place for a sturdy folding step stool. Only problem with putting it beside the fridge might well be having it scratch the side of your refrigerator so putting it in a cabinet or between wood cabinet and wall would be a better idea.

If you add even a thin plywood panel in a 4 " space to prevent scratching an appliance, you lose a lot of the space you need for the step stool -- and your refrigerator has no place for air flow around it.

I have a pair of magnetic held rods on my refrigerator and use one for a towel and the others for silicone potholders with "S" hooks. The magnets don't hold much weight and are easily pulled off the fridge. Would not recommend magnets to hold anything with significant weight or that will be moved about.

In my primary house there is no garbage pullout so the pail is at the end of my island near the stove. My stool is slid between the stainless pail and island. No one sees it there
In my second house it is between the end of the cabinet and refrigerator. Only way you see it is if cooking or cleaning up.

I wish the gap for my little folding stool was larger! I say do it!

I bought a house with a small kitchen (and very limited storage) that has a 8” gap between the refrigerator and the cabinets. The gap can be a slippery slope. I have happily stored my step stool there and have separately stored a small folding table that I use when canning. I was so pleased that it fit perfectly. During the time of COVID19 I am storing boxes of supplies. Neatly stacked are giant boxes of stuff like trash bags, storage bags, zip locks and other things from Costco that are too big for my shelves. I’m using my folding table for crafts and other projects to help keep me busy while straying home. I‘m currently giving my kitchen a refresh and am trying to decide on keeping the gap and place for my step stool or little table or filling it with a tall narrow storage unit on wheels.

My little step stool is stored inside of the easily accessible pantry.

have you thought about a toe kick step stool? https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/275634439670142991/

Marigold, I did think of that. But I don't think it will work because of runner rugs I keep right up against the toe kicks. I'm worried they will interfere with the toe kick rolling out.

My step stool fits perfectly under the sink.

I use this one that fits in my sink cabinet - I love it.

https://www.hafele.com/us/en/product/step-stool-hailo-stepfix/000001030000870600160023/

Both Rev-a-shelf and Slide Out Shelves offer pullout fillers that will fit a 4" gap, so it doesn't have to be an open cubby if you don't want it to be. But do measure carefully to be sure that the gap really will be 4", which I think will make the actual available storage more like 3" (double check with the designer), and that the stepstool will also fit height-wise with the mechanism in place.

I have seen open cubbies that are nicely finished on some kitchen reveals here, also, used for towels, sheet pans, even paper towel holders - the first and last with pullout hangers for them.

I have a pull out filler that holds my step stool, dust pan, brush and broom. I love it.

I can't believe I never thought of putting it under the sink! I'm going to think about that. Thanks :-)

I thought I saved the pic, but apparently I didn’t. I recently saw someone had hooks on the inside of their under sink cabinet doors and hung their stool on that.

A pullout might be extra work, but a 4" gap the depth of your cabinets will be a bit%h to keep clean (dust and crumb free).

Do you have a walk in pantry? I have a gap between the wall and shelves for my step ladder.