That's about what counts as a "counter depth" fridge, now, sometimes you can get them a little further back, but it depends upon the depth of the body of the refrigerator, and possibly the cord is making it stick out an inch or so more?

That is a counter depth look. As posted some people can cheat a bit. My counters are a bit deeper so that only the portion of the door that needs to stick out to operate is exposed. Since my refrigerator is also paneled, I had the portion of the side of the door which is exposed clad by my cabinet maker so it creates an optical illusion as the wood blends in with the rest of the cabinets.

This is when a good kitchen designer is helpful as they would have advised on how to enable the refrigerator to sit as far back as possible and still open.

See if the wall behind it can be knocked out and reframed to get you a few inches.

If the fridge tucked back in further, the doors would hit the counter. If you wanted a more tucked in look, then the fridge cabinet should have been deeper (flush with the counter edge).

Honestly, I'm not sure if it would be worth the expense? I don't think it looks too bad and I think you are just suffering from the shock of a new kitchen. You might stop noticing after a while.

Weird hack: get a cabinetmaker to affix a strip of stainless to the side of the fridge (make sure the color matches and the grain runs horizontally). It could blend the fridge in better. Before doing this, you could mock it up with stainless contact paper and see if you like it.

I checked out counter depth fridge - the doors stick out, but the side panel covers the rest - extending about 1/2” beyond the counter. The way yours is done feels unfinished or as if someone didn’t measure correctly.

Unfortunately, there are still a lot of designer/salespeople out in the world that still insist on using 24" end panels. They're either new to the industry or, I hate to say it, not design smart at all! Supplying your designer with a list of appliances doesn't necessarily make them financially responsible to fix this. There's no code or instructions that says it has to cover the sides of the refrigerator. Their ignorance of enclosing a refrigerator in a way that looks the BEST is unfortunate for you. But I don't think it makes them responsible financially. If they feel bad about it and decide to fix this for you on their dime? That would be great. Hopefully they will learn from this! ALWAYS always always order deeper end panels and cut to fit on site.

A question.....with your refrigerator sticking out so far and close to the wall, can you open the right hand door all the way open.

erinsean...looks to me like there's a narrow wall or tall cabinet against the wall. That should be enough to open the refrigerator door.

I would want that fixed. As mentioned, you would buy a new panel that is cut back so that it ends just at where the fridge box in dark grey ends. The above the fridge cabinet and tall filler on the wall side all will come forward in line with the panel. The stainless doors will stick out passed so it can open.

Sorry to mention this since you didn’t ask, but I would want that bright white caulking removed too and replaced with a color-matched caulk that looks better with the tile.

Before I ordered a new side panel and moved cabinets I would make sure it's not just the plug sticking out that is interfering. You also don't want the fridge jammed up against the plug and bending the cable. Maybe you could do a recessed outlet like they do for TVs and that would solve the problem.

I would be upset also, which is why I would order the deeper side panel and have the uppers and side cabinet reinstalled. We "hid" a standard size fridge by making the counters extra deep, our panel is 31.5" . This is pretty much how yours will look like when they cut the 30" to hide your sides. It won't look fully integrated but you already know that...the doors have to still stick out.

Sometimes the plug is keeping fridge from moving back where it belongs so check that out for sure and yes a larger panel will solve the issue too.

I think lucky nailed it.

do to yours what she has

You aren't going to be able to get the deeper cabinet housing from your contractor's cabinet source or yours.. That is a pretty certain bet. The upper is one with the sides, and likely a very moderate cabinetry at best. I'll put money on that. Sorry.

What is behind the fridge wall? You might be able to find a few inches in that framing. Other than that? Don't stare at it.

Nobody used the ACTUAL SPECS for the fridge, in the design of the kitchen. Oh well.

If you somehow find a way to push the fridge back, I think it will then run into the countertop. Especially since the handle sticks out so far.

I agree about hitting the countertop now that I look at it. But I think it could be the edge/corner of the countertop hitting the side of the door that's the problem

In general I think there is a disconnect between refrigerator designers/manufacturers, cabinet manufacturers and kitchen designers.

Kitchen cabinets are designed as if all refrigerators have a box that is about 24" -25" deep and only the door extends beyond the cabinet.

Refrigerator manufacturers keep making both standard depth and "counter depth" (I can't even say that without quotation marks) deeper and deeper in an attempt to squeeze more cubic footage into an opening made for an older narrower fridge and pay absolutely no attention to the depth and what that does to the aisles in a kitchen. "Cabinet depth" fridges are now often as deep as an old standard depth fridge.

Refrigerator manufacturers also pretend that the side of the refrigerator is never seen so it doesn't matter what it looks like.

Kitchen designers routinely design kitchens assuming fridges are about 27" deep when it comes to aisle widths and placement.

If a fridge is going to be 36" deep the cabinet companies and people designing kitchens just have to start acknowledging that and change things accordingly instead of pretending it's not the typical scenario.

IMO the panel should have extended to the counter depth. That in itself looks odd.

Unfortunately that is normal. Normal as in it is done that way as a standard for a cost savings or the inexperienced designer doesn't know better. Many people don't notice, don't care or just accept it.

We show every customer where their referidgerator is in relation to the panel, countertop and walls. The customer's refridgerator specs are loaded into the design program to accuratly show it's location and size.

Penthouse on Donner Way · More Info

I agree about hitting the countertop now that I look at it. But I think it could be the edge/corner of the countertop hitting the side of the door that's the problem

Yikes. That could dent the fridge. Seems like redoing the cabinet so the panel is longer is the way to go. Katie S so sorry you're learning all of this after the fact. Honestly, WTF were the cabinet designers thinking?

The side panels by my fridge are about 29 1/2 inches deep, extending a bit beyond the counter. My full depth fridge fits perfectly with just the doors extending beyond the cabinetry. I cannot for the life of me figure out why cabinets aren't routinely made this way or why people don't know enough to ask for this. I don't have high end cabinets so it's not like you can't get this done with moderately priced cabinets. What I usually see is fridge surround even with counter - have never seen one behind the edge of the counter. That is a fridge dent waiting to happen and it just seems like it was made wrong.

When I first got the fridge it extended about four inches beyond the cabinet. A completely unrelated problem with installation of the door required someone other than the original company to come out to fix it. That guy was sharp enough to realize the fridge wasn't placed correctly in the space and he moved it back the four inches.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. The fridge is 24.5" deep, not counting the doors but it needs an inch behind it for air circulation. The panel is only 24" deep. So the fridge sticks out about an inch and a half to two inches (not counting the doors). It's so disappointing and I wish it would have been communicated to me at the beginning so I knew what to expect but I guess I might just have to learn to live with it.

If you decide to keep the cabinets, did you see my suggestion of adding a strip of stainless to the side of the fridge? At least you wouldn't be looking at that grey pebbled plastic. It's not a perfect solution, but could improve slightly and could help you live with it better.