How to arrange the refrigerator in the kitchen

The refrigerator is one of the vertices of the “storage-washing-cooking” working triangle, which means that the convenience of the kitchen and even the preparation time of a meal largely depends on its placement. And the size of the unit is so large that somehow plan a place and the method of its arrangement has to be with all the care, especially if the kitchen is small. In this material we will tell you where it is best to install a refrigerator, how to plan the design of a small kitchen with a refrigerator, how to organically fit it into the interior and what planning decisions should not be made.

13 principles for placing a refrigerator in the kitchen

1. The refrigerator should not “break” the work triangle

The main principle that should be followed when choosing a place for a refrigerator is the rule of the working triangle, which we have already mentioned.

The work triangle is the area of ​​greatest activity in the kitchen, which consists of three peaks: a storage area (refrigerator and cupboard with supplies), a cooking area (stove) and a washing area. To make the kitchen as comfortable as possible, all these zones should form a triangle, ideally - isosceles. At the same time, they should be in reasonable proximity to each other (no more than 200-180 cm), and on the way from one point to another there should not be any obstacles in the form of, say, a table or a bar counter. If you break this rule, putting the fridge too far from the sink and the stove, the triangle will break and the cook will have to run back and forth with the food on his hands during cooking / serving, wasting time and effort.

Of course, in practice, it is not always possible to observe the rule of the working triangle in kitchen planning; nevertheless, this should be sought.

• From this point of view, kitchen set is worth building L-shaped, U-shaped or in two rows as shown in the photo below.

But the layout, in which the refrigerator is in the same row with the stove and sink will be the most inconvenient. However, the exception is very small kitchens (see photo below), in which the distances between work points will not be large.

2. The most inconvenient options for placing a refrigerator are ...

• Placement in the same row with the stove and sink (this was already mentioned above);
• Placement near the stove and / or too far from the sink (we will discuss this in the next paragraph);
• The placement of the unit is too far from the front door and the dining table (in this situation, the products will have to be carried for too long);
• Placement of the refrigerator at the dining table (see photo), bar or table-island.

3. It is preferable to place the refrigerator closer to the sink, and not to the stove.

This is logical, because the kitchen path chain looks like this: go to the fridge to get food - go to the worktop, unpack / cut food - go to the sink to wash food / dishes / hands - go to the stove to cook the dish. As for the distance between the sink and the refrigerator, it may be minimal, but it is best to place in this place an area for preparing products and unloading bags just brought from the store.

If in your kitchen the refrigerator can stand only to the right or left of the stove, then keep in mind that the distance between the appliances should be at least 15-20 cm.

See also material on the topic: Is a fridge near a stove or other “warm” objects - is this normal?

4. Convenient places to install the refrigerator - in the corner or near the door / at the entrance to the kitchen

The location of the refrigerator in the corner will save space, and looking at a large unit will not be so cumbersome here.

Placing a refrigerator near the door, firstly, it will be convenient for unloading food bags, and secondly, it will zone the space due to the formation of an additional “partition”. With this layout, the refrigerator can be embedded in a drywall niche or the door can be dismantled, creating a wide and open portal that visually facilitates the space.

5. Sometimes the refrigerator can be entered into the niche formed when carrying the doorway.

In this case, the entrance to the kitchen is laid, and a new opening is arranged in the partition between the kitchen and the living room. Often this technique can be applied in small kitchens in Khrushchev and some other typical houses.

6. The depth of the refrigerator should correspond to the depth of the headset.

So the unit will not break the straight line of kitchen furniture, and the interior will look visually orderly. This tip is especially relevant for freestanding refrigerators and small kitchens.

7. If possible, the refrigerator should be built into the headset.

Built-in refrigerator saves precious centimeters and allows you to create a uniformity of all surfaces of the kitchen, due to which the space is visually lightened and enlarged, and the interior seems neat.

In addition, the built-in equipment is much easier to keep clean - just wipe the facades and the camera itself. A separate unit requires cleaning the upper part, the space behind the back and around the walls.

• Embedding the refrigerator is particularly desirable not only for small kitchens, but also kitchens decorated in classic, rustic and ethnic style.

See also: How to embed a regular refrigerator in the headset

8. For a small kitchen should choose a compact model.

For example, a narrow but high model (only 40-55 cm wide and up to 180 cm high), a mini-fridge that can be put / built under a tabletop or just a small volume unit (for example, with a volume of 120 l).

• And of course, it is desirable that the refrigerator in a small kitchen be built.

Below are photo examples of technology in the mini format.

Building a mini-fridge under the countertop is as easy as, say, washing machinelarge dishwasher or cupboard with shelves. For those who live alone or with a couple, this is a great solution.

9. If the kitchen is very small, then the refrigerator can be taken out to the adjacent room or corridor.

Sometimes the kitchen is so smallthat the refrigerator has to be sacrificed. For example, it can be taken out into the corridor or the adjacent ... living room. In this case, it is advisable to remove the door in the kitchen (or always keep it open), and put a table near the refrigerator. The latter will make it easier for you to unload and load products, to restore order on the shelves.

Can I bring a refrigerator to the balcony if the kitchen is small? Unfortunately, this is very undesirable for many reasons. But the main argument against this is the risk of compressor breakdown at temperatures below 10 degrees and above 30 degrees. In extreme cases, you can place a freezer on the balcony (for example, for storing berries, meat, etc.), a two-compressor refrigerator, No frost model or a refrigerator with a non-standard climate class. Of course, in this case, the temperature regime and the level of humidity on the balcony should be as close to normal as possible (according to the climate class of your model), warming it up with curtains, etc.

10. Above a free-standing refrigerator you can equip a storage area.

For example, it may be a wall shelf or just a nice basket / box for storing small items that are not used very often. Here are some photo examples of how this can be done.

It is also convenient to put a microwave on a small fridge.

11. The interior of the kitchen looks good neighborhood cupboard cases with built-in fridge, oven and microwave

Is it possible to install a refrigerator near the oven? Possible if choose oven with cooling body. Additional protection of the refrigerator from heat will create walls of the headset frame, the thickness of which, as a rule, is about 3 cm.

12. A stand-alone refrigerator will look less cumbersome if it is the same color as the wall or set.

In the tone of the wall, it visually appears as a part of it and as if it sinks into it.

Also overall equipment will look less massively if it matches in color with the facades of the kitchen set.

13. Sometimes a refrigerator can play the role of a major accent in the interior.

So, for example, colored SMEG refrigerators always perform not only practical, but also aesthetic functions.

However, the usual white or silver refrigerator can be turned into a bright accent. To do this, its doors and walls can be:

• Decorate with photo printing film (film with a print is applied to the door using a hot air dryer) or magnetic vinyl (vinyl with photo printing is simply magnetised to the door x)

• Tape chalk wallpaper or paint with slate paint, and then paint with crayons.

• Decorate with vinyl stickers.

• To paint with acrylic paints (the surface must first be sanded and coated with a primer).

• Decorate with decoupage technique.

• Paint in a bright color to match the walls or headset.

Read more about this in the materials: 8 ways to decorate the refrigerator and Making fridge magnets (and not only) from improvised, waste and natural materials

The main thing is to match the design of the refrigerator in color and style with other elements of the interior, such as curtains, apron or facades of the headset. It is also important to understand that the "designer" refrigerator involves a discreet kitchen interior, without an abundance of colorful and elegant details.

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See also:

• 10 criteria for choosing a refrigerator that you need to know before you buy
• 4 stages of choosing a built-in refrigerator and the nuances of its installation
• Hood in the kitchen - what you need to pay attention to when buying
• Design, zoning and arrangement of the kitchen-studio
• All the nuances of choosing a gas hob
• How to use windows in kitchen design
• Arrangement and design of the kitchen without a window