The Monster in the Kitchen

Avoid losing stuff in the back of the mold monster's cave

I can't tell you how many discussions I've had lately with clients about the crazy notion that a full depth refrigerator is better because it holds more food. The only time one of these "monsters" looks right in a kitchen is if you have plenty of space in front of it and can build the cabinets on both sides out 6" or 8" beyond the standard 24" deep. Otherwise it sticks out in the room like the 500 pound gorilla it really is. In this new "green" age you are probably trying to buy local, eat fresh food and whole grains whose shelf life is shorter, right? So you will most likely be cycling the contents in and out more frequently. A built-in unit or counter-depth refrigerator should make that task easier. You will have a better view of it’s contents and won’t lose stuff in the back like you do in the mold monster's cave. Even if you don't have the budget for a SubZero, get a counter-depth fridge. And for all you holdouts that I'm still not able to convince that shallow is better – keep your old monster or get a secondary refrigerator as deep as you want… but put it in the basement… your kitchen designer will thank you.

Victoria
Victoria has been designing Wood-Mode and Brookhaven kitchens since 1996. She is currently working out of the Charlottesville, VA showroom.