In Monday’s appliance post we mentioned a few swaps (wall oven out, range in), but that was just the start. Yesterday we floated the idea of moving the fridge, and now it’s official: we’re relocating it — and we couldn’t be more excited. First, though, a bit more about the demo process.
This past weekend we almost bought a slightly smaller, non-counter-depth fridge from the Sears Outlet (Scratch & Dent). It was narrow and short enough to squeeze into the existing spot, but a little deeper, which would have meant it stuck out more than we wanted. At the last minute we stalled.
Finding something that fit made us proud, but it also felt like a compromise: smaller capacity and not the fingerprint-proof stainless finish we wanted. So we revisited an idea that had seemed odd at first — moving the fridge to the opposite wall. As it turned out, the tall pantry cabinet across the room was exactly the same width (36″) as the space where the current fridge sits (not counting the wall oven cabinet that’s due to be removed). If we could shift the pantry, the fridge could move over, too.
This change would let us buy a wider and taller counter-depth fridge — the Frigidaire Gallery we’d been eyeing — which is exactly what we ended up ordering in that Monday post. Another advantage: the fridge won’t be the first thing you see from the front door once we open up the kitchen/dining doorway. A few friends had suggested this months ago in a cautious “it’d be nice if possible” way, and it finally made sense.
Armed with measurements, we went to Lowe’s and ordered our appliances at a solid discount — including the counter-depth fridge we wanted. It was a bit bold since we hadn’t yet confirmed the pantry and fridge openings were truly interchangeable, so we tested it immediately. After removing the small side wall and the cabinet above the fridge on Monday night, we moved the pantry across the room the next evening. First we emptied it onto the counter and braced for a short-term kitchen chaos flashback.
We removed the top and bottom trim with a hammer and flathead screwdriver, then took out a little granite triangle we’d used as a drop spot. Functional but unattractive — so we weren’t sad to see it go.
We’d already removed granite in other parts of the house, so detaching this piece was straightforward: slice the clear caulk adhesive and pry it loose with a screwdriver and crowbar.
Behind the granite was some unpainted paneling to address later — no surprise there.
Note the heat/air register above — it will remain in place. The fridge will sit to the right of it, not in front. After removing the trim and the granite, I unscrewed the pantry where it attached to the wall and to the adjacent wall-oven cabinet.
With some shimmying, we eased the pantry cabinet out of its recess. I pushed while Sherry pulled (and paused to take a few photos).
The floor hole confirmed that this half of the kitchen doesn’t have hardwood underneath — just underlayment and subfloor. Charming.
Once the pantry was out, we unplugged and rolled the fridge to its new home. Sherry gave it a serious push (and she wants you to know she’s not pregnant — just a blousy sweater in the photo).
With the pantry back in its new spot, I screwed it to the wall and into the adjacent cabinet so it could be restocked. Running a water line to the relocated fridge is simple; DIY kits from home centers make it straightforward (we did this in our previous house when we moved the fridge across the room).
Here’s the room tidied up. A few things to note:
- The existing white fridge sticks out too much, but our new counter-depth model is about six inches less deep.
- The shallower unit will be shifted slightly to the right, away from the door behind it, so it will feel less cramped.
- The tall cabinet beside the fridge will be replaced with a regular-height base cabinet so that side won’t feel like a heavy armoire.
The swap gains us about six inches between the peninsula corner and the former-fridge-now-pantry. Since the walking space was already comfortable, we’ll extend the peninsula by roughly three inches — so we get a slightly larger walkway and a slightly larger peninsula.
Visually the pantry now feels less intrusive because it sits flush with the surrounding cabinets. Once painted white, it will look even lighter and more integrated.
The other side of the kitchen looks rougher for now because of exposed paneling, but that’s an easy fix with primer and paint. When the shallower fridge is built in and shifted a few inches to the right after the wall oven cabinet is removed, the area will feel much more open and functional. It’s also more convenient: I can reach it from the sink with a one-foot pivot instead of awkward sidesteps. The work triangle will finally be a triangle.
Best of all, once we open up the wall to the dining room, you won’t see a big stainless fridge as soon as you walk in the front door. The tall cabinet to the right of the pantry looks oversized now, but it will be adapted as part of this remodel.
To clarify the plan, I used Google SketchUp to render the kitchen as it was originally (excluding the peninsula and dining doorway we’d already added):
And here’s the layout after the planned switches:
Summary of changes:
- Pantry and refrigerator switch places.
- Cooktop and its base cabinet will be replaced with a range.
- Wall oven and its cabinet will be removed and replaced with the base cabinet from under the cooktop to reduce visual weight on that side.
- Over-the-range microwave will move to a built-in spot over the countertop next to the pantry.
- An exposed vent hood will replace the current low microwave/cabinet setup (which isn’t to code).
- A wall of cabinets will be converted to open shelving for a lighter look, balanced by the peninsula’s concealed storage.
- We have a fun backsplash idea that we’ll share with inspiration images soon.
- Dishwasher stays in its current location.
Another before view:
And the planned after:
What we’ll gain:
- A better, more functional work triangle.
- Lower appliance costs — choosing a range avoided the extra expense of separate wall oven and cooktop units.
- A more open, balanced feel with fewer bulky cabinets surrounding the space.
- More clearance between the peninsula and the room perimeter.
- Extra usable counter space from removing the wall oven cabinet.
- Visual balance with one tall element on each side of the room: fridge on the right, pantry on the left.
- No immediate view of the fridge from the front door.
It’s a lot to take in, but we’ll keep you posted. Next up: appliance delivery, building in the shallower fridge, and installing the dishwasher, microwave, and range — which will require removing a counter and a base cabinet to make room. Anyone else moved cabinets or appliances to improve function and style? We’d love to hear your experiences.