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 cooking time depend on its placement. And the size of the unit is so large that somehow plan a place and the way 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 of placing a refrigerator in the kitchen
1. The refrigerator should not “break” the working triangle.
The main principle that should be followed when choosing a place for a refrigerator is the working triangle rule, which we have already mentioned.
The work triangle is the area of most activity in the kitchen, which includes three peaks: a storage area( refrigerator and a 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 violate this rule, putting the fridge too far from the sink and the stove, the triangle will break and the cook will have to continually run around with his hands and groceries while cooking / serving, spending time and effort.
Variants of constructing a working triangle with basic types of kitchen layouts
Of course, in practice, it is not always possible to observe the rule of the working triangle in kitchen planning, however you should strive for this.
- From this point of view, the kitchen set should be built in a L-shaped, U-shaped or in two rows as shown in the photo below.
Example of a convenient location of the refrigerator in the corner kitchen
Example of a convenient location of the refrigerator in the U-shaped kitchen
With a two-row kitchen layout, the stove and the sink are on the same side, and the refrigerator and possibly the oven and microwave are on the opposite side of the
the refrigerator is in the same row with the stove and the sink will be the most uncomfortable. However, the exception is very small kitchens( see photo below), in which the distances between work points will not be large.
Kitchen in a Khrushchev-style linear layout
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2. The most inconvenient options for placing a refrigerator are. ..
- Placing in the same row as the stove and the 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);
- Placement of the unit is too far from the entrance door and the dining table( in this situation, the products will have to be carried for too long);
- Placement of a refrigerator at the dining table( see photo), bar counter or island table.
Kitchen with an inconvenient arrangement of the refrigerator
3. It is preferable to place the refrigerator closer to the sink, and not to the stove
products - we approach the sink to wash the products / dishes / hands - we approach the plate to prepare 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.
Refrigerator next to the
sink If your refrigerator can stand only to the right or left of the stove, keep in mind that the distance between appliances should be at least 15-20 cm.
Example of proper placement of the refrigerator next to the
4 stove. Convenientplaces 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.
Refrigerator in the corner of the kitchen
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 a refrigerator can be entered into a niche formed when moving 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 to small kitchens in Khrushchev and some other typical houses.
Refrigerator in a niche in the redeveloped kitchen in the Khrushchev
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. The built-in refrigerator saves precious centimeters and allows you to create uniformity of all kitchen surfaces, due to which the space is visually easier and larger, and the interior seems neat.
Built-in refrigerator in a small kitchen in the Khrushchev
Built-in refrigerator disguised as an
dresser. In addition, the built-in appliances are 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 for kitchens decorated in the classic, rustic and ethnic style.
Built-in refrigerator in the interior of the kitchen in a classic style in the stalinka
See also: How to embed an ordinary refrigerator in the
8 set. For a small kitchen, you should choose the compact models
For example, a narrow but tall model( only 40-55 cm wide and up to 180 mm widecm), mini-fridge that can be put / built under the countertop or just a small volume unit( for example, a volume of 120 l).
- And of course, it is desirable that the refrigerator in the small kitchen be built.
Below are the photo-examples of technology in mini format.
A small refrigerator integrated under the oven
A small kitchen with a small refrigerator
A small freestanding refrigerator by the window
A refrigerator built under the countertop
It is as easy to install a mini-refrigerator under the counter as, say, a washing machine, a large dishwasher or a 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 small that you have to sacrifice the refrigerator. 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.
Refrigerator in the hallway
Refrigerator in the living room adjacent to the kitchen
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Example of placing the built-in refrigerator in the living room combined with the kitchen and corridor -
Example of placing the built-in refrigerator in the living room combined with the kitchen and corridor
Can you put the refrigerator on 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, a model with the No frost system, or a refrigerator with a non-standard climate class. Of course, in this case, the temperature and humidity levels 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. You can equip an
storage area above a stand-alone refrigerator. For example, There can be a hinged shelf or just a nice basket / box for storing small items that are not used too often. Here are some photo examples of how this can be done.
Semi-built-in refrigerator with a closet
It is also convenient to put a microwave on a low refrigerator.
Microwave on the refrigerator in a small kitchen in the Khrushchev
11. The interior of the kitchen looks good neighborhood cupboard with a built-in fridge, oven and microwave
Can I install the refrigerator next to the oven? You can, if you choose an oven with a cooling body. Additional protection of the refrigerator against heat will be created by the walls of the headset frame, the thickness of which, as a rule, is about 3 cm.
A block of column cabinets with a built-in refrigerator, oven and microwave in the interior of the kitchen-studio
12. The stand-alone refrigerator will look lessit is cumbersome if it matches in color with the wall or the
headset. In the tone of the wall, it visually seems to be a part of it and seems to sink into it.
Also overall equipment will look less massive if it matches in color with the fronts of the kitchen set.
Large side by side refrigerator in the interior of the kitchen
13. Sometimes the refrigerator can play the role of the main accent in the interior of the
. For example, the SMEG colored refrigerators always perform not only a practical but also an aesthetic function.
SMEG Refrigerator in the interior of a small kitchen in the Khrushchev
However, an ordinary white or silver refrigerator can be turned into a bright accent. To do this, its doors and walls can be:
- Decorate with film with photo printing( film with a print is applied to the door with a hair dryer with hot air) or magnetic vinyl( vinyl with photo printing is simply magnetised to the door).
- Tape with chalk wallpaper or paint with slate paint, and then paint with crayons.
- Decorate with vinyl stickers.
- Paint with acrylic paints( the surface must be sanded and coated with a primer).
- Decorate with decoupage technique.
Decoupage Refrigerator Decor
- Painted in a bright color to match the walls or headset.
For more information, see the materials: 8 ways to decorate a refrigerator and Making fridge magnets( and not only) from improvised, waste and natural materials.
The main thing is that the design of the refrigerator echoes color and style with other elements of the interior, such as curtains, apronor fronts headset. It is also important to understand that the "designer" refrigerator involves a discreet kitchen interior, without an abundance of colorful and elegant details.
Read also:
- 10 criteria for choosing a refrigerator that you need to knowbefore buying
- 4 stages of choosing an embedded refrigerator and the nuances of installing it
- Extract to the kitchen - what you need to pay attention to when buying
- Design, zoning and decorating the kitchen studio
- All the nuances of choosing a gas hob
- As assystvovat window in kitchen design
- Construction and design of the kitchen without windows
