When the kitchen is small, you want to make the most of all the available space. This is how furniture sets, tall narrow pencil cases and more appeared. Another good option is rightly considered to be a cabinet above the refrigerator.
The only question is what it will be like, and for what purposes it will be used.
There are actually a lot of options. Everything is limited only by your imagination.
Of course, the cabinet should be in harmony with the interior, not create a cluttering effect, and also provide the necessary practicality and convenience.
Advantages and disadvantages
When planning to make a cabinet above the refrigerator in the kitchen, it is worth taking into account what strengths and weaknesses such an interior solution may have.
Let's start with the advantages. Here are the main advantages:
- additional storage space;
- the ability to close an unsightly corner;
- wide choice of design options;
- additional element of interior design;
- not so difficult to do with your own hands;
- protection against accumulating dust on the refrigerator;
- the ability to unload the main drawers and shelves of the kitchen unit.
In the city of Moscow you will definitely find a lot of ready-made furniture designs, and you can also purchase a custom-made cabinet. Some even do it themselves.
Empty space can be filled with cabinets and shelves
The design has no significant disadvantages.
In fact, here are the following disadvantages:
- if there is a small gap between the cabinet and the refrigerator, wiping dust there will be problematic;
- If the refrigerator is high, it is difficult to get things;
- You may need to use a chair or stool to access contents.
It all depends on the specific situation.
Now let’s look separately at each option of how you can complement the kitchen interior with such an element as a cabinet above the refrigerator.
How to use the space above the refrigerator?
In a properly equipped small kitchen, every centimeter of space has its own functional purpose. And the space above the refrigerator is no exception.
Quite rarely, apartment owners think about the rational use of this space. But in vain, because it can turn out to be very practical. Let's look at five options for how you can use the space above the refrigerator.
Method No. 1 - household appliances
In the spacious area above the refrigerator you can place various household appliances . For example, here you can put a microwave oven, which is sometimes so difficult to fit into the interior of the kitchen. However, this option is suitable for you if you rarely use a microwave oven and do not have a tall refrigerator. Otherwise, using the microwave oven will be extremely inconvenient.
It is more rational to fill this niche with a small TV. Of course, if the TV is placed on a high refrigerator, watching it will not be very convenient. However, in a small kitchen it is sometimes simply impossible to find another place for the TV, so this option for placing the TV in the kitchen is quite common.
You can also store large equipment such as a bread machine or multicooker on the refrigerator. However, you will have to remove it every time you use it, which is not very convenient if you use it often.
Method number 2 - storing wine
Sometimes a wine collection takes up a lot of space and you have to allocate a shelf or even a separate cabinet for it. However, to free up space, it is enough to make a small organizer above the refrigerator that will compactly accommodate the entire collection.
Method number 3 - culinary library
Most housewives use many cookbooks when preparing food, which require a lot of space. If you don’t want to fill your already filled drawers and cabinets with books, then you should pay attention to the refrigerator. As a rule, there is space between the “cold factory” and the ceiling, which will allow you to place a culinary library.
Classic wall cabinet
You will need to make or order a small cabinet box. Preferably with closing doors.
If you plan to store a lot of things in the locker, it is better to make it a closed type. This will get rid of the effect of chaos and mess.
The most popular option.
The main thing is that the furniture itself above the refrigerator matches the interior design of the kitchen and also blends beautifully with it.
Continuation of the kitchen set
A good option if you are only planning a kitchen renovation, but already have a new refrigerator.
The point is to order a set with an upper cabinet that will be located above the household appliances. The integrity of the interior is maintained, and nothing stands out from the overall picture.
The cabinet above the refrigerator as a continuation of the set
There is a closet, but it remains as invisible as possible.
If the kitchen is large
A large kitchen is the dream of any housewife, because its large size allows you to realize all your kitchen ideas and use the maximum number of stylish and useful kitchen items.
Placing a refrigerator in a large kitchen has virtually no barriers, because it can be installed:
traditionally - in one of the corners, in which there are no radiators - such placement is not only familiar and convenient, but also meets the requirements for the ergonomics of the room, the convenience of being in it and even the instructions of Feng Shui, since it visually makes the kitchen “softer” and “rounder” ;
centralized - the design idea is quite capable of making this device the center of the entire kitchen, especially if the refrigerator itself has significant dimensions and rich functionality, such as, for example, a TV screen built into the front panel or buttons and compartments placed on the doors for serving drinks from the cooling chambers; in this case, the rest of the kitchen set is built around this device and matched to its “style”;
individually - if the room allows, then the refrigerator should be allocated its own individual part of the territory, not in contact with other kitchen appliances or kitchen furniture; at the same time, you can create a stylish and interesting design of wallpaper or wall coverings, against which the refrigeration unit will be placed.
Refrigerator cabinet with top level
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You can make or order a cabinet for the refrigerator. In this case, there will be another level on top. Or even several shelves.
The locker can be accessed in different ways. This may be one common opening door. Or several separate facades that open on hinges.
A built-in refrigerator with a cabinet on top adds practicality to the kitchen
A practical solution would be to make 3 levels of opening sashes:
- lower at the level of the freezer;
- medium for the main refrigerator door;
- top for a cabinet above household appliances.
The cabinet can be divided into several sections
But in this case, the design must be precisely designed for a specific refrigerator, its height and other parameters.
In other words, if you decide to replace the refrigerator, its dimensions should be similar.
There is another solution. This is a refrigerator in a niche in the kitchen, on top of which there can be an open or closed cabinet. Also practical and interesting.
What determines the choice of refrigerator
Basic criteria for choosing a refrigerator for the kitchen:
- taking into account dimensions;
- volume of a household appliance;
- unit design.
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When choosing a refrigerator, you need to imagine where you will put it. Will it fit in the width of the space allocated for it? What height should it be to fit the refrigerator into the kitchen unit or to place shelves or storage on top? Large-capacity chambers are useful if you expect to cook once a week and buy food for several days in advance.
The location of the freezer is also important, which can be either at the bottom of the unit or at the top. Will you be able to reach the top chamber comfortably? How about leaning towards the bottom? No? This means there should be a freezer compartment, which we use less often. Or maybe it’s better to choose separate refrigerators and freezers?
We can talk endlessly about the design of the refrigerator. Retro refrigerators, popular for many years, require special conditions: they fit well with loft, minimalism, Scandinavian styles and will not fit into high-tech or modernism. Huge swinging metal monsters will not go well with a classic interior. Separately, we are talking about color models that are suitable for almost any kitchen.
Photo by ReRooms
Open wall cabinet
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It's actually a shelf. It can have one or 2-3 levels. Depends on how much gap remains between the appliances and the ceiling, as well as what you plan to store there.
For small things you can organize 2-3 levels. If the items are tall, then it is better to limit yourself to a single-level shelf or an open cabinet.
As an option, create a bookshelf to store culinary literature.
A simple but practical option - an open wall cabinet
Or the shelf can play a purely decorative role for placing vases, flowers, and other decorative elements for the kitchen.
Wine cabinet
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This is a bottle cabinet. For lovers of wine and other similar drinks.
You can organize a hanging wine cabinet of an open or closed type.
When storing wine, certain temperature conditions must be observed. Therefore, an open wine rack looks beautiful, but can lead to rapid spoilage of the product.
The wine shelves themselves can be very diverse. Choose what suits your kitchen.
The space above the refrigerator can be adapted for wine storage
Of course, you don’t have to build a cabinet above the refrigerator, but simply install a TV on top. But objectively this is already the last century.
It is not recommended to install heavy TVs on the lid of the refrigerator. This may cause damage to your household appliances.
More and more people are abandoning this idea. In addition, they are now producing modern, flat TVs, which are much more convenient and also more practical to install on a special bracket with a sliding and rotating mechanism.
