A refrigerator is one of the most important and necessary purchases in any household. At the same time, modern manufacturers offer a huge number of models and options for such a useful kitchen device - from tiny refrigerators, which will only include a few fresh fruits, cheese and a bottle of wine, to wonderful and convenient Side by Side appliances - two-door hinged beauties that can decorate any room. kitchen.
However, before purchasing the model you like, you should definitely decide whether the unit you like will fit into the existing room and how well it will fit into the space. Let's look at the basic requirements for the location of the refrigerator and where it is better to place such an important device if there are several places for its installation.
Basic rules for placing a refrigerator in the kitchen
In fact, there are not so many rules for installing a refrigerator, but following them will extend the life of the device and reduce the likelihood of its breakdown. At the same time, please note that our article will focus exclusively on free-standing refrigerators - they are subject to fairly strict requirements regarding placement.
There are practically no requirements for built-in models, since such devices initially require installation in a specialized cabinet, which will simultaneously perform both a decorative and protective function.
So, what is the popular device designed to keep food cool and fresh “afraid of”?
Proximity to heat sources
Alas, the principle of operation of the refrigerator involves the creation of cold temperatures inside the device due to (including) some heating of the surrounding air outside. Accordingly, placing the refrigerator in close proximity to the radiator or stove will not only prevent the high-quality dispersion of hot air, but will also create additional heating of the outer walls of the device, which will clearly not benefit its long-term and reliable operation.
Important! No matter how small the kitchen space is, try to place cabinets, tables or other pieces of furniture at least 20-30 cm wide between the refrigerator and such serious heat sources as a stove or radiator - this will significantly increase the life of kitchen appliances.
Tight fit
No pieces of furniture should be pressed too tightly against the refrigerator. The minimum permissible gap on the side walls of the device is 2–3 cm. The same requirement applies to the proximity of the device to a wall or window. In this case, you should maintain a decent distance between the back wall of the refrigerator and the kitchen wall. So, for modern models the minimum size of free space “at the back” is the same 2–3 cm, and for refrigerators with a radiator - 10 cm or more. This is also required for high-quality heat removal from the operating device.
Sun rays
As a rule, the front surface and doors of the refrigerator are well insulated, so exposure to direct sunlight for any, even long, period of time will not damage the appliance. The same cannot be said about the side walls of the device, where such insulation is usually not used, and solar heating is quite capable of causing malfunctions and rapid breakdown of the unit.
Therefore, if you plan to place the refrigerator in such a way that its side walls will be exposed to sunlight, you should take care of their additional protection.
Important! If you plan to place the refrigerator near a window, then the required gap between the wall of the appliance and the wall of the room should be 10 cm or more. This will not only prevent overheating of the refrigerator, but will also make it possible to open its door completely by 90 degrees or more. At the same time, kitchen curtains and drapes can be moved into the resulting gap between the wall and the appliance without creasing them, which will make the kitchen more cozy and comfortable.
Water
Many housewives prefer to place the refrigerator in close proximity to the sink, explaining this by ease of use: after all, meat or vegetables removed from the refrigerator can be immediately placed in the sink, without carrying them halfway across the kitchen.
Nevertheless, such a proximity also does not have a very favorable effect on the operation of the refrigeration chamber. Apart from the fact that electrical appliances, in principle, do not particularly like being near water, high humidity and splashes, which invariably occur when washing dishes, will quickly give the refrigerator an unsightly appearance and significantly reduce its operating potential. Therefore, it is worth remembering that the minimum recommended distance between the refrigerator and the sink should be 30 cm or more.
Other premises
In principle, placing a refrigerator in a room, corridor or even on an insulated loggia is not prohibited, provided that the requirements for ambient temperature and humidity specified in the instructions for the device are met. But still, installing a refrigerator away from the kitchen is recommended only if it is completely impossible to place it directly inside the room intended for cooking.
Important! As a rule, refrigerators presented on the Russian market operate fully at ambient temperatures from -5 to +30 °C. At lower temperatures, the refrigerator will simply fail and is unlikely to be repairable. But if the air temperature exceeds the maximum values for a long time, then it is worth considering “tropical” models of refrigerators, originally intended for use in very hot climates, which are not so widely represented on the Russian market, but are nevertheless found in the lines of manufacturers intended for southern regions. warm regions.
Freedom of access
One of the main rules is free access to the refrigerator and the ability to fully open the door. And this is precisely the rule that should not be neglected. Whatever the size of the kitchen, the number of steps between the refrigerator, table and work surface should not exceed 3-5, otherwise each trip to buy fresh food and back will be accompanied by slowly growing dissatisfaction from the non-ergonomic placement of the appliance.
And no matter how much you would like to gain at least another 5–10 cm of space, the refrigerator door must still open to the required 90 degrees or more, that is, the distance between the side wall of the refrigerator and the wall should allow its door to be fully opened.
How to make a cabinet for a built-in refrigerator
The design of the cabinet-case for the built-in refrigerator is extremely simple and straightforward. This is the same cabinet, with a bottom and adjustable legs, like the other floor modules of the lower row of the kitchen. And the remaining dimensions of the pencil case are determined by the drawings in the instructions supplied with the refrigerator. Often in modular kitchens such as Ikea and Leroy, ready-made modules of pencil cases for built-in refrigerators are provided. They are designed to fit most models and can easily be adapted to others. Before purchasing, make sure your refrigerator model is one of them.
Cabinet dimensions for built-in refrigerator
As a rule, the entire “built-in” kitchen appliances are designed for the depth of standard modules – 550-560mm. Built-in refrigerators are no exception. They are also designed for cabinet depths of 560mm, and when designing, you can align the front part of the cabinet with the rest of the kitchen unit modules.
The width of the cabinet for a built-in refrigerator is about 600mm. The internal size is important here (minimum 560-570mm for most models), and the external size is determined by the thickness of the body material and standards for facades, if any.
For example, in the line of standard facades there may be a door option with a width of 596 mm, but manufacturing a non-standard size will cost 10-20% more. In this case, they try to use a budget option for equipping the kitchen.
Recently, the so-called Gola profile has become popular in the design of kitchen furniture without handles. The first ones are applied to the facade, and the second ones are built into the body of kitchen cabinets and wall cabinets. Pencil cases are characterized by a vertical arrangement of Gola-type handles - which means that the width of the cabinet for a built-in refrigerator will increase by the width of the profile handle. With overhead profile handles in a horizontal design, it is important to correctly calculate the height of the facades for correct opening.
The internal design of the cabinet for a built-in refrigerator must provide for self-cooling of the operating unit due to air circulation. The installation diagrams indicate the necessary gaps and cuts in the housing for this. When designing a pencil case, they must be observed.
You can use a special tray with ventilation holes as the bottom for the cabinet under the refrigerator. It will cost a little more. Also on sale of kitchen components there are special ventilation grilles for decorating the base of the refrigerator.
The most common are two cabinet designs for built-in refrigerators. How to install a refrigerator in a cabinet is largely determined by the installation diagram from the manufacturer:
- Do I need to raise the base to a height of 200mm and leave a gap for ventilation at the top?
- Or you can simply select a niche of the required size inside (1770x540x540).
The height of the cabinet can be any, as desired. Most often it is made level with the hanging of the upper kitchen cabinets, within 2000-2400mm from the floor level. As you can see in the drawing, there is no back wall of the cabinet for the built-in refrigerator.
Dimensions of fronts for a cabinet with a built-in refrigerator
Depending on the model, a built-in refrigerator may have one solid overlay door or two separate doors located one above the other.
Sometimes a solid facade is also placed on two doors, but this is inconvenient for further use.
When calculating the dimensions of facades for a built-in refrigerator, they also rely on data from the installation diagram of a specific model. Usually they try to align the lower facade in height with the rest of the facades of the floor cabinets. But if the kitchen countertop is raised to the level of 900-950mm, this is not always possible. But it is easy to “adjust” to the 850mm standard with a height of 720mm lower modules without legs. Thanks to this, the kitchen design looks holistic and harmonious.
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.
How best to “fit” a refrigerator into the kitchen interior
The housewife has the opportunity to purchase all household appliances decorated in the same style and shade in the case of a one-time, simultaneous purchase. Otherwise, choosing a suitable non-built-in refrigerator by design can be problematic. And it looks like something alien in the kitchen.
There is a way out - this is to decorate an ordinary refrigerator to match the interior of the kitchen.
Or add cabinets and shelves above it in the same design as the kitchen furniture.
But if possible, it is better to make a closed cabinet for the built-in refrigerator. Moreover, you can build in an ordinary refrigerator, the main thing is to follow all the manufacturer’s installation recommendations.
If the kitchen is small
Unfortunately, most Russian kitchens are of such dimensions that do not allow much design thought to be developed. In “Khrushchev”, “Brezhnev” and even in apartments “with improved layouts” the size of the kitchen usually does not exceed 5–8 square meters. m, which significantly reduces the number of options for placing kitchen appliances.
Where to install the refrigerator if the kitchen has exactly this area?
Let's look at the most popular options:
at the entrance - more than half of the owners of small kitchens choose this particular placement of the cooling unit, which allows the device to successfully fit into the working triangle “refrigerator - sink - stove” and easily attach a standard corner kitchen unit to it;
by the window - the second most common option, more typical for slightly larger kitchens, in which the distance between the window and the gas pipe or socket for the electric stove is more than 60–80 cm, sufficient to place a standard refrigerator there; in this case, you should still remember that it is inadmissible to be close to the stove - you should place at least a 30-centimeter cabinet between these devices;
outside the kitchen is also a frequently encountered principle of placing a refrigerator, which, as a rule, causes the greatest number of complaints from its owners, because the device makes noise, hums, sometimes turns on abruptly and makes strange sounds, especially frightening and unpleasant at night, and the indicators that Many modern devices are equipped, which also do little to contribute to a comfortable stay in sufficient proximity to the refrigerator;
in niches, pantries, cabinets, including those formed as a result of redevelopment - this is perhaps the most successful location of the refrigerator, which has only one rather big drawback - often such niches and cabinets have rather non-standard sizes, which greatly limits the choice of device model;
in work cabinets, at the bottom of the dining table - not the most popular way to place a refrigerator, which also requires certain dimensions of the device, however, when selecting a suitable model or purchasing a separate small refrigerator and a separate freezer, this method of placement can be considered almost ideal - after all, it is a necessary and useful unit , built into a set or under a window sill, does not take up a single centimeter of such necessary and important kitchen space.
We can also advise owners of small kitchens:
- First of all, consider compact models of refrigerators with a width of 40–50 cm and a height of 140–160 cm, which will allow better use of every centimeter of a small kitchen;
- give preference to built-in models of refrigerators, which will visually look like part of a kitchen unit and will allow you to wisely use the space above the appliance (and for some models, under it) for storing kitchen utensils and other accessories;
- do not clutter the kitchen with too large and multifunctional devices, since it is very uncomfortable to dine, and just be in a room where it is difficult to fit even two people.
Of course, a refrigerator is one of the most popular kitchen appliances, and therefore I want to choose an option that will be as functional as possible and at the same time will not make too big a hole in the family budget. However, when choosing a model, you should not forget that the main requirement is ease of use and the absence of discomfort associated with a device that is too bulky or poorly placed.
Think about it, perhaps you should still give preference to compact and small appliances: after all, in this case, such healthy fresh products will appear on your table more often, and being in an uncluttered kitchen will allow you to get true pleasure and satisfaction from sharing lunches and dinners with your beloved household members and pleasant people. interlocutors.
How to position a refrigerator: basic rules
The refrigerator should not “break” the working triangle
The essence of the so-called work triangle is quite simple: it is a visual combination of the main elements of the kitchen, such as the stove, sink and refrigerator. The cooking area, the washing area and the storage area are the main details on which a competent approach to ergonomics in the kitchen is based.
True, there are important nuances here. In different layout options, this triangle “folds” differently. In a linear layout, the third point can be a dining table, which can be used as an additional work surface. The same principle works in a kitchen with an island.
L-shaped and U-shaped kitchens allow you to place the work triangle in large spaces so that everything is within reach. In a parallel kitchen layout, it is advantageous to distribute the work triangle in this way: on one side there is a stove and a sink, on the other there is a refrigerator near the work surface.
Depending on the size of the kitchen and its layout, you need to find a place for the refrigerator in the working triangle.
Photo by ReRooms
Refrigerator as the main accent in the kitchen interior
Everything is simple here: choose a refrigerator of a contrasting color, but remember that acidic shades can begin to irritate you after a week. And you will either have to change the refrigerator for another one, or disguise the crazy colors with the help of decor. It’s not a fact that the result will please you.
Photo by ReRooms
You can create a storage area above a free-standing refrigerator
If the height of the refrigerator and the kitchen itself allows, arrange a shelf or small cabinet in this space. Firstly, there are no unnecessary storage systems. Secondly, this technique will help visually combine the refrigerator and kitchen unit.
Photo by ReRooms
It is better to place the refrigerator closer to the sink rather than to the stove
Do not shorten the life of your refrigerator by exposing it to heat from the stove. It’s better to wipe it down more often to prevent splashes, which, however, will not necessarily end up on its walls if a tidy housewife is busy in the kitchen.
Photo by ReRooms
For a small kitchen you should choose compact models
Explanations are unnecessary, you agree. Just remember this advice when you fall in love with a huge unit, forgetting that the developer allocated only five meters for your kitchen.
Photo by ReRooms
If possible, the refrigerator should be built into the unit
Built-ins have many great features, the main one being that they can be combined with kitchen cabinets. The set will hide a bulky refrigerator and give the kitchen a neater look. The ideal option is to place such modules behind cabinet doors.
Photo by ReRooms
The depth of the refrigerator must correspond to the depth of the cabinet
The outstanding features of your refrigerator will please the eye, but will hinder your ability to move around the kitchen.
Photo by ReRooms
The refrigerator can be fitted into the niche formed by moving the doorway
If the refrigerator can be put away in a secluded place in the kitchen, you should definitely do so. You will preserve the presentable appearance of the unit for a long time and protect it from dust.
Photo by ReRooms
Placing the refrigerator in the corner will save space
Most often, it is in the corner that the housewife places the refrigerator - a time-tested experience.
Photo by ReRooms
