Where to put a refrigerator in a small kitchen: 80 photo examples, the best placement options


Smooth surface

They manage to violate such a basic requirement. No rolls of paper placed underneath will help.

If the refrigerator wobbles even slightly, such a violation has a detrimental effect on the compressor. But it maintains the cold inside the chambers. Without the required temperature conditions, equipment wears out many times faster.

Keeping distance

We will talk about refrigerators that are not built into furniture. Such devices need their own “personal space” to protect them from overheating.

The size of the gaps depends on the model of the equipment: if there is a radiator at the back, the distance to the wall should be at least 10 cm. If there is no radiator, a 2 cm retreat on all sides will be enough.

How to design a small kitchen with a refrigerator

When arranging a small kitchen, you need to be guided, first of all, by the issue of convenience. You cannot buy bulky furniture that will clutter up an already cramped room.

In this case, only a linear or angular type of layout is ideal. To expand the space a little, you can combine the kitchen with a balcony.

Furniture for a small kitchen should be chosen depending on the style of the interior. For rooms whose interior is made in traditional styles, sets made of natural wood or chipboard are suitable.

The color of such furniture can be white, beige, or any pastel shades. When arranging a small kitchen in modern styles, you should pay attention to furniture made from lightweight synthetic materials.

An abundance of metal, glossy surfaces and glass is welcome - they help to visually increase the space.

As for household appliances, their choice depends only on the taste preferences of the owner of the kitchen. In any case, it is better to choose comfortable and practical models that fit perfectly into any style - this also applies to the refrigerator.

For modern and Provence interiors, retro-style household appliances are suitable; for other interiors, you can choose modern refrigerator options in white, light gray or metallic color.

In a classic interior, the refrigerator can simply be hidden behind the facade of the furniture. The ideal solution for a small kitchen would be a small built-in refrigerator.

Advice! The main rule that should be followed when planning a small kitchen is to abandon furniture that you can do without. There is no place for sideboards, chests of drawers, decorative bedside tables and numerous shelves - it would be better if such a necessary thing as a refrigerator takes their place.

The sun won't do any good

You should think about how to place the refrigerator in the kitchen in relation to the window. The door is well insulated, so the sun's rays will not penetrate through it.

But problems may arise with other parties. If the sun hits the sides of the device, especially in summer, the temperature regime will be disrupted. This should not be allowed if you do not want to cause increased wear and tear on the equipment.


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The same problem faces those who want to install a refrigerator on the loggia. In such a room, the device can only be installed if it is built-in or can withstand temperatures above thirty degrees.

Away from the stove and sink

If you see a photo of a refrigerator in the kitchen, standing next to the stove or sink, then this means you have a bad example to follow.

No matter how small the kitchen is, you can’t do this. The device will quickly become unusable. It will be “aged” not only by overheating, but also by adhering dirt. The surface of the refrigerator will become covered with greasy drops.

The proximity to a sink is also dangerous: as a source of high humidity, it can cause no less harm.

The exception is built-in refrigerators. They can be placed next to the same built-in oven.

Convenient location of the refrigerator

The kitchen has several zones involved in the food preparation process. The refrigerator, stove, and sink form the area where most activity occurs.

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Ideally, the zones should be equally spaced from each other, forming an isosceles triangle. There cannot be any objects inside it that impede free movement.

The comfort of the kitchen depends on compliance with the above rules. In practice, achieving an ideal working triangle is difficult, but every designer strives for this.

Basic rules for placement in a modern kitchen

The importance of the correct location of the refrigerator is determined by the fact that the kitchen is the most visited place in the house. Everything here should be extremely practical for every family member. The refrigerator must be installed so as not to disturb anyone, because its door is constantly opening and closing. There are usually no strict rules for installing a refrigerator, but there are several factors to consider:

  • The shape and size of your kitchen is a determining aspect;
  • The washing, processing and storage areas should be located at some distance from each other - depending on the layout of the kitchen and its square footage. meters;
  • Ceiling height;
  • Size and location of windows;
  • Availability of a balcony in the kitchen;
  • Is the kitchen a walk-through room?
  • The nearest outlet and so on.

You cannot install a refrigerator:

  • Near a stove or heating radiators - such placement leads to incorrect operation;
  • Near a window, because the refrigerator will heat up from direct sunlight directed at its body;
  • In a too humid room (more than 80%).

Advice: if you choose a stainless steel refrigerator, be sure to add similar elements to the interior, so the refrigerator will not be conspicuous, but will become part of the interior.


Refrigerator in the kitchen in Provence style


Refrigerator in the kitchen in a minimalist style

Without barriers

There should be no barricades such as tables, chairs or cabinets on the way to the refrigerator. This placement is unsafe and grossly violates the working triangle rule, interfering with the cooking process.

In addition, food storage should not interfere with access to its contents. When deciding where to place the refrigerator in the kitchen, you need to consider the location of the door.

It is necessary to make sure that the door does not have to be bypassed. It should open towards the nearest wall or window. In this case, you need to leave enough space for the door to open completely.

Basic rules for placing a refrigerator in the kitchen

  1. Position the refrigerator so that it fits harmoniously into the work triangle. This is the common name for work areas in the kitchen, intended for activities such as:
      storage (cabinets, refrigerator);
  2. processing (sink, dishwasher, cutting surfaces);
  3. cooking (oven, stove);
  4. Place the refrigerator further from the stove and closer to the sink or cutting surface. By following this rule, you will extend the life of the refrigerator and will not spoil its appearance due to temperature changes. In this case, the refrigerator may have to be wiped down more often due to contamination associated with cooking, but in this case it will last much longer.
  5. Choose a refrigerator according to the dimensions of the kitchen. If your kitchen space is small, you should not try to install a large refrigerator there. This will visually reduce the size of the room even more. If you need a spacious refrigerator, pay attention to narrow, but at the same time tall models. They will look more organic in such a kitchen.
  6. If you want to save space, place the refrigerator in the corner. This is a fairly common placement option, proven over the years.
  7. A refrigerator built into the set is an excellent modern solution. If you want to choose this option, then keep in mind that the depth of the refrigerator and the furniture must match.

Place to eat

You have to hold a heavy pot of soup with both hands. In order not to show miracles of acrobatics, you should place a cabinet or table near the refrigerator.

An additional work surface will be especially useful during the holidays. You won’t have to open the door many times and run back and forth.

Size matters

If the task is to organize space in a large kitchen, the designer has a huge number of options open to him.

You can install the refrigerator the old fashioned way, as a separate element, without hiding it in the interior. The device will also look good in a corner, following the rules of Feng Shui.

If size allows, the kitchen can generally be divided into separate zones. In addition, refrigerators are built into furniture or, in special cases, under the stairs, thereby blending harmoniously into the surrounding environment.

With the right layout, a refrigerator in a small kitchen will look just as good. There are interesting options for how to decorate a small space.

Where can you install a refrigerator in the kitchen?

There are a lot of options for where to place the refrigerator, but you should take into account some features and rules, which will be discussed below.

  1. For convenience, the device should be installed close to the area where food preparation occurs. This allows you to reduce the distance traveled during cooking, because... In the process, there is certainly a need to contact the device.
  2. The refrigerator should blend into the overall interior. This question is worth thinking about immediately before purchasing. Modern appliances are made not only in the classic white color; you can choose a solution to match the color of the kitchen. The new acquisition will be a continuation of the unified system, which looks quite nice.
  3. It is not recommended to place it next to the sink; it is advisable to move it at least 30 cm away. The ideal option is when this distance is 40-50 cm. It’s all about high humidity, which over time can harm the device.

In any case, the specific installation location depends on the size of the kitchen and the rules that the manufacturer recommends to adhere to.

If you have a large kitchen

For owners of a large kitchen, installing a refrigerator is much easier. You just need to choose a place that meets all the points of the manufacturer’s instructions, and at the same time take into account the recommendations given above.

Many designers recommend adhering to the working triangle rule. Its essence lies in the fact that in the kitchen area there are three

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functional places are:

  • washing sink – food and utensils processing area;
  • gas or electric stove – food preparation area;
  • refrigerator – food storage area.

These places are the vertices of an imaginary triangle and should be approximately the same distance from each other. The method is convenient to use in a large kitchen, where there is no need to save meters and centimeters. The distance can be chosen arbitrarily, but the most comfortable kitchen is considered to be one where the vertices of the triangle are located no closer than 1.2 m from each other and no further than 2.7 m.

In a small kitchen

A large refrigerator in a small kitchen always visually reduces the space. Where should the unit be moved so that it is installed according to the rules and does not interfere with household members?

Usually the unit is installed in a far corner: near a window or door. This way it won't be conspicuous. And to make it convenient, you can swap the fastenings on the doors. This way it will open in the right direction, and the adjacent wall will not interfere. Modern technology allows this.

Important! When placed in a corner, it is better to buy the narrowest and tallest model, in light colors.

If it is possible to combine the purchase of a refrigerator and a kitchen set, then for a small kitchen this is a big plus, since you can purchase or order furniture with a built-in appliance.

You should not try to build a refrigerator into furniture yourself; you should entrust this to professionals who will do the work, taking into account the size and design nuances of the kitchen unit. Otherwise, an incorrectly built-in device will quickly become unusable.

Balcony or loggia

Earlier in the article it was mentioned that placing a refrigerator on a loggia is not the best option. But if you combine two rooms without completely glazing the loggia, your idea can be brought to life.

The kitchen is also combined with ordinary rooms, borrowing this option from the design of studio apartments. This arrangement has the obvious advantage of reducing the distance between the refrigerator and the table.

Organization of a small kitchen with a refrigerator

The difficulty with placing a refrigerator in kitchens with small square footage is that even a medium-sized refrigerator will take up a lot of space in the room.

The set and furniture are best placed compactly. Light colors will visually make the kitchen more spacious.

The refrigerator, sink and stove are placed against one wall according to the linear layout principle. It is best to place the refrigerator near a door or window.

Built-in appliances are an excellent solution for compact kitchens.

Sliding doors

To fully open the door to the kitchen, you need enough free space that can be used in other ways.

To solve this problem, sliding doors are installed. The only downside is that dismantling is not always possible.

Unusual refrigerators

You can always find a refrigerator size that suits you. There are narrower or wall-mounted models. You can hide the refrigerator in the kitchen so that it becomes indistinguishable from the facade of other furniture.

In the category of non-standard devices there are separate modules. Two compact freezers can be placed inside the cabinet, creating a horizontal refrigerator.

Refrigerator color

Manufacturers are offering more and more technologically advanced and functional models with a variety of designs. Consumers choose a device based not only on its optimal parameters and options, but also on its harmonious integration into the interior.

Depending on the style of the room, household appliances are selected. A refrigerator in the kitchen can be an inconspicuous component or a kind of accent. It all depends on the chosen color scheme.

The simplest option

The refrigerator can be placed outside the kitchen. Not the most convenient solution, but it should be considered if there are no other options.

It is best if you can mount the device into a headset. The interior will only benefit from this. What’s more, cleaning will be much easier - it’s easier to wipe the built-in equipment from dust, because only one side remains visible. Thus, a built-in refrigerator in the kitchen becomes the best option.

A few more solutions for a small kitchen (Khrushchev, studio kitchen, etc.)

Sometimes owners of a small kitchen place refrigerators in other rooms, but if this is not possible, you should try these options:

  • Order in advance (or change the existing) kitchen set with a niche for the refrigerator;
  • Give up the stove, replacing it with a multicooker/steamer/microwave;
  • Replace a conventional stove with a built-in one, and install a refrigerator in its place;
  • Instead of a regular refrigerator, buy a tabletop one (mini-fridge 50-60 cm) and place it under the table;
  • The above corner solution.

From all the above tips, we can conclude that placing a refrigerator in the kitchen is not the easiest thing.
Of course, there is no one general instruction for everyone, so try to balance all parameters as best as possible, take into account the aesthetic characteristics of objects, consult with specialists and rely on the experience of professionals. Built-in refrigerator in a glossy kitchen


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