Three Intelligent Methods to Add Storage Round a Fridge | Thrifty Decor Chick

I like discovering good methods so as to add storage round the home, particularly within the
kitchen! I actually take pleasure in determining methods to make higher use of an
underutilized spot.  

One of many first DIY initiatives I labored on in our previous kitchen was including a
DIY enclosure across the fridge. This makeover will go a lengthy technique to
making a kitchen really feel extra customized and up to date. 

PLUS, there are such a lot of methods so as to add storage while you “construct in” a fridge!
I am sharing the methods I’ve carried out simply that. 

1. Add or lengthen the cupboard above a fridge. 

In case your fridge does not have any cabinetry, including a cupboard on the high will
go an extended technique to updating it. 

In our final kitchen, we already had a cupboard above but it surely was the identical
depth as the remainder of the cupboards: 

Not tremendous helpful when you need to climb on high of the fridge to get to it!
Ha!

As you possibly can see, I used to be capable of transfer the unique cupboard doorways to the one I
constructed. 

Should you bought your cupboards from an enormous field retailer, you could possibly discover
matching aspect panels to match. 

If not, use a 4×8 foot wooden panel reduce in half to create your individual! (This can
all the time be cheaper than shopping for the “matching” panels.)

2. What to do with the area above the fridge?

Should you add a cupboard above, congrats — you’ve some new space for storing! 🙂

These organizers are expandable, so you possibly can stretch them for larger pans, or shut it up for skinny boards. You possibly can nonetheless discover them at IKEA, however this expandable option is comparable. 

In our present kitchenette, we used a sheet of plywood for the aspect panels:

I saved greater than $100 through the use of this as an alternative of the completed panels
that match the cabinetry. 

We bought a aspect by aspect fridge for this spot (they’re SO a lot
cheaper than the French door choices!) and after it was put in, we
had a superb ten inches of open area between the highest and the cupboard
above.

I knew I may make that area helpful, so I began by nailing some
scrap wooden into the perimeters as assist strips: 

After which I reduce down some wooden that match beneath these helps to shut it
off and create a shelf. 

My authentic plan was so as to add a chunk of wooden on the entrance that we may
flip up and entry the within of our new shelf. However I could not determine
out the proper hinges to make it work. 

So I went again to my scrap pile and determined to complete if off by making a
field I may slide in to cowl all of the ugly elements (you can see the
{hardware} beneath the cupboard and the helps I had simply put in). 

I nailed in a pair extra scrap elements to alongside the again and sides to
connect my new insert to: 

I painted the field earlier than sliding it in and nailing, after which trimmed out
the entrance to cowl the tough edges. 

Now that awkward area not solely appears higher, however is a helpful spot!:

I nonetheless must fill in some gaps across the trim, however this little
element is sort of carried out!

3. Add fairly storage to the aspect of the fridge. 

That is one in all my all time favourite kitchen DIY initiatives!

Enclosing the fridge creates a wall if it is open on one aspect…and
after dwelling with ours for a pair years, I wished to make the most of that vacant
vertical area. 

I LOVE this wall now! It is such a candy little element in our kitchen, and
it is USEFUL. I like when kind and performance meet up so fantastically!

I created little cabinets with leather-based strips to maintain the reducing boards from
falling. For slightly ornamental element, I hung scrap wooden on the again for a
shiplap look, however you too can use beadboard, wallpaper, an accent
coloration…no matter! 

On the basement enclosure, I had that very same empty wall that was calling out
for one thing. I grabbed a pile of fairly reducing boards I’ve had in
our storage room and selected a technique to show them. 

By the way in which…sure I’ve too many reducing boards. I KNOW. 😂 However we all the time
seize one for entertaining or once we’re having snacks and watching
TV. 

I drilled pilot holes into the wooden panel, then screwed the knobs in. 

They’re tremendous safe and maintain all of our reducing boards: 

I like the brass element! 

The wooden tone appears nice in opposition to that grey, and it ties in properly with the
new flooring (that I nonetheless want to point out you!) and the wooden accents on our
leisure heart: