Does this ruin my new kitchen?

[KitchenLayoutHelp]

We are moving into a new house, there was an integrated fridge freezer included that was too small for us, we already own an American fridge freezer we wanted to bring with us.

This isn't our kitchen, ours isn't finished yet but this is the same size and lay out. I have (badly) edited the kitchen like ours to show where our American fridge freezer is going and where the breakfast bar is being shortened to to allow extra room to pass by it.

It just looks a bit rubbish. I love how big open and bright the room looks in the first pic. I know we need to prioritise storage over looks but I'm worried it looks really bad and out of place. Does it?

Do you have a garage or utility OP? We have a smaller fridge and chest freezer in the garage giving us extra room.

I think it will be fine. You need to plan decoration and furniture to pull it in.

You could downsize it.

You could call the developers up tomorrow and say you've changed your mind, how do you order the new items.

Can you provide a floor plan of your kitchen. There may be somewhere else the fridge freezer can go that could work better.

American fridge freezers are often only bigger on the outside, if you compare the inside volume they're often not much bigger. It might not be too late to fit an integrated, as can probably be done post fitting. It would normally go in a standard size larder unit. So you could wait and see how the existing looks and if it's terrible you could look at getting integrated. You'd have to live with the shortened breakfast bar.

So you e asked a question but can't change the outcome... seems a bit pointless

I think it will be fine too.
May not be your perfect kitchen but you can only work with the space you have and utilise it, as best you can, to your lifestyle.
It will only drive you mad if you let it.
I'll swap you for my 35 year old kitchen OP😉

@Babypug

So you e asked a question but can't change the outcome... seems a bit pointless

Was hoping for reassurance I was over reacting I guess! But it does just look crap.

You’ll get used to it and love the space for food you have now

What are you putting down side of breakfast bar? Pinterest ideas for pulling it in.

@Icenii

What are you putting down side of breakfast bar? Pinterest ideas for pulling it in.

What do you mean pulling it in, sorry?

There will just be two barstools by breakfast bar

I think if you moved the peninsular units to where you put the fridge, then have the fridge at the end of the run on the right, you could fit everything in without needing extra units. Well maybe one end piece but nothing else.

No point having a tiny fridge that looks beautiful, though.

Practicality over aesthetics every time, in this house.

OP, it is going to look fine. You are panicking. With a family of 5 you absolutely need a big fridge and you have made a sensible, practical choice. As other posters have said, this photo is from the worst possible perspective.

If it was me, I would think about getting an attractive bookcase to go on 'this' side of it (i.e. the side away from the kitchen) to break it up a bit. You can keep your cookery books etc there, perhaps a couple of plants etc.

Don't let worrying about this spoil your lovely new house!

Op, where the piece of worktop is on the floor in the bottom right of your pic, could you not put fridge there butted up against breakfast bar and wall unit?

Blend it in with the metal of you stools etc.

I would put this fridge on the right next to cupboards. I would then see where to put the kitchen island. I would put it in the middle actually but facing the cupboards not the window.

I think it will be fine.

If it really can’t be changed then you may need to see what it feels like. It looks big but hard to tell from photos. From a practical standpoint can you open the fridge/freezer door properly and can you walk past the fridge? Can you open the cupboard nearest it on back wall?

I know nothing about fittings. In case really need to change to integrated could you ask them to put in suitable plugs so that bit is dealt with?

It also depends how you use the kitchen and what is on the other side. Is the rest of the room bright/airy? Will you spend much time

I think you'll feel fine once you're in there, a kitchen that didn't work for your family would be ten times more annoying than something possibly slightly less aesthetically pleasing.

If it can't be undone you need too think through the positives. You had good reasons for your decision so remind yourself of those.

Can’t the ‘breakfast bar’ be turned 90 degrees to extend the countertops against the wall already? Maybe not depending on space left and the cupboard designs but just another idea.
It doesn’t look too bad otherwise to be honest I don’t really pay attention to where the fridges are in anyone’s houses, but I’m thinking about it now..

How much space would there be between the fridge and island in real life?

Yep, bookcase or a tall beautiful plant, or have devil ivy trailing down etc. Think it will be nice actually.

@sofiaaaaaa

How much space would there be between the fridge and island in real life?

I can't remember exactly but the developers measured it out to decide the length the breakfast bar should be and said that it would be fully functional and the breakfast bar would still fit two stools. The line on my picture was just a guesstimate.

@Carolofthebellies

I would put this fridge on the right next to cupboards. I would then see where to put the kitchen island. I would put it in the middle actually but facing the cupboards not the window.

Actually this idea is better 😂

Fridge needs to be placed on the opposite side next to the kitchen island. I understand it's not possible to move the kitchen island.