I kind A about a few things, but tidiness is not one of them. I’ve got friends and family members whose houses remain neat as a pin, however busy they are, and I would love to maintain the same virtue. However, the truth is I don’t arrange so much as relocate; little piles of clutter migrate from room to room like tumbleweeds. (It doesn’t help I have a 7-year-old who tends to deposit Lego sculptures, crayon stubs and the strange science experimentation in surprise spots around the home.)
Keeping this in mind, I can not imagine having a glass-front refrigerator, one of the rising trends on the kitchen appliance scene. A longtime staple of industrial kitchens, these fridges have crept into house kitchens, and they do have any design and practical advantages. However, I know myself and also the contents of my refrigerator will never be fantastic enough to put on screen. Devotees insist that perfection is not necessary — coordinated chaos will do. My insanity is not organized, however. It’s just chaotic.
Following is a peek at a few of the advantages and disadvantages of glass-front refrigerators. Do you have one? What do you like about it (or not)? Share your thoughts in the Remarks.
Beckwith Interiors
Pros of Glass-Door Refrigerators
A sense of openness. Like glass-front cabinetry, transparent refrigerator doors help to expand a kitchen visually and also alleviate the heaviness of a traditional solid-front model. They also can look more elegant than solid colors or even stainless steel, so adding to the upscale feel of a room, and they work particularly well with modern kitchens.
Clarke Appliance Showrooms
Extra screen area. Basically, having a glass fridge is similar to having a deep-chilled cupboard. Motivated homeowners are known to take advantage of the excess space to showcase collections of crockery and glassware, artfully filled with fruit, vegetables, beverages and other goods.
Frankly, it is easier if you don’t cook. But if you are ready, you can put in a little extra effort to coordinate storage containers and other contents to create a pleasing package.
Cornerstone Architects
Additional lighting. The inside glow of a glass-door fridge can help to brighten a dark corner or lackluster wall. Just pay attention to the throw — a cool blue LED light might look at odds with a warm-tone kitchen, for example. On many versions, you can change the light off or leave it all on.
Van Wicklen Design
Efficiency. One rationale glass refrigerators are a mainstay of restaurant kitchens is that cooks could stock supplies fast without having to open the doors and fumble around. The same is true for homeowners. If you maintain the contents clean, it is possible to see exactly what you need and what you are missing in a glance.
Extraordinary Works – Luxurious by EW Kitchens
Cons of Glass-Door Refrigerators
Transparency. If you are the kind to keep eggs in a French wire basket, apples in pretty ceramic dishes and Perrier bottles in precise rows, glass-door refrigerators put your national divadom on screen. If, instead, you’ve got leftovers in arbitrary plastic tubs and a collection of half-empty juice cartons, good luck with this. You don’t need to restrict your buying habits to manufacturers with the same color packaging, but you need to remember that nobody wants to stare in a jumbled mess.
If this sounds daunting but you are drawn to see-through doors anyhow, consider a compromise. Some designs can be found in frosted, ribbed or stained finishes that strike a balance between transparency and baring it all.
Erin Hoopes
Cleaning. Believe stainless steel is hard to keep clean? It has nothing on glass. Every smudge, fingerprint and splatter will reveal, so you ought to be diligent about stripping down the fridge door regularly. Remember, too, that inner shelves look best when they’re pristine, which requires extra elbow grease.
Kitchens & Baths Unlimited
Reduction of door storage. Those useful bins and cubbies on the door of most standard refrigerators are not a choice with glass. You will need to locate an alternate way to store butter, condiments and other staples. The upside: You will get a bit of shelf and drawer depth, since there aren’t any door shelves to consume up square footage.
Group3 Architects llc
Price. These versions include an eye-popping price tag. The least expensive ones begin about $1,500, but a few may cost $10,000 or more.
You might be tempted to save a little money by going for a industrial glass-front fridge rather than one designed for home use, but business versions have disadvantages — chiefly noise from their compressors.