From our first kitchen project we learned that building in the refrigerator instantly makes a space feel more finished and custom. Our fridge, however, was doing the opposite—looking very much like an afterthought—so we decided to create built-in sides and a top cabinet to give it a polished, cohesive look.

We started with a budget-friendly 12″ tall, 36″ wide cabinet we found at Habitat For Humanity ReStore for $19. The cabinet’s width matched the fridge perfectly. Once we removed the mismatched doors (we plan to retrofit matching doors later), the cabinet began to look like a useful piece to sit on top of the refrigerator and tie the appliance into the surrounding cabinetry.

For the side panels, I bought two 4′ x 8′ sheets of plywood recommended by the Lowe’s associate for cabinet work—the same type commonly used by professional installers. They cut the plywood to size in the store, which saved a lot of time. The cut pieces were still too large for our car, so I rented a $19 truck from Lowe’s to transport the materials. Between the truck rental, the plywood, and a few 1×2″ pine trim boards, the total cost for the build materials came to about $90. The inexpensive ReStore cabinet helped keep the overall cost low.

The pine trim was used to give the front edges a more finished, substantial appearance. I used my Kreg jig to drill pocket holes along one edge of each plywood panel to securely attach the trim. After drilling, I sanded both sides of the plywood to ensure a smooth finish, and I sanded the front of the cabinet too so it’s ready for primer and paint when we’re ready to finish the rest of the kitchen cabinetry.

Once the trim was clamped and screwed on, I trimmed and adjusted the pieces until they were flush. With experience, I’ve learned to plan ahead: occasionally drilling an extra hole to accept a Kreg clamp makes the assembly much easier, especially when working alone.

Because we wanted the cabinet face to sit flush with the trim and needed the overall opening to be slightly wider than the fridge, I added filler pieces—scrap wood placed at the front and back of the cabinet interior—to fine-tune the fit. These internal shims aren’t visible once the unit is installed, but they ensured the cabinet would seat properly and stay level. I also added a small wooden shim to guarantee the cabinet sat perfectly straight.

We waited to assemble and attach the cabinet until the pieces were already inside the house; maneuvering the assembled unit through doors would have been impractical. In the kitchen, we attached one side to the cabinet and used a camera tripod as a temporary support to hold the second side while we secured everything together. We repeatedly checked that the whole structure was square and level before finalizing the screws.

To reinforce the unit from front to back and to provide a solid mounting point, we fastened a spare board across the back before raising the cabinet into position. This back board later became the point we drilled through to anchor the whole assembly to the wall—an important safety step so the cabinet couldn’t tip forward. A similar plank across the bottom helped keep things square and also allowed us to fasten the piece to the wall once it was slid over the fridge.

After lifting the built-in unit upright and sliding it into place over the refrigerator (we temporarily removed the bottom support to slide it on like a slipcover), the transformation was immediately noticeable. The side panels conceal the black sides of the fridge, leaving only the stainless steel front and a sliver of stainless door edge visible. The result is a much cleaner, more integrated look compared to the previous setup, and the built-in top cabinet will provide a flush-front aesthetic once we replace or refinish the doors.

There’s still more work to do: priming and painting the new panels, priming and painting the wall paneling behind the fridge, adding matching doors to the cabinet, and installing molding around the top and bottom. But this project was a major step toward making the kitchen feel cohesive and thoughtfully designed.

Next up is finalizing the peninsula layout—we still need one more cabinet to complete that area—so we can determine the placement of the large eight-foot opening to the dining room. We’ll be hiring a pro to open that wall, which we hope to begin soon. It’s an exciting and somewhat nerve-wracking phase, but we’ll keep moving forward and share updates as things progress.

Psst—We’re over on BabyCenter sharing how we organize and store Clara’s outgrown clothes. We’d love to hear your storage tips too.