Class up Your Kitchen Design with Column Refrigeration

Professional Setup in Your Home Kitchen

When it comes to the kitchen, you don’t want to sacrifice style for function. Professional kitchens have slightly larger refrigerators, freezers, and other options that might not fit as easily into a home kitchen. That shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the perks of professional kitchens, however. Consistent refrigeration performance and the built in appearance are easily within reach. Column refrigeration allows you to bring home the best parts of professional refrigerators, without the bulky size or the hefty price tag.

What Is Column Refrigeration?

For a seamlessly designed kitchen, the refrigerator and freezer must blend - if not disappear - into the rest of the room. With the average residential kitchen combination, however, the doors may be the wrong shade, and they may jut out into the walking areas of the room, even with built-in appliances. They are instantly recognizable, which can force the refrigerator to become the focal-point, distracting from the other design elements in the room. What seems like a basic convenience can also be a bulky box that presents awkward design challenges.

That’s where column refrigeration comes in.

A column refrigerator or a column freezer are slim, custom ways to personalize the overall performance of your kitchen. Column refrigeration is designed to blend in with the cabinetry and provide dedicated refrigerator space in the section of the kitchen where it will be most useful. They can range in cooling temperatures, from refrigeration to freezing, and even offer wine and beverage coolers, with or without glass viewing panels on the doors. They offer the advantage and the appearance of an entirely custom, personalized, and professional kitchen to any home.

Column refrigeration has forward facing exhaust vents and can be installed snuggly in between cabinets or next to other column appliances. The doors can be paneled to match the surrounding cupboards and cabinets, and many models are specifically sized so that the doors do not take up extra space into the kitchen walkways. They can be stacked side by side, or tucked away individually on opposite sides of the kitchen, wherever they best serve your family’s cooking style.

Choose from a variety of widths and depths, from 18” to 24” to 36”, to best accommodate your family’s space needs and panel-ready to match your style. If you need a little more refrigeration space than freezer capacity, place two column refrigerators beside each other and only a single freezer, or vice versa. And nothing adds that professional touch like a column refrigerator dedicated to keeping your wine collection on beautiful display, at a consistent temperature in a low-vibration environment.

Versatile Function and Design

A key distinction between column refrigeration appliances and other built-in appliances is that column refrigeration is focused on providing the customized space for a specific function. Most units will be all-refrigeration, or all-freezer, rather than an over-under style refrigerator and freezer combination. They provide optimal temperature and humidity ranges and optimize the cubic-feet for consistent food storage. Even that single function still allows for a range of styles to fit in with any custom room layout.

• Stand alone, or freestanding units can be used side by side with a few inches space in between, or individually, between cabinets and countertops or otherwise.
• Built-in appliances have the venting and exhaust systems to allow the appliances to be tucked flush inside and against a cabinetry framework. The swing of the doors and hinges can be customized to be hidden within the cabinet frame and completely invisible.
• Dual-installation models are designed to be arranged alongside another column refrigeration unit, in a snug space placing them with a gap of 2” or less. The appliances generate heat and moisture, and a dual-installation kit helps to prevent moisture build-up between the units.

Many models have panel-ready fronts that allow them to be fitted with veneers to match the cabinets and walls around them. Another available look is a glass-front panel door, common on wine coolers to display the racks and contents inside. These are sealed and designed to prevent cold air loss for energy efficiency.

The door panels themselves can be found in different styles.

• Single door panels open either by swinging from the right or left to cover the entire opening.
• Side-by-side designs are achieved by pairing two single-door column units next to each other.
• French doors are two narrow doors that meet in the middle to cover half of a single unit’s storage space at a time.

For instance, matching a 30” freezer column with a 36” refrigerator column will combine to provide a full 66” of refrigeration space in a side-by-side door configuration, while taking up the space of a 72” refrigeration unit. The door hinges can be hidden in the framing, and the refrigeration unit can disappear into a wall of cabinets. There are different ways to install the column refrigeration models to achieve different looks, every one of them unique to your own kitchen layout, uses, and design plans.

Column Refrigeration Benefits and Features

Aside from the obvious design freedom offered by column refrigeration, these premium appliances are packed with extras to make your kitchen life so much easier.

Save Money

The energy bill will appreciate the slimmer profile and dedicated functions of column refrigeration. The design is energy efficient, and having each appliance dedicated to one temperature range means less variance when the doors are opened for browsing. Look for the EnergyStar rating and be sure you’re getting the best deal on energy savings.

Zoned Climate Control

Each refrigerator shelf, basket, or drawer is used for different types of food requiring different conditions. A crisper drawer adds extra humidity control, but some models and brands feature exposed air towers to amplify the versatility between shelves. Precision sensors help regulate every zone to keep food at the freshest, most consistent temperature.

Specialized Interiors

The inside walls and shelving are just as important as the exterior appearance. You don’t want an interior surrounding environment that makes fresh food look wilted and inedible. From stainless steel interiors to brand-specific colors, look for durable walls and shelving features that are frost-free and built to last. Antimicrobial materials and finishes help keep odor-causing bacteria from spoiling your food and are easy to clean, which takes some of the hassle out of staying healthy.

Lighting Advantages

Column refrigeration is a good place to find customizable interior lighting options, starting with the versatility of energy-efficient, bright LED lighting. Edge-to-edge, zone-specific lighting not only helps you find exactly what you’re looking for, it also provides truer color (without temperature interference) so you can see the freshness of the food inside, without the guesswork or surprise.

Smart Technology

Welcome to the future, where even the refrigerators access the wi-fi. Yes, there is an app for these specialized appliances, to allow you to check the contents of your cooler or refrigerator from your phone, while you are browsing the grocery store aisles. Built-in cameras on the doors can answer the age-old question: “Do we have any-?” There’s no need to waste energy by opening the door to hunt down a storage container or jar. Just connect to Alexa or your Google Assistant to make sure everything is running smoothly.

Classic Favorites

The usual favorite features can be found in column refrigeration units alongside the new tech. Many brands still include water and ice dispensers on the refrigerator doors. Other options like soft-closing seals and press-to-open hinges can also be found.

Professional Design Built for Residential Kitchens

The look provided by column refrigeration makes it easy to plan your entire kitchen around your family’s individual style and habits. The appliances are a growing trend with interior designers and contractors because of the unique layout freedom they offer. The goal is convenience and design capability, and column refrigeration delivers. While they aren’t the shining boxes of over-under refrigeration units, or walk-in freezer vaults boasted by restaurants, column refrigeration bridges the gap between functionality and style in the modern home to personalize even the busiest kitchen.