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A small cabinet built around a mini fridge: an open bay that fits a compact fridge, a fixed lower shelf, an optional middle shelf for snacks (leave it out and the bay swallows a taller fridge), a drawer up top, and a finished slab top. It's the piece for a dorm, bonus room, or office nook — hides the fridge and gives you drawer and shelf storage in the same footprint.
The carcass is plywood ripped to 15-3/4" strips (called '1x16' in the plan) on 2x2 legs, trimmed to look built. Go formaldehyde-free on the sheet good if you can — it lives in a room where people eat. The bottom shelf sits 3/4" up from the bottom of the sides and is fixed; the middle shelf can ride on shelf pins so you can adjust or remove it for fridge clearance.
The drawer is the one part that demands precision. Build it to the opening and the specific 16" euro slides, install it in its highest position first, and confirm it slides sweetly before committing. It sits inset 3/4" so the applied face lands flush — attach that face last with an even gap all around.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Plywood, 3/4", 4x8 sheetCut into 15-3/4" strips (the '1x16' in this plan). Formaldehyde-free preferred. | 1 each |
| 1x3, 8 ftTop trim and drawer parts. | 1 each |
| 2x2, 8 ftLegs and front/back trim. | 2 each |
| 1x2, 8 ftSide and drawer trim. | 1 each |
| 1x4, 2 ftDrawer face. | 2 foot |
| Knob or handle | 1 each |
| Euro drawer slides, 16" bottom-mount (set) | 1 each |
| Plywood, 1/4", scrap 23" x 16"Drawer bottom. | 1 each |
| Shelf pinsFor the optional adjustable middle shelf. | 4 each |
| Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4" | 40 each |
| Finish nails, 1-1/4" and 2" | 60 each |
| Wood glue | 6 oz |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Sides3/4" plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 15 3/4" × 28" |
| Side trim1x2 | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 15 3/4" |
| Legs2x2 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 30" |
| Shelves3/4" plywoodOne is the optional middle/adjustable shelf. | 2 | 3/4" × 15 3/4" × 24" |
| Front/back trim2x2 | 3 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 24" |
| Drawer trim1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 24" |
| Top panel3/4" plywood | 1 | 3/4" × 15 3/4" × 29" |
| Top trim (1x3)1x3 | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 29" |
| Top trim (1x2)1x2 | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 29" |
| Drawer front/back1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 21 1/2" |
| Drawer sides1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 16" |
| Drawer bottom1/4" plywood | 1 | 1/4" × 16" × 23" |
| Drawer face1x4 | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 23 3/4" |
Buy 11 boards at 8 ft.
3 boards
2 boards
Attach the 1x2 trim to the plywood sides with 1-1/4" finish nails and wood glue as shown. This dresses the raw plywood edges.
Add the 2x2 legs to the sides with the pocket-hole jig as shown in the diagram.
Install the shelves. The bottom shelf sits up 3/4" from the bottom of the sides — attach it fixed. The middle shelf can be made adjustable with shelf pins, or left out entirely so the bay holds a taller fridge.
Trim the bottom shelf and add the top front/back support as shown in the diagram — these carry the drawer and stiffen the opening.
Build the top, squaring up the edges and making sure it's flush, then attach it to the cabinet. You can also drive 2" screws up from the 2x2s into the top.
Build the drawer, adjusting for square and attaching the plywood bottom. Fasten the drawer members to the drawer bottom.
Install the slides in the cabinet with the drawer in its highest possible position. Fit the drawer and confirm it slides nicely — it needs to sit inset 3/4" for the face to inset. Once happy, attach the face with an even gap all around using 1-1/4" finish nails and glue. Add the bottom trim last, sand, and finish.
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1 board
2 boards
2 boards
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →