For those tempted to replicate this, bear in mind that some refrigerators use the side-panel as a heat-sink for concealed condenser-coils. I’ve had a compact-ones that worked fine when the free-space was maintained, but failed to cool when someone thought that that gap beside the fridge was an excellent spot to store things.
Many fridges, of course, have the coils at the back, in which case this would be no problem — an might even improve efficiency, as it is adding useful insulation.
For those tempted to replicate this, bear in mind that some refrigerators use the side-panel as a heat-sink for concealed condenser-coils. I’ve had a compact-ones that worked fine when the free-space was maintained, but failed to cool when someone thought that that gap beside the fridge was an excellent spot to store things.
Many fridges, of course, have the coils at the back, in which case this would be no problem — an might even improve efficiency, as it is adding useful insulation.