Since refrigerators come in two different depths, you’ll first have to decide if you want a standard-depth or counter-depth refrigerator. Once you've selected the style you want:
Standard-Depth Refrigerator - Measure from the wall to the front edge of your cabinets. Standard-depth refrigerators typically extend about six additional inches past standard kitchen cabinetry.
Counter-Depth Refrigerator - Measure from the wall to the front edge of your cabinets. The cabinet of your counter-depth fridge should be flush with the rest of the kitchen cabinetry. Keep in mind that the door will still protrude past the front of your cabinets by about 3 inches.
If you have an island in front of your refrigerator location, you’ll also need to measure the distance from the front of the fridge to the island so that the doors and cabinet drawers can open without obstructing each other. This is true for anything you plan to permanently place in front of your refrigerator like a kitchen cart or standalone cabinet.