When you buy a fridge here, you can choose which way you want the door to open. Mine was with the apartment when I bought it, so I didn't choose, but it makes sense with the way my kitchen is laid out. The kitchen is a narrow rectangle, with fridge and counter space on one side, and dishwasher, sink and stove on the other - what we call a "galley kitchen". So if the door opened the other way, it would block access to the rest of the kitchen.