What better way to liven up the kitchen than with a pop of color decorating the fridge? This can come in the form of a new retro fridge or older classic appliance; a patterned decal or DIY chalkboard paint job. My grandmother still has a mustard yellow refrigerator from the 70's — beautifully maintained I might add — and it makes me smile every time I visit. So here are a few kitchens with personality, courtesy of the fridge of course!
1 Beyond the Chalkboard Fridge: Decorated Refrigerators
2 Jayne's Technicolor Playhouse
3 Inspiration: Sherbert Colors in the Kitchen
4 DIY Refrigerator Design: Contact Paper Pattern
5 Beyond the Chalkboard Fridge: Decorated Refrigerators
6 Style Tips from the Hotel Havana
7 My Chalkboard Fridge: Turn Your Fridge Into a Food Diary
8 Look! Polka Dot Fridge
9 Rustic Cooking and Dining From Marie Claire Maison
10 Making it Work: Minty Green
11 Refrigerator Makeover
12 Harvest Gold & Olive Green: New Kitchens in Old Colors
13 Paula of Henry Road's Colorful Home
14 House Tour: Dave and Shyla's Eclectic Loft at The Brewery
15 Flickr Finds: Julie's Well-Loved Family Kitchen
And yes, I know, I threw a white one into the mix (photo 9). Not only is this a beautiful fridge and inspiring kitchen, but white lends itself as the pick-me-up color in this room. So for some homes — white can be the pop of color!
Images: as linked above
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This whole DIY thing has spun horribly out of control.
I don't know why exactly, but making the refrigerator stand out in this way seems distasteful to me. What is it about fridges? Their size? Their purpose? Their iconic status in our households?
I love those Smegs. I really, really want one!
Sigh. I love me some Smeg. The wallpaper/paint jobs seem kind of hit or miss, skewing toward miss.
I'm sorry, but I love these fridges and I love the DIY "thing"... and I love it HARD. I'm so happy that design has skewed away from that canned, prefab bland stuff. I love seeing people make bold changes to their surroundings with their own hands, especially changes like these, which seem really unique and fun.
Considering painting my old fridge now...
To answer cremdela, yes! Plus, you can often take them with you when you move, unlike: the kitchen cabinets, backsplash, or floor. And if they're really old and dated, who cares? The vintage and retro 50's fridges are my favorites because they're so well designed and thoughtful.
I shall have a pink one. One day *shakes fist at the world*
Fugly.
#1 lol seriously!
I wanted a Big Chill or Elmira retro-style refrigerator, but couldn't stomach paying $3,000 for one. Instead, I bought a curvy whirlpool and got it painted red at a local body shop. You can see a photo of it here: http://bit.ly/crEhgc
As an art student in the '90s I found a beautifully maintained Philco like the avocado one pictured; it was white, with turquoise plastic and pink spun aluminum trim throughout the interior! I wanted it so much but the timing was not good in my little duplex, but I think about it frequently...
To each his own. I am so sick and tired of bland stainless steel fridges, stoves, dishwashers, etc. I love #s 1, 7 & 8 and will now add fridge makeover to my DIY list.
Oh, how I love that pink fridge. I actually love decorated fridges. Some can look too busy, but it's soooo much better than a white/beige/black block. And I won't even get into my hatred of stainless. If I had the money, I'd get a big chill/elmira pink fridge and any other appliance they make.
All the people who hate it probably think their stainless steel fridge is amazing...puke.
It's all personal taste.
I love my stainless steel appliances and wouldn't want anything else, however, number 3 and 15 are nice and tasteful.
It would be easy to buy some paper I like and mount it with magnets. Hmmmmm...a low-cost, no-commitment way to test colors and patterns to see what works, if anything. Hmmmm...(surfs to chicshelfpaper and covets the cheetah print.)
"This whole DIY thing has spun horribly out of control."
You said it, Trackbike!
It's irresponsible of you, Apartment Therapy, to encourage people to express themselves with paint, wallpaper, decoupage, and the like. Maybe most people's selves are best left unexpressed.
I'm reminded of all the horrific cast-off DIY
projects from the 1980's that one would encounter in thrift shops in the early '90's-- does anyone remember trompe l'oeil marble?" How about that wonderful spray-on "granite" that was all the rage? (I once found a Paul McCobb wood & metal room divider, completely encased in the stuff--drawer pulls and all! MCM meets the Flintstones.)
I love #1. Smeg fridges are cheating as they aren't DIY but I wouldn't turn one down as they are so stylish. I would love a pink fridge.