apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Why not try some chalkboard paint? I'm doing the same to my fridge soon...
http://dannyseo.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/08/chalkboard_frid.html

There's no way you'll be able to camouflage a fridge that size. Either get rid of it for a smaller model that will fit in the kitchen (or under a console table -- West Elm has a cool Parsons one on sale right now) . . . or go to the other extreme and trick it out. Cover it in a cool wall paper or maybe even those stick on decals.

I second the chalkboard idea...possibly even black paint. Or maybe cool wallpaper? I don't know how it would adhere but it was in last months issue of Domino and looked pretty neat.

Replace that kitchen with an Armani designed unit:

www.20pine.com

The arched doorway into the kitchen could be something to work with -- perhaps make a vertical cubby that surrounds the fridge, visually relates it to the kitchen, and anchors it in space. The cubby could be an extruded enclosure around the sides and top of the fridge, with the same width and radiused top corners as the doorway, but shorter. Perhaps 4-6" in thickness, painted white -- shouldn't be too hard to make and later discard (or re-purpose).

i really love the idea of the chalkboard paint. you could make the fridge completely disappear by also painting the wall behind it with the same paint and then have an every changing "Land of Chalk Drawings" mural on the wall and fridge.

I had a friend years ago who decoupaged her entire fridge with music articles that intrigued her.

Is the kitchen through the archway? If so, can the fridge be moved against the left wall (not visible in the picture)? That way it wouldn't be the first thing you see from the living room.

I'm assuming the kitchen is on the left, I would turn the fridge so it faced the kitchen and put two bookcases on the dining room sides covering the coil and side. Then you have storage for plates/glasses/linens.

Chalkboard fridge! Yes, that's the way to go! I'm a graphic designer as well, and I'd LOVE to do this to my fridge... jotting ideas down at any time of day... messages, etc... funky!

Some additional options:

- Wallpaper it! I'd love to see it covered in the "Woods" wallpaper (as seen frequently here!) or something else along those lines -- with a large-scale pattern and only subtle coloration.

- Add a bookcase or other screen or divider that faces into the living room to lengthen the wall we see on the left, and place the fridge there instead, facing into the kitchen/dining area.

- Sheathe it in grasscloth or another textured fabric/paper, maybe even a pale wood-grain contact paper... or if you really want to go wild, you can order sheets of real wood veneer (easy to Google) of beautiful mahogany or zebrawood or anything you fall in love with. It's actually much less expensive than you might imagine! You could also do copper, stainless, etc. sheets if the metallic would at least make the fridge more interesting (even if not camouflaged, as requested).

- Hang a fabric "teepee" from a hook in the ceiling above the fridge, with lots of fabric that can be pulled around it when you're entertaining (and not actively cooking), or left open at the front to form "side curtains" -- drawing your eye all the way up to the ceiling, adding some softness instead of just boxyness, etc...

- Mirror it! You'll have to look at yourself rather than a fridge, of course, but it will work all the magic that mirrors do - and certainly make the bulk of the fridge disappear...

- Place something big and fantastic and sculptural on top of it -- a huge urn or wooden finial or capital pediment... something as big as possible, making the fridge just the foil for it. Definitely keep the fridge completely clean if you go this route (no magnetized lists, etc.) on the front.

- Make it a focal point, or even a work of art -- paint it bright orange or the ubiquitous lime green, or paint something fun on it (a topiary tree, a campfire at the bottom with smoke trails up to the top, etc.). You mention that she's a graphic designer -- if there's a specific pattern or font she loves, she could go bold with it on the fridge (a giant number in a beloved font, for example), or a painted Mondrian-inspired pattern, or a decoupaged blueprint or map or anything that inspires her.

- Turn the fridge to face left (as we're looking at it), that is, into the kitchen area and toward the arched door. That way you can easily enclose the remaining two sides (including, now, the messy back) -- even with just an inexpensive wooden screen.

Please post again with a pic of what she's done - there really are tons of options, and I'll bet she'll ultimately look back on it with great fondness!

This may be a bit over-the-top, but depending on your style, a fridge makeover kit might be cool.

http://www.storagecabinetsnc.com/index.php?op=fridge

There are many others available, that's just one example. I've seen one in person and they are impressive.

years ago i obtained an old phone booth from a luxury hotel being remodeled in Richmond and put my refrigerator in it. it was a hassle getting it in there but everyone thought it was cool.

i have a similar problem in my apt, except i live in a small one-bedroom with a kitchenette, so the massive fridge sits in the living room. it's awful. i'm building some plywood screens to cover it. i'm going to paint them the same color as the walls so they blend in a little more.

nothing ruins a great living room more than a fridge.

Is it a possibility to install an under-the-counter fridge? Especially if it's only for one person, you really don't need that much space. Then get one of those apartment sized squatty deep freezes and put it in an out of the way place, like a storage room or closet. I got one second hand and love it. Then move some display-able items to a shelf where the fridge sits now. That might free up some space.

If you're good at woodworking, and assuming you have the time, skills, and energy, I'd create a floor to ceiling box enclosure for the refrigerator. The enclosure could either surround the fridge on front and sides or fully encase it.

Use the space directly above the fridge area for storage cabinets and if possible create additional storage compartment(s) along the sides. For cabinets and doors, use either ready-made doors and hardware from Ikea, Home Depot, Lowes, or other kitchen cabinet companies, or fabricate your own doors and get european hinges/hardware from a home store.

Keep in mind that you will end up with a cabinet bigger than the fridge, but take advantage of its size to resolve other storage/clutter issues while accomplishing the principal task, hiding your fridge, and make a beautiful addition to your apartment.

John

Domino, i think, or maybe H&G recently showed an apartment where the guy had walpapered his fridge. it looked great!

a snazzy wallpaper with a painted wall to match could be really fantastic.

It might be less obtrusive on the apartment if you moved the fridge either where those roller skates are in the picture (I think they're roller skates?), or those plastic stacked bins. The corner gives something to anchor it - and it's not any farther from the kitchen space...

You could do that 'chalkboard in a can' aerosol spray. It allows you to turn a surface into a green or black 'chalkboard'. I have seen people do it on fridges before and it looks rad. you can draw designs or leaves messages on it. its practical and very cool looking.

get some of the blik wall decals (they take a while to put on) but you could put some on the fridge and some on the walls around it/rest of the apartment to join them together as it were.
If this has to be reversible they have ones that can be reused (ie removed!). click my name for link..I like the chalk idea too....

have fun!!

Lots of ideas:

1. Wallpaper that back wall and then wallpaper the fridge with same wallpaper (Newest Domino or that other new Martha Stewart decorating magazine - can't remember name - has directions on wallpapering a fridge)

2. Paint the fridge. You could also paint the wall. It needs it. I painted an old ugly aqua fridge gold once and it turned out great. Something with stencils might be nice (leaves? pattern? whatever goes with your theme).

3. Put framed art on it.

What about placing the fridge to the left of the kitchen's short wall (that is, to the right of the living room's short wall, facing the kitchen)? Then you could hang a curtain from the ceiling to hide it's side, back, and the short wall, creating a new storage area behind it. You would lose the wall in the living room, but gain the expanse of the wall near the table for art etc. and a better dining area.

For the curtains, you could use two rods hanging from the ceiling to form an L or use the curved hospital curtain track featured here earlier this year -- the curve might be nice in relation to the arched doorway. The curtains could be white and subtle or a bold color or pattern, or even different on the two sides. You coulso also add a little extra space to the outer side of the fridge for the trash can and a little space behind for ventilation (the curved track would do this naturally at the corner of the fridge).

Depending upon what's in the kitchen on the other side of that short wall, the fridge could be as far into the kitchen or the living room as needed.

Good luck!

Thanks to all for your comments.
Lizzy C. gets my winning vote. I know the chalkboard idea was the most popular, but as a school teacher I don't think I could recommend that, even to my Niece.

Thanks also to apartment therapy for their quick response to my submission.

Get a cabinet from Ikea, cut off the bottom and the feet, and slip it over the refrigerator.

Were it mine, I'd spin the fridge around so the door is accessible from the archway (presumably that's the kitchen through the arch?). Then I'd camouflage the side of the fridge using either a tall decorative room screen and hide the back side where the coils are with a tall open bookcase or other free-standing storage unit, which would be directly behind that dining chair and would hold additional kitchen "extras" that aren't too frequently accessed, such as large serving platters, extra dishes, etc.
~Monica

I agree with Sassy (from SF) to put the fridge on the other side of the arch so it is not visible from this view.

Plus, I was the first Sassy!

I guess the people telling you to move the fridge to the other side of the arched opening can't tell that it's right in the corner and there's no room on the other side. It's easy to follow the perspective from the boards in the floor.

Is the refridgerator hinged on the left or the right? If it's not already, and it's possible, switch the hinge to the right. Much more convenient that way.

Anything you do to that fridge is going to make it more noticeable.

Anything you do to that fridge is going to make it more noticeable.

It's a white fridge against a white wall. How much more invisible could it be?

Anything you do to that fridge is going to make it more noticeable.

Switch out dining set with fridge...place the fridge all the way into the corner where you cannot see it when you enter the apt and then cover with wall paper stainless film etc...or gift someone else with your larger unit and as others have suggested buy/barter for a smaller
much small under counter unit.

All the best...