I often share snippets of
my beloved aqua kitchen on
Instagram. I had to laugh because a couple of folks recently left comments there asking, "is there a retro aqua fridge somewhere in this aqua kitchen?". No, but I wish there was! I've even pondered painting my ugly old fridge turquoise, but I think it looks less offensive white. When Hubby and I first bought the lakehouse, I already
had the quick kitchen spruce in mind, but a long-term renovation plan was ready in the wings as well. I hoped to one day copy every inch of the beautiful kitchen below: timeless white cabinets, gleaming grey subway tile and a pale aqua fridge.
These days, my dream kitchen looks more like this:
Streamlined white upper cabinets and warm wood lower cabinets - something with mid-century modern flavor - barely even look like they belong in a kitchen. The back painted glass, in lieu of tile, is stunning and I'd even want to copy the idea of affixing art with suction cups for flexibility. I'd make one addition to the kitchen above, though: a candy coloured fridge!
A kitchen I pinned a year ago showcases how beautifully a vintage-inspired fridge in a delicious hue pairs with warm wood cabinetry. Perfection!
No matter how my plan for our dream kitchen changes, the colourful fridge is a constant! There are a few options on the market right now for fridges with modern conveniences and retro style. I've casually shopped each website, imagining which one I'd like to purchase in the event that a canvas sack, with a black $ painted on the side, falls into my lap. I keep finding myself on one website in particular:
Big Chill, founded in Boulder Colorado in 2001, is a stand-out in the world of vintage appliances and I'm totally smitten with their
Retro Line of fridges, dishwashers and stoves. Obviously I gravitate toward the turquoise shades, but I can't say I haven't been tempted by the jadeite green and pink lemonade (the Big Chill Retro fridge can actually be ordered in
one of 200+ custom colours). I appreciate that you can order a swatch to see the colour in your own home. Better still,
the list of features, including the stamped metal body, automatic moisture control, temperature management system - even an optional ice maker! - ensures that I wouldn't have to sacrifice function for form. They're even Energy Star efficient. Doing a little comparison shopping, the
prices seem very reasonable - especially compared to the competition. Plus they're assembled in Boulder, and I'm always happy to see jobs kept in North America.
Each company in this market puts their own spin on the vintage-inspired fridge, but I really like the styling of the Big Chill appliances; the chrome trim looks very authentic and the classic pivoting handle is such a thoughtful detail. I always know the styling of something has won my heart when I find myself drawn to a non-turquoise version. In this case, I even find myself admiring the grey (
the grey!!), which is a beautiful and finger-print free alternative to the stainless steel appliances Hubby lusts after.
There's something equally striking about the
Big Chill Pro Kitchen Series, which boasts more modern shapes, but is also available in whimsical colour options.
Someday I'll be able to trade in our rickety white fridge for
something from Big Chill. For now, I'll have to settle for ogling these beauties online.
This post was sponsored by Big Chill but all opinions, words, and salivating are my own. Photos, excluding the first three - the sources are linked to below each - were chosen by me from the Big Chill gallery. I was not encouraged or prompted to provide a positive assessment of the company or products - a Big Chill Retro fridge is definitely on my personal wishlist and it was a lot of fun to pour over pictures. I didn't realize until writing this post how many celebrities choose Big Chill!
