The Funky Joanna Gaines-Approved Design Choice That's Making A Trendy Comeback

Designing your dream kitchen can be an opportunity to fine-tune the style of your space, giving you a chance to bring in loads of charm and personality. Your choice of fridge, one of the largest elements in any kitchen, can work for or against you as you define and refine your personal style. Retro and vintage-look refrigerators are having a moment, with many brands like Frigidaire and Smeg offering stylish appliances that boast a chic, mid-century aesthetic marked by curves and bright colors. It's a look HGTV and the Magnolia Network's Joanna Gaines loves. In fact, she used a Smeg fridge in a "Fixer Upper" remodel of a bright and open kitchen in the Shotgun House, a short-term rental home in Waco, Texas. The effect is both retro and chicly modern, especially when combined with light wood, open shelving, and black granite counters, where the fun aqua fridge takes center stage.

Contemporary retro-style fridges boast all the more modern amenities and energy efficiency of today's appliances but look on the outside like refrigerators from the middle of the 20th century. They come at a variety of price points, from luxe models like Smeg to budget-friendly brands that are comparable in price to other modern, stainless-steel appliances. There are also some easy and stylish ways to make your existing fridge look vintage with DIY methods that cover the old finish and replace the hardware.

These vintage-style fridges are a great way to create a retro style kitchen or add some extra character to any kitchen aesthetic. Use a vintage-look fridge to set the tone in your kitchen, be it colorful or all-neutrals. For a minimalistic kitchen, try adding a fridge in a fun color like aqua, green, or vivid red, which will draw the eye and stand out as a focal point. A more neutral cream or white unit can blend in more seamlessly in any design scheme, which can be great if you have an eclectic kitchen with a mix of modern and older accents. You can also combine a vintage-style fridge with other vintage kitchen trends like retro hardware and light fixtures for a stylish, mid-century aesthetic. 

If Smeg or other sleek, modern refrigerators are out of your budget but you love the look of Joanna Gaines' remodel, consider ways to give your current fridge the same retro energy by adding a fresh coat of paint and attaching new hardware. Sand down the existing finish with 120-grit sandpaper, then prime and paint the surface with several layers of acrylic enamel paint. If you are revamping a stainless-steel fridge, you can cover it from top to bottom with peel-and-stick wallpaper or an adhesive vinyl wrap. Wrapping your fridge is a great, lower commitment way to add color to your kitchen if you are renting or just trying out the style.