Don’t we all want a pink refrigerator (in one of our fantasy houses, at least)? I think the idea is particularly appealing, today, because most refrigerators are just so honkin’ big: Silver, black or white elephants drawing too much attention from our beautiful kitchen designs. This is why built in refrigerators are so popular — they make the darn fridge disappear. Cabinet-depth, too, eliminates the protrusion, at least. A curvy pink lollipop refrigerator puts the perfume on the pig, sad metaphor, I know. (This reminds me: My grandma Agnes had this toy pig thing inside her refrigerator. Every time you opened the fridge door, it oinked at you. This, from a woman who never met a full-fat dairy product she didn’t try to wedge into every recipe possible.) So, where can you get a pink refrigerator? I did some research and came up with seven places or ways to get one. Read on…

Following along with my photo spread, above, starting at the top and moving left to right:

• #1 — Big Chill’s classic retro refrigerator comes in two sizes, a 20.9 cu.ft. unit and a 14.4 cu.ft. unit. They also have an undercounter fridge that you can get in their complete color palette, including pink. Link: Big Chill refrigerators.
• #2 — Big Chill’s Retropolitan refrigerator has more of a Jetson’s look and the freezer on the bottom. It is 18.5 cu.ft in size– and it is 2″ less deep so sticks out less. Link: Big Chill refrigerators.
• #3 — The Northstar refrigerator by Elmira Stove Works comes in three sizes and variations: The 19 cu.ft. model has the freezer on the bottom, while the freezer is on the top in 18.2 cu.ft. and 11 cu.ft. models. You can also get the 11 cu.ft. model with a built-in kegger. Link: Northstar refrigerators.
• #4 — The Smeg ’tis a baby doll, coming in at just 9.2 cu.ft., but she is oh so cute. Remember Laura’s? Link: Smeg refrigerators.
• #5 — Take your plain-Jane refrigerator to an auto body shop or industrial painting place — Professional painting joints can consult online paint color guides to match or help get you the color you want. The advantages of professional painting include (1) they have access to very durable automotive paints, (2) they use dust-free booths to avoid itsy bitsies ruining your smooth glossy finish, and (3) someone else does it. However, you will have to get your fridge there and back, and this will cost you, of course.
• #6 — Spray paint your existing fridge yourself. The only spray paint I could find close to a retro Mamie pink is Rustoleum’s Candy Pink spray paint. Rustoleum has an epoxy spray paint specifically for appliances — but it does not come in pink. So, I asked Rustoleum if they could advise on how to use this less fancy pink spray paint to do a fridge, either metal or vinyl/plastic. Here is what they said: “Painter’s Touch would work fine on the fridge.  We also have a spray paint called Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover 2X that also comes in Candy Pink. The real advantage of using Ultra Cover 2X is that it offers twice the coverage of general purpose spray paints.  It also has distribution at The Home Depot and many hardware and paint stores, so it’s easy to buy anywhere in the US. According to our brand management team, before painting the vinyl/plastic parts of the fridge, prime them with Specialty Plastic Primer.  For metal, you can prime with a Stops Rust Clean Metal primer for added durability. You could use Painters Touch Ultra Cover 2X Clear over the Candy Pink, but priming would be the most important step. If you topcoat with the Clear, apply it within 1 hour after painting or after 48 hours.”
• #7 — Stalk craigslist and Re-Stores for a vintage pink refrigerator. This will take time. But once you send your vibes out into the universe, the Retro Decorating Gods may reward you sooner than you think. I am not an expert on what to look for in a vintage fridge. See this post for some links and such if you are serious about pursuing this option.

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Why do I like these features?

• Side-by-side — I really like a side-by-side for a small kitchen — less door to have to wiggle around.
• Counter-depth — I like counter depth for similar reasons: Midcentury kitchens tend to be small, non-countertop depth are so honkin’.
• Energy Star — is good. I don’t think we had Energy Star available in side-by-side units until recently
• White is classic. Note: This refrigerator also is available in stainless steel.
• Free-standing — You can build it in, or not.
• Design — The lines are modern – yes, like the Retropolitan and my Sub-Zero, more Jetsons than Donna Reed.

I have not seen this puppy in person — I wish I could see what that white exterior is made of. Nonetheless, from the website photos and description, it looks like one to consider if you’re doing a kitchen remodel or need a new fridge and have the space to work with. Link: Bosch B22CS50SNW counter-depth, side-by-side, Energy Star, white refrigerator.

• And, see all my other stories about refrigerators, stoves and other appliances and accessories suitable for mid century kitchen remodels here.

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Is the Ikea Nutid refrigerator-freezer the most affordable counter-depth refrigerator-freezer out there? At $1,349 in white and $1,399 in stainless, I think it may be — and I am now adding this model to our Retro Renovation kitchen decorating arsenal. I like counter-depth refrigerator-freezers for mid-century kitchens for a number of reasons, and I tend to favor side-by-sides, too. Here’s why:

• Our vintage kitchens tend to be smaller. A counter-depth fridge — which by definition does not jut into the main of your kitchen area — kind of recedes into the cabinetry… it’s smaller. In mid-century America, fridges were smaller than they are today.
• Similarly, a side-by-side model means there is less door to swing into your smaller kitchen.
• A counter-depth fridge is more amenable to creating the “fitted” kitchen look, which was the ascendant style in the postwar era. Bring that soffit right down to the top of the fridge!
• Stuff is less likely to get lost… or turn into a science experiment…in a counter-depth fridge.

The downsides: These tend to have less storage space… and side-by-sides protypically are less energy efficient than a freezer-on-the bottom model. This Ikea Nutid, though, is Energy Star qualified.

Here’s the link to the Ikea Nutid.

And click here to see my other refrigerators identified as good possibilities for a Retro Renovation kitchen.

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