This Designer “Fabric-Wrapped” Her Fridge, and the Result Is So Charming

When it comes to creating a beautiful kitchen, nothing can cramp your style faster than an old-but-reliable appliance you just can’t justify getting rid of. Sure, it may look straight out of the ’90s, but when you’re on a budget or it still works perfectly fine, it makes sense to keep ol’ faithful around. 

Here’s the good news: Contrary to what you may assume, you don’t have to resign yourself to living with a drab appliance out in the open, sucking all of the life out of the room. With a bit of creativity, even the most well-loved, builder-grade fridge can get a serious glow-up. Case in point? This charming, pattern-covered makeover from designer Jessica Jubelirer. 

When it came to designing the kitchen at her family’s Wisconsin lake house, Jubelirer wanted to cultivate a look that married the structure’s mid-century modern architecture with relaxed, family-ready charm. At the time, supply chain issues from COVID-19 were still plaguing much of the industry, preventing Jubelirer from securing a new fridge for the space. Instead, she chose to give the existing piece — a standard box fridge with an unappealing gray front — a facelift, transforming the appliance into a showstopping centerpiece worthy of a playful vacation escape. 

“When my family purchased our summer cottage, I decided to wrap the existing refrigerator in hand-blocked English fabrics to liven up the blank kitchen space,” says Jubelirer, who chose a trio of vintage-inspired prints (including fabrics by Penny Morrison and Rose Cumming) to create a pattern-blocked effect.

By fabric wrapping the appliance, she was able to help it blend into the rest of the vintage-inspired space — which includes accents like a retro teal stove and blue and white tiled backsplash — while disguising its industrial exterior. Jubelirer relied on a pro to attach the fabrics to her fridge for a flawless finish, but if you’re DIY-savvy, the same effect can be achieved using fabric starch, Mod Podge, or diluted glue.

The result is as charming as it is impressive, providing a quirky focal point in the kitchen that blends seamlessly with the casual cottage atmosphere that Jubelirer threaded throughout the rest of the space. “Now, everyone in my family always wants to hang around our colorful kitchen area,” she adds. “When I have guests over, the first thing anyone wants to talk about is my amazing fridge! It’s a conversation starter and makes our home feel so unique.”