After years of use, our fridges can undergo some wear and tear. And if the interior is still working perfectly, keeping your veggies fresh and meat frozen solid, you don’t need to go out and spend thousands on a new one. With a few thoughtful updates, you can transform your ageing fridge into something that elevates your whole kitchen.
The best news is that there’s more than one way to skin a cat: here are our 5 easy and affordable ways to refresh a dated fridge.
5 Easy and affordable ways to refresh a dated fridge
1. A fresh lick of paint
Yup – you can repaint the exterior of your dated fridge. With a little sanding and degreasing to remove the current layer of paint and grime, you can easily apply a new coat for a fresh look. But you can’t use any old paint; it needs to be an appliance-safe paint like liquid stainless-steel paint or speciality stainless-steel appliance epoxy. Be sure to work meticulously so that the new coat adheres properly to a clean surface, finishing it off with a protective top coat. While this method gives you a lot of room for creativity – the ability to mix and match different colours, hues and sheens – it can be lengthy and the paint a tad expensive (but not as expensive as a brand new fridge).
2. Change the handles
If your fridge has handles, why not consider changing them? A dated fridge can easily be updated by removing the old hardware and updating it with handles that match your current kitchen cabinets, or something totally different to add a pop of colour and interest to the space. You can buy new handles, thrift old ones, or even use bathroom towel racks as handles.
3. Turn it into its very own notepad
Refresh your dated fridge by turning it into a giant chalkboard! You can do this in one of two ways: either with a chalkboard vinyl or with chalkboard paint. Whatever you choose, give the surface a light sand and degrease to ensure that either the vinyl or paint sticks.
4. Wallpaper isn’t only for walls
Consider using wallpaper or vinyl wraps for a more experimental, temporary option. Removable wallpaper or vinyl stickers are easy to apply and cut to size for whatever-sized fridge you have. However creative and fun this option might be, remember that wallpaper and vinyl stickers tend to peel, lift or fade over time and will need to be redone.
5. Panel it
This option may take some measuring and planning, but the result is a visually appealing, modern and integrated look that seamlessly blends your fridge into your interior decor. You can purchase prefabricated panels intended for fridges, or call on your local expert to create custom kitchen cabinets.
