For most people, spring cleaning means deep cleaning their closet. For me, it means giving my fridge a new party dress. Get a load of her!
If you have been following this blog for a while, you know I wallpapered my fridge back in 2013 thanks to the folks at Chasing Paper. The wallpaper is removable, not to mention, highly durable. I was planning on it lasting a few months…maybe a year. But two years on the hexagons were still growing strong.
This was a VERY popular post. It seems I am not the only person on the planet who thinks their fridge deserves a cute new outfit once in a while.
Weird thing someone told me: if you search “Fridge” on Pinterest, my fridge is the first image to show up.
Dude. That is a lot of pressure to put on one little refrigerator. And as much as I loved it, it was time for a change!
Before I get into this, please do not get the wrong idea. That paper could have stayed up another two years, if not more. The problem is/was me. More specifically, me picking at a spot by the handle every time I went to clean. Not a big deal, but enough to bother me. A few weeks ago I popped over to Chasing Paper to see about buying a replacement panel and got totally caught up in their amazing patterns. Two years ago there was a small but impressive collection….now it’s a smorgasbord of pattern and color. So awesome. I’m so thrilled to see this business thriving. People know a good product when they see it!
Okay. At first I saw this BEYOND RAD tropical palm leaf print, which, as you will well know, is not unlike Blanche’s bedroom from the Golden Girls.
As much I love the tropical vibe in the kitchen, these black and white bacterium speckles stole my heart and ran away with the key.
For my particular space, the speckles brighten the room in a big way. The pattern is much less-on-your face than the hexagons — more of a background rhythm compared to the hexagon grab-your-attention drum solo. Both are seriously nifty. I’m going to love the speckles for a long wile, but part of me is sad this paper lasts so long. I would really love to switch it around all the time!
So. I’m guessing, if you are ever in the market to replace the removable wallpaper on your fridge, you have three questions.
Didn’t it get dirty on your fridge? Could you clean it?
Yes, it did get dirty. Yes, I cleaned it all the time. When people hear “wallpaper” they hear “paper” and then the thought of cleaning paper makes this sound not fun. Not true. The panels you get from Chasing Paper have a satin finish that is 100% wipeable. Like I said, mine got a little worn around the handle, in part because that’s where it gets touched the most, but also because that’s where I rub and scrub the most. If you are paranoid about this, I suggest ordering an extra panel should you want to replace a sore spot down the line. No biggy.
Was it easy to take off the old hexagon wallpaper?
Yes. It was VERY easy to take off. The whole fridge peeled off in under 60 seconds. It left no residue or adhesive. I wiped it down before putting up the new speckled paper, but honestly, I probably could have skipped that part the surface of the fridge was as clean as the day I put up the hexagon paper two years earlier.
Was it easy to put up the new speckled wallpaper?
Yes. It’s also pretty easy. Your method might change depending on the configuration of your fridge, but I just started at the top corner and worked my way down. See for yourself!
The only tricky part is getting the proper slice between the freezer and the fridge. For me, it was easiest to just lay it down flat, then go back with a razor blade to slice down the gap. Then I opened the fridge door and trimmed off the excess from the inside edge.
There were a couple of screws to work around near the handles. It was easy to accommodate with a poke of the blade, but the back-and-forth left a couple of air bubbles. Those were easy to smooth out using the end of a flat-edge wooden spoon. I used the spoon on an angle and pushed the bubbles to the edge until I heard a very satisfying snapping sound.
Here is a little video from the folks at Chasing Paper to show the magic in action.
I thought I would need five panels to cover the front + one side, but I managed to cover what I needed with four panels (no one will see that bottom left corner) and I’ll save the fifth for another project. This paper is too cool to waste! If you only wanted to cover the front of your fridge, I’m guessing all you would need is three panels. That means you could have the niftiest fridge in town for around $100. Not too shabby, huh?!
It’s not at all like me to choose a neutral pattern like this, but I adore how these speckles make the other colors in the room more…colorful. This is a muchos-muchos colorful room even though there are zero significant items of color in it. Isn’t that funny? That’s a great backdrop for someone like me who changes their mind every ten minutes. I’m making a bunch of changes in the kitchen this spring so you’ll have to stay tuned for more in the ‘color without color’ scheme.
Also, speaking of things that last surprisingly long, my newspaper decoupage cabinets are still kicking. The hot pink paint? Not so much…
Thank you so much to Elizabeth at Chasing Paper for, again, giving my fridge a new party dress and for giving me a new outlook on my whole kitchen!
Thank YOU for supporting the brands that make this website possible. Visit Chasing Paper today!
I wonder: Is this removable wallpaper the same as mac tac ? Similar? When we lived in military housing years ago, everything was gawd awful 60s style (fugly orange counters). We wives used to cover the countertops and cupboards in mactac and it lasted a long long time. And made you feel a little less like you were in old military living space. At any rate, this Chasing Paper place seems like something I will log in my brain for later use. Thanks! xox
Interesting. Is Mac tac the same as contact paper? This is definitely MUCH more forgiving than contact paper, and it comes off super easy. One time I had to stay up all night scrubbing the shelves of an apartment where someone had gone all out with the faux-wood contact paper…the paper had fallen away with time but the adhesive residue had stained everything orange. Not cool! But I love the idea of army wives going nuts with the stuff. That sounds like my kind of fun!
Yes I think it’s similar to contact paper. But contact paper was not as sticky as mactac. Mactac did leave a residue, but it wasnt hard to get up. So probably something similar. If this stuff you are using is residue free, I am gonna keep it in mind.
I love the speckles!
Thanks Louisa!
Hi AP! LOVE the new fridge! (And the echo of the clock, as well!) The o n l y thing is…now I am not crazy about the tone of the cabinets next to the bright white and black. But I still LOVE your kitchen. I can see you Aunt Peach-ifying that gorgeous fan, too! 😀
Really? Oh, I LOVE the cabinets more than ever. The contrast between the two is fantastic. The fridge looks so new and clean and cool with a small balanced pattern…the cabinets feel so lovely and old and warm with this giant organic/erratic pattern and gold handles. It’s like hot fudge on ice cream – very different properties but they bring out the best in each other! 🙂
I agree with you. I really like the fridge makeover, but the contrast makes the cabinets look dingy, a bit dirty. Maybe in person it is different
YOU ARE THE QUEEN!!!! As always, not only does this look incredible but it just radiates with creativity. When I started CP two years ago, I would have never guessed the wonderfully creative ways folks use the paper — how great!! LOVE IT!
Well thank goodness you started it! My fridge would be naked without it! So glad you approve. Thanks again for making this possible. 🙂
Sigh… this is just so fantastic. If I could convince my hubby, i would have a wallpapered fridge AND deep freezer. I love the change!
Humbug. What’s your hubby waiting for?! Btw, they carry uber masculine antler patterns http://www.chasingpaper.com/products/antlers-more-colors-available. I think I saw some sailor anchors too. Dudes love anchors, right???
I love anchors!!!! (Def not a dude)
The fridge is pretty, but I really came to your blog today to look up the stove salad post. Found it! That’s what I’m making for lunch today. Food posts are good too!
Ruh roh. Now I’m thinking about stove salad for dinner tonight…not sure if I have the ingredients in the fridge right now, but the fridge looks really cute. That has to count for something, right?
Hi Peaches – somehow I’d forgotten how simple this project ended up being! I love the new dress. I *guess* you could say it’s neutral…the same way leopard print is! ;D
Anyway – I’m super tempted to do this… but I noticed your fridge is stainless steel and black beneath, and looks like it’s a very smooth surface. My fridge is white with texture. Do you think the panels would adhere well to that, or even to walls with similar builder-grade texture?
Great question. I know exactly what you are talking about. Actually the black side panels are that sort of ‘fridge texture’ (what is that called anyway??). It works just great on both. I’m tempted to call the paper thick, but it’s not. It’s just has some sort of built in smoothness to it. Sort of like those shirts that never wrinkle, you know, but this is way cooler. Let me know if yo try it — I would love to see a picture!
I love it! The black and white is very fresh looking.
Thanks, Amy!
I love the new look! Especially with that little pop of red on it, & the matching window paint 🙂 It’s such a happy kitchen!
Ha! That window paint was only supposed to last a month but it’ll be up for years. I love it!
Whoa! That is speckle-tacular! I might try this just on the front of mine. It sits next to the stove (for now–remodeling will move that baby to the other end of the room) so not sure I want to hassle with the side close to the heat source, but the front could stand a little cosmetic refresh.
I still like the dog-butt coat hooks on the wall in that last picture. They make me smile every time!
The dog butts are from Ikea — they make me smile too 🙂
I’ll bet your fridge would LOVE a new dress if you asked her!
Love, love, love!!!!!!
Thanks, Charlotte!
You have topped yourself again, Aunt Peaches! Love it! I did like the hexagons, though! But this does look fabulous! Keep us posted on the rest! We are anxious to see more!!
Thanks Erik! I feel the same 🙂
I am slowly reprinting my entire house and I think a wall papered fridge might just tide me over until I can get my new backsplash put in. I’m loving the geometric prints available at Chasing Paper. I love that you are so fearless with your interior design!
RePAINTING. As in painting again.
🙂 I gotcha! Reprinting would also be pretty neat.
Perfect.. And I love it again! previous was cute but this is unique 😀 Thanks for sharing!
How do you keep it from getting bubbles? Or does ths stuff not bubble…
The paper is thick enough that bubbles are rare (major advantage over contact paper). I got a couple and just pushed them to seams with a ruler. Worst case, you can make a small incision in the middle of the bubble — not likely anyone will notice.
This post was AWESOME! Thank you! I don’t have too much money to spend on decorating my kitchen, but I spend so much time in there, it pains me to see it so drab. Especially since it’s the biggest room in the house. I will definitely try this on my guide to help liven things up, but I wonder, do you think it would work on my washer and dryer?
on my fridge*
I love the wallpaper fridge, our fridge still works, but it’s an old ugly one. Not ready to redo our kitchen yet, this may just be the ticket, now I just have to convince the hubby, haha!
Can you still put magnets on the fridge with the wallpaper on it?
Might I ask how many “rolls” of paper you used?
j’adore tout ce que vous montrez mais je ne sais rien lire en anglais n’y a t’il pas une page en français? merci
Love what you did, you’ve inspired me to do mine now. Lol, quock questions how many rolla of wallpaper you used to complete the look
Amazing result! I found some beautiful (not self adhesive) wallpapers for my fridge but not sure which paste to use… Please help! The fridge is inox face grey sides, magnet sticks on sides but not sure what metal it is (just want to wallpaper the sides). Thank you!