Fridgescaping: Enter the magical world of refrigerator artists

If your fridge looks like a haphazard game of food Jenga, it might be time to consider fridgescaping.

Sure, you might have seen juice bottles decanted into clear, aesthetically pleasing acrylic cartons, but this particular style of fridge furnishing takes decorating to a whole other level. Think vases of fresh flowers and gold-gilded frames in between artfully arranged wicker baskets. 

Curious about all the creative ways you can up your fridge game? Here’s what you need to know about fridgescaping.

What is fridgescaping?

Simply put, fridgescaping is the art of decorating the inside of your fridge. Think tablescaping, but for your refrigerator. Besides placing your food in beautiful baskets and containers, you can add stoneware, pottery, frames, and fresh flowers to your refrigerator landscape. Some people even go the extra mile and add LED candles and fairy lights. 

The idea is to romanticize your everyday life — instead of opening your fridge to a wasteland of plastic-wrapped cold cuts and slowly rotting veggies, you can enjoy a more curated food retrieval experience.

Fridgescaping has been around at least as early as 2011, per this blog post by retired design consultant Kathy Perdue). And while it might seem like a niche activity, it’s been trending on TikTok since 2023. You’d be surprised to learn that there’s a growing content creator community around it, as compiled in the following video.

@lynziliving Since I’ve decided to make fridgescaping a pillar of my personality, I thought it would be fun to explore some other people with beautiful refrigerators! The fridgescaping foremothers, so to speak. @Jenefertaylor – Absolutely stunning refrigerator and the first person I ever personally saw do this. Her use of produce is art in my opinion. Her refrigerator could inspire painters. I also love that she points out that doing this is for YOU. You’re the person looking at this everyday, which is exactly how I feel about it. I may be sharing this with the internet, but the internet isn’t the one smiling 20 times a day because you can’t quit looking at your refrigerator. @🌿RosemaryFairy🌿 – She doesn’t post fridgescaping, but she has posted what she calls her “girl fridge” and it’s lovely! It’s a great example of how you can beautify your refrigerator using vintage pieces and really make it your own. She’s also who inspired me to put art in my refrigerator, although I have zero understanding of how she hung hers in the back. I tried to no avail. Sorcery! @House of Bishop – Her Fridgescapes are just *chef’s kiss*. So classy! I particularly love her use of the bear glass containers and this little awning she sometimes uses for her butter, but really everything she does is perfection and she does sort of themed designs, which is my new obsession. @GardenofEve She may have been the one who started this all. I don’t really know, but she’s been posting her refrigerators for a very long time. She does really beautiful work and she also cooks (and shows receipts). For some reason people see this and have these responses like “they obviously don’t cook” or “where’s the food” and it’s wild. It’s BECAUSE I cook so often that this works for me. 😂 She’s the same way. Anyway, her refrigerator is chock-full of inspiration and wildly functional and she has me wanting to occasionally remove some shelves so I can add some flowers with height! If you have other favorite creators with beautiful refrigerators, tag them in the comments! #fridgescaping #refrigeratorgoals #refrigeratororganization ♬ Mendelssohn: Octet in E Flat Major, Op. 20, MWV R20 – IV. Presto – Emerson String Quartet

What the critics have to say

Like most Internet trends, fridgescaping has faced backlash from contrarians, haters, and the generally concerned. Safety, for example, is an issue worth considering. It’s fair to ask whether or not it’s safe to stash batteries, breakable pottery, and mold-prone wicker baskets inside a cold and potentially humid environment.

But the main criticism against fridgescaping is that it’s not practical, since it takes time and money to cultivate a beautiful refrigerator interior. Food is expensive enough as it is, so who has the means to collect frivolous trinkets? You might also tick off other people who share the fridge with you, like this exasperated husband on the AITA subreddit.

While fridgescaping has drawn its fair share of criticism, fridgescaping artists like TikTok creator @lynziliving have made their case for their quaint passion. In the following video, she notes that fridgescaping helps her track her produce better, encourages her to try new food, prompts her to cook more, and reduces her food waste.

@lynziliving Aside from the obvious benefit of the immediate dopamine hit I get every time I open the refrigerator, I have actually found that there are so many more positive things (for me) than I ever would have thought. 1. I can suddenly see all of my produce, which means it’s very easy to take stock of what I currently have and where it is in the ripening process. I can open the refrigerator and see that the strawberries are on their last leg, so I decide to do something with them that day. 2. I used to be a very picky eater. It took me many many years to get to where I am now. I still have moments where I’m scared of trying new things, and this has helped push me to be more adventurous. I love having beautiful produce in my refrigerator and I am excited about something different in the refrigerator, which means I need to integrate it into my meal plan. I’ve never been an eggplant person, but it’s so beautiful, so I bought it recently for a meal and gave it another go. 3. My husband and I are cooking more than ever. We’ve always cooked a lot, and cooking has been something we’ve enjoyed doing together. However, having so many beautiful things in the refrigerator and on display where you can see it well has led to us being more creative with our meals. We’re very excited to try new things with what we have at home. 4. I have less food waste than ever. Long gone are the days of the broccoli that you promised yourself you were going to eat, but you only mildly like it, so it’s been sitting in the back of your crisper for a month and has gone moldy. I’m now hyper aware of what I have and it’s contained in things I really love, so I treat it with care. 5. Lastly, my refrigerator is so clean all the time. I used to absolutely dread cleaning the refrigerator, and that’s 100% because I did it once in a blue moon. Now that I am switching things in and out of my refrigerator and displaying things, I naturally want it to look nice. Because the refrigerator is so clean all the time, all I need to do is wipe down the shelves. It takes 30 seconds. #fridgescaping #fridgescape #refrigeratororganization #kitchenorganization #fridgeorganization ♬ Flowers – SoundAudio

The different genres of fridgescaping

Fridgescaping is predominantly inspired by Regencycore and cottagecore—there’s a lived-in, vintage charm to it. While minimalist, modern styles aren’t as common, there are certainly no rules against them.

Here are a few common themes in the fridgescaping world. 

Up first is Fridgerton, which, you guessed it, is a portmanteau between fridge and Bridgerton. The daintier and more ornate you can make your fridge, the better. Think gold-accented plates, marble figures, and elegant vases.

A low-key, cottage-inspired fridgescape is another popular option — potted herbs, glass jars, and wood decor will do just the trick.

You also can’t go wrong with a fun seasonal fridge.

You can even opt for a woodland forest vibe, like this fridge decorated for Easter—mushroom decor and fresh wildflowers are perfect for this style.

If you do enjoy a more modern and minimalist look, you can stick with cute matching containers and baskets.

Realistically, not everyone is going to have the patience to fix up their refrigerators for #fridgetok. But, if you keep your cool and put in the work, the results can be magical.

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