BIG CHILL PRESS RELEASE

Boulder, Colorado, September 25, 2006 – In the annals of great design, some has resulted from innovation and some from the fresh interpretation of a classic. With Big Chill, you get the benefits of both. Founded in 2001 in Boulder, Colorado, by Orion Creamer and Thom Vernon, a nephew/uncle duo who share a love of vintage design and an entrepreneurial spirit, Big Chill combines the iconic look of a 50’s-style “icebox” with all the modern amenities of today’s contemporary appliances. It may look like your mother’s old Kelvinator, but a Big Chill fridge offers the functionality, efficiency and dependability of modern refrigerators. Best of all, no defrosting is required!

A Modern Take on Simpler Times
The original idea for Big Chill was conceived from a real-life dilemma faced by Vernon and his wife. The couple wanted to create a design conscious yet inviting retro kitchen replete with a vintage refrigerator as the cornerstone. Explains Vernon: “I think that, for many families, the kitchen has become the most common meeting place in the home. We wanted to create a space that had personality and functionality, but that also had the same welcoming feel as my mother’s kitchen when I was growing up. We wanted a place where our kid’s artwork and school photos could hang happily on the fridge and not look out of place.” In order to achieve that, the Vernons wanted to stay away from the current and modern look of stainless steel appliances, but also wanted to avoid the “white box.” They quickly discovered that while they liked the look of vintage style refrigerators, the older models were either too small, too inefficient or required a chisel and a day’s work to defrost. The Vernons went back to the drawing board until Thom and his nephew Orion came up with their own innovative solution.

While the recent trend has been to conceal standard fridge designs with clever cabinetry and other forms of camouflage, Thom and Orion set out to find a way to bring the fridge out of hiding and let it enjoy its rightful place as the centerpiece of any great kitchen. To do that, they began to look at vintage fridge designs when they were just that…and their trip through time took them right to the 50’s.

Not Your Mother’s Icebox
After looking at as many antique refrigerators and vintage appliances as they could find, Thom and Orion came up with an original retro style fridge design for Big Chill. Each Big Chill appliance has a stamped metal body with real chrome trim. Indented styling adds to the unique look of Big Chill, while the interior (provided by one of the country’s leading appliance manufacturers) boasts all the modern amenities, including icemaker, water dispenser, and most importantly…self defrost.

Reminiscent of the 1957 Chevy Bel Air (minus the fins) Big Chill retro fridges feature a stamped metal body with authentic chrome trim. The look is at once both hip and streamlined, but also time honored. In keeping with the tradition of vibrant colors in retro kitchen appliances during the 50’s, Big Chill offers a broad range of colors including Beach Blue, Cherry Red, Buttercup Yellow, Orange, Jadite Green, Pink Lemonade, and for the more traditional, Classic Black and Classic White. Explains Orion: ”We looked at what was happening in the 50’s and found there was a real color explosion in appliance design…from
KitchenAid’s candy-colored table mixers to the debut of the first color AGA Ranges. These designs are even more popular today and that inspired us to look beyond contemporary colors.” As a result, this fridge is not a wallflower, but rather a conversation piece.

Big Chill Cooks up Another Classic
Nothing says lovin’ like…the perfect vintage oven. Big Chill has recently added the matching Northstar retro stove to their current appliance offerings. The vintage range comes in all of Big Chill’s signature colors to create a complete look in any kitchen, from colorful contemporary to modern, traditional to classic.

Big Chill refrigerators retail for $2700. Northstar vintage stoves retail for $3595 (electric), $3795 (dual fuel) and $3895 (gas). Big Chill new retro appliances are available through home furnishings stores and appliance dealers around the country. Fridges can also be ordered directly from the company by calling 877.842-3269. Direct orders can be shipped anywhere in the continental U.S.