Retro Vs Vintage ...
Brucelucenta - I totally hear what you're saying about living with vintage appliances as daily drivers - I agree completely. However, I've tried every permutation of a smeg/ northstar/ Big Chill/GE Artistry. None of them are counter depth like a vintage fridge except the smegs - and they only hold 11 cu ft, which is absurdly small and they have to be defrosted(kinda like a wonder kitchen fridge!) There's also something about the smegs - they feel kinda flimsy, especially when compared to a modern fridge. The closest to a normal size fridge that's 24" deep is a Northstar, but that's still 31" deep, which is way too deep. Not to mention the 4000+ price tag, which is just way too expensive. The GE artistry is the best option, but it's 32" deep.
I'd be happy to have a wide fridge, but I don't want it to be deeper than my counters. If it is so deep it would overwhelm my kitchen. (I know you're thinking a V-Handle is 31" deep or something - but - a philco V-Handle - it's a piece of art! I'm thrilled to have that stick out!
Interestingly in Europe they seem to have a few fridges that fit the bill, though they still have to be defrosted. You can't buy them in the US though. So the thought of hiring somebody in Europe, figuring out how to ship to the US & then converting it to work in the US, it was too much. But I'm still open to suggestions... if you can find an affordable modern fridge, that has the 40's/50s rounded chrom-y looks AND is counter depth & affordable, please let me know! That was the original plan....