diff --git a/icekit/project/settings/calculated.py b/icekit/project/settings/calculated.py
index 03f7b958..91f4df91 100644
--- a/icekit/project/settings/calculated.py
+++ b/icekit/project/settings/calculated.py
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@
 
 # STORAGES ####################################################################
 
+# Override media and thumbnail storage if S3 media is enabled
 if ENABLE_S3_MEDIA:
-    DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE = 'icekit.utils.storage.S3DefaultStorage'
-    THUMBNAIL_DEFAULT_STORAGE = DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE
+    # "Private" S3 storage by default for most media assets
+    DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE = 'icekit.utils.storage.S3DefaultPrivateStorage'
+
+    # "Public" S3 storage by default for thumbnails
+    THUMBNAIL_DEFAULT_STORAGE = 'icekit.utils.storage.S3DefaultPublicStorage'
diff --git a/icekit/utils/storage.py b/icekit/utils/storage.py
index 9667bd13..087103b7 100644
--- a/icekit/utils/storage.py
+++ b/icekit/utils/storage.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
 # STORAGE CLASSES #############################################################
 
 
-class S3DefaultStorage(
+class S3DefaultPrivateStorage(
         # HashedMediaMixin,
         S3MediaLocationMixin,
         S3PrivateMixin,
@@ -63,4 +63,17 @@ class S3DefaultStorage(
     pass
 
 
+class S3DefaultPublicStorage(
+        # HashedMediaMixin,
+        S3MediaLocationMixin,
+        S3PublicMixin,
+        S3Boto3Storage):
+
+    pass
+
+
+# TODO Deprecated, use `S3DefaultPrivateStorage` instead of `S3DefaultStorage`
+S3DefaultStorage = S3DefaultPrivateStorage
+
+
 default_storage = get_storage_class(settings.DEFAULT_FILE_STORAGE)()