Actor Alexander Skarsgård’s Galley Kitchen Doesn’t Feel Small Thanks to This Cabinet Style

Notoriously cramped and dark, galley kitchens get a bad rap. However, Alexander Skarsgård figured out how to maximize light and minimize visual clutter in his just-listed East Village penthouse. Real-estate firm Compass gave us a look into The Northman star’s soon-to-be-former New York City home, up for sale for $2.6 million, and we couldn’t help but notice that his kitchen cabinets are the top selling point. 

With the exception of the handles on the paneled refrigerator and freezer, the European white oak cupboards are completely devoid of hardware. Instead of brass pulls or rounded knobs, the actor opted for ergonomic grooves on the lower drawers, resulting in a streamlined twist on Shaker-style door fronts that helps create the sense of more depth. The pronounced recess between the central panel and the rails and stiles only adds to the optical illusion. Above, transparent glass panes slide horizontally, extending the sight lines even further while also putting all his ceramic dinnerware on display. These little decisions mean the teeny kitchen doesn’t feel so narrow.

Skarsgård isn’t the only one getting in on the anti-hardware trend. Design firms Liljencrantz and SMAC Studios have used similar drawer pull techniques in their projects. If you were on the fence about mixing traditional design with minimalism, take a note from the Big Little Lies star—it’s definitely a thing.