Pro Cooks Swear by This *Tiny* Cabinet Design Hack That Makes Cooking So Much Easier

Imagine it: You’re whipping up your most popular recipe. It’s one that’s tried and true, your staple — even your friends and family associate this special dish with you. When you’re in the zone, it can often feel like your kitchen comes alive; it moves with you to best support your needs. 

And while the rhythm of stewing, simmering, and sizzling might all be in your head (what a happy place to be!), some kitchen owners, like Alba and Khaled, who live in this stunning Barcelona home, have made this cooking dance a true possibility with a clever hack. 

The couple worked with Arquitectura-G to design the whole home, but one of their most exciting adventures was laying out the kitchen, a room that Alba had always dreamed of. One aspect that makes the space unique is that the room has only two walls, and one is curved. 

To play off that whimsical detail, their architects suggested creating custom-made stainless steel moveable bottom cabinets with the help of wheels. “By having a straight wall and a curved wall, I wanted the kitchen to have a fixed part, the red marble, and a mobile part, the stainless steel modules with wheels,” Alba shares. “At first, it seemed like a risky idea, and now we love it!”

It’s not necessarily surprising that the wheels are a hit in their kitchen, as there are many benefits. For one, it makes the kitchen work for you. Pull over a movable cabinet for more space if the countertops near the stovetop are stacked with dishes. Alba admits that it’s helped with cleaning, too. “We can remove each one individually, move them around the space, and clean everywhere,” she says. 

Because Alba and Khaled’s kitchen cabinets were custom-made, they cost around $425 each. However, there are ways to DIY movable furniture pieces. For example, one pro cook’s kitchen has its trash can and reach-in freezer chest propped on dollies with caster wheels. With caster wheels — tiny, usually inexpensive gems — underneath heavy furniture, it can make a kitchen more manageable and fluid. 

“We liked having a large, open kitchen. We like to cook for family and friends while we chat,” Alba explains. “For us, the living room and kitchen are part of our usual routine. The children set the table while we make dinner, and we all talk around. We liked the red marble and the contrast with industrial points.”

The moveable cabinetry and curved kitchen walls aren’t the only unique features of this stunning home. Explore the full house tour on Apartment Therapy to learn more about this sunny family home.