New Delhi, Oct. 23 -- Minimalism isn't just a design fad anymore, it's quietly sneaking into how people buy their appliances. And nowhere is this shift more visible than in the renewed curiosity around single-door refrigerators.

When I visited Croma and Vijay Sales this festive season, the usual suspects, double-door and convertible refrigerators, dominated the sales charts. But tucked between the large, glossy units was an interesting trend: people were asking about single-door fridges.

Sales executives said that while conversions were still higher for double-door models, the volume of queries for single-door units had gone up significantly. The interest wasn't limited to smaller towns or budget buyers, either. It spanned students, ren...