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Black kitchen island - Play with light and shadow

A modern dark kitchen with an island and lighting, designed by Nolte Kitchen.

I am Steffi and have been living with my husband in our newly built house in Hanau in the Rhein-Main area since January 2021. We spent a long time searching for a house or plot, which proved very difficult in this region, as building plots are scarce and expensive. In 2019, we finally got lucky and managed to secure a plot directly by the forest edge in the new Pioneer Park development. This marked the start of our house-building adventure. Our kitchen is approximately 12 m² and is integrated into our 40 m² open-plan living and dining area. We deliberately opted for an illuminated black kitchen and love it!

Steffi talks about her journey to owning a home on the edge of the forest – and why a black kitchen was exactly the right decision.

Steffi from Hanau

„Black is my Happy Colour – especially when light and design interact perfectly.“

Why did you choose an entirely black kitchen?
High gloss was out of the question for us. It quickly became clear that we wanted a matte black kitchen. Together with the lighting, you get a wonderful contrast, different from e.g. a white kitchen.

How should the living area, floor, and walls be designed so that a black kitchen doesn't appear too gloomy?
The rest of the living area should be kept bright. Thanks to our many windows, the entire space is flooded with light. We chose a light-colored herringbone patterned floor and kept all the walls white. Next to our beige living furniture, however, we also have some black furniture and decorations to pick up, once again, the black kitchen.

Your kitchen is incredibly beautifully illuminated. Which lighting elements did you have installed?
The lighting is from Nolte and consists of LED strips that run around the kitchen island and around the rest of the upper kitchen front area. The corner with the wall cabinets is also illuminated. We can switch the lighting between warm white and cold white.

Is the interior of the cabinets illuminated as well?
No, the interior of the cabinets is not illuminated. However, due to the integrated LED strip, the drawers are still well-lit.

Why was lighting important to you?
Lighting is very important for the ambience and therefore also for us essential in the kitchen.

Does lighting play an important role for you outside of the kitchen as well?
Yes, we have equipped the living area with various lighting elements that can create atmospheric scenes.

Why did you decide against handles and for a handleless kitchen?
A handleless kitchen is minimalist and modern and that's exactly what we love. It was clear to us right from the start that our kitchen would be handleless.

A modern kitchen unit with a black surface and decor, Nolte Kitchens.
Handleless, elegant and timeless: Soft Lack Black softmatt meets APL Black Pro – a statement in black.
Modern kitchen with a black island and appliances, designed by Nolte Kitchen.
Modern kitchen design perfected – clean lines, handleless fronts and high-quality materials define the overall look.
A woman with a cat in a modern kitchen with black cabinets. Nolte Kitchens.
This is Steffi – her handleless kitchen in Soft Lack Black soft matt with APL Black Pro combines clear design with comfort.

Did you deliberately choose a front with Anti-Fingerprint?
Yes, we deliberately chose an Anti-Fingerprint front. Nolte has various black fronts but we absolutely wanted the Anti-Fingerprint front and are very happy with this choice.

Is there anything special that must be considered when taking care of an entirely black kitchen?
Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. You can see dust sooner on black surfaces and have to wipe the fronts more often, but we would always choose a black kitchen again.

The large refrigerator with the integrated ice dispenser is typically found in American households. Why did you decide on it?
For a long time, our dream has been a large Side-By-Side refrigerator with an ice dispenser. Finally, we have enough space for groceries and in summer the ice dispenser is the most-used item in the kitchen.

You chose a downdraft extractor - what needed to be considered during planning?
Since it's a recirculating downdraft extractor, nothing special had to be considered during planning. The minimalist appearance of the kitchen shouldn't be disrupted by an extractor hood.

What challenges were there when planning an open kitchen?
The planning didn't pose any problems. Our layout was already designed to include an open kitchen.

What do you find charming about an open kitchen, or why did you decide on one?
Interaction with our friends while cooking was important to us. An open living and dining area is perfect for this. We love the interconnected spaces. Cooking smells are absolutely no issue with the downdraft extractor.

In addition to the L-shaped kitchen unit, why did you decide on an island?
An island has always been our dream. It offers plenty of storage space, is the focal point of the kitchen, and simultaneously creates separation from the dining area.

What are your favorite decorative elements in the kitchen?
Here too we love it minimalistic. A few vases. A few modern salt and pepper shakers. A mortar and pestle. That‘s it. We love it simple and clean, as the black kitchen speaks for itself.

Light that can do more – kitchen lighting with a concept

Whether functional or atmospheric: With the sophisticated lighting solutions from Nolte Küchen, you can perfectly showcase your kitchen. Indirect light sources, illuminated handle trims or modern LED systems create atmosphere, highlight the design – and ensure optimum working conditions.
A modern black kitchen with a lit island, designed by Nolte Kitchen.

What does life in the kitchen mean to you?
Life in the kitchen should above all be fun. Everything doesn't always have to be perfect. Sometimes the dishes remain standing around a day longer than necessary. That's just how it is.

In one of your posts, you write that black is your "Happy colour". Why is that?
We find black modern and elegant. A touch of black enhances every home. Of course, one shouldn't overdo it.

Your interior style is defined by black, white and concrete. What is the reason for this, and what do these colours evoke for you?
In the bathrooms, we implemented the concrete look and we love it. We like things clean and streamlined, and that's exactly what these colours communicate.

Your house is located in the Pioneer Park development area. What is special about it?
In Pioneer Park, a CO2-neutral, future-oriented new construction area is emerging in the middle of the Rhein-Main region, featuring several e-mobility stations where you can charge your electric car or rent an e-bike or e-cargo bike. In the front area, restaurants, a medical center, a hotel, and co-working spaces will be established. Furthermore, there will be its own daycare center, its own primary school, as well as a senior center. It is practically a small city within the city.

Given Pioneer Park's sustainable concept, you certainly had some restrictions when building your home, right?
What did you have to keep in mind? The development plan is very extensive, but we did not have to limit ourselves in our ideas.

A modern living room with Nolte Living furniture and a kitchen in the background.
Cooking, Living, Enjoying – the kitchen as the heart of the home.
A modern kitchen with black cabinets and stainless steel appliances, matching Nolte Kitchens.
Stylishly staged open-plan kitchen.
On the black countertop, there's a white vase and a black vase with a branch, matching Nolte Living.
With few accessories to a modern atmosphere.

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