What is the Community Kitchen of the Month feature like?

The feature showcases a light-colored Nolte kitchen in Sahara soft-matte with a cooking island and a bright, minimalist design. It includes a White marble countertop, handle strips 560, and a handle-free MatrixArt stainless steel finish, with cabinet height of 75 cm.

Why did you choose Sahara soft-matte instead of the planned Nolte Neo in grooved black wood?

The initial plan was Nolte Neo in grooved black wood, but it felt too dark. Sahara soft-matte was chosen because it’s clean, easy to maintain, timeless, and matches what we wanted for the kitchen.

What does "Living in the kitchen" mean for this family?

Living in the kitchen means the kitchen is the center of the family. It’s where we cook, laugh, play, learn, and have great conversations. It keeps you right in the thick of things, and from the kitchen you can see the garden and the living room.

How important is storage space when planning a Nolte kitchen?

Storage space plays a very big role. They had virtually no storage before, which is challenging for a family. It’s important to have everything in designated spots and still have space for new purchases and family gatherings.

Homestories

Community Kitchen of the Month: August 2025

A light-colored Nolte kitchen in Sahara soft-matte with a cooking island, marble countertop, and handle-less cabinet fronts.

Bright family kitchen in Sahara Softmatt – a home filled with light

A place that brings people together

Lisa on her home, filled with warmth and structure

Lisa lives with her husband and daughter in a modern home characterized by brightness, openness, and clean lines. Large windows create seamless transitions between the interior and exterior, making the rooms feel spacious and inviting. Especially in the summer, the garden becomes an extension of the living space, harmoniously blending architecture, nature, and family life.

The kitchen takes center stage—as the hub of daily life and the heart of the home. The light-colored Nolte kitchen in Sahara soft-matte combines minimalist design, a handle-free aesthetic, and thoughtful functionality with ample storage space. A modern family kitchen with a cooking island that not only looks great but is also perfectly tailored to the needs of everyday life.

The kitchen at a glance

Kitchen cabinet fronts: FEEL in Sahara soft matte
Countertop: White marble
Handles: Handle strips 560, handle-free - MatrixArt stainless steel finish
Cabinet height: 75 cm

The House – Light, Space, and New Approaches

Tell us a little bit about yourself—and what makes your home special to you.

Hey—I’m Lisa (@bavarian.house.number.4). I’m a mom to a now 6-year-old daughter, and I love our new home.

What makes it special is that it’s bright and filled with light, and I can look outside from every side of the house. In the summer, we open our large sliding window and bring the garden into the house—as an extension of the living and dining room. The heart and, above all, the gathering place of our home is the kitchen.

Modern kitchen with an island designed by Nolte Küchen.

Lisa on her kitchen design

"Storage space is really important—especially for families."

Take us along on your journey to building a house: How did you come to this decision, and why did you choose a solid wood house?

My husband and I moved in together in 2017. We moved into his grandparents’ house, a former typical small Bavarian farmstead. It quickly became clear that we wanted more space, and at first we considered renovating the old cottage. After years of planning, we ultimately decided to build a new house instead. The old addition (a small barn) was torn down for this purpose, since my partner also wanted to build a large hall adjacent to the new house at the same time. This was constructed out of brick. For the residential house, it quickly became clear that it should be solid wood, since the indoor climate is unbeatable. Additionally, the construction time is shorter compared to brick construction.

How did you find the construction phase—was it stressful, or did everything go smoothly?

Since we did the finishing work on our house ourselves, we were able to plan, organize, and carry out a lot of it on our own. Fortunately, everything went according to plan, except for a few minor delivery delays. But of course it was still stressful, since we had to juggle family, work, hobbies, and building a house all at once.

Have you fully settled in yet, or are there still projects pending?

Physically and emotionally, we’ve definitely settled into the house. We moved in last summer. Accordingly, we’re now starting the paving work on the driveway and planning the garden. However, this will still take some time.

Planning & Implementation: Designed for Everyday Life

How did you decide on a Nolte kitchen—and why exactly this style?

Our initial plan was a “Nolte Neo” in grooved black wood. However, we found that too dark, so our second plan was to go for the exact opposite. The Sahara soft-matte color was therefore the best choice. We wanted it to be clean, easy to maintain, and timeless. Our kitchen reflects all of that, and we would choose it again in a heartbeat.

Did you design your kitchen yourselves or work with a kitchen design studio?

The floor plan of the house was designed around the kitchen, since we had a concrete vision. For example, it was supposed to include a kitchen island and a hidden passageway to the pantry. With our plan and ideas in hand, we went to a kitchen studio to achieve the best possible result.

A modern kitchen with sleek built-in cabinets and an island, Nolte Küchen.

Minimalism meets functionality

Your kitchen has some handle-free cabinets—what was important to you in that decision, and what do you particularly like about it?

The main focus here was actually the clean look, with the added benefit that handle-free also means easy to clean.

You opted for a light, minimalist kitchen—what inspired you to choose this design?

As mentioned above, it was important to us that the kitchen always looks tidy, with the added benefit of being easy to maintain. Everyone wants a beautiful and always tidy home

A modern kitchen with an island and a small dog, Nolte Kitchens.

Storage space: the key to everyday family life

How important is storage space to you when planning a kitchen?

A very big role. Before, we had virtually no storage space, which is incredibly important when you have a child or a family. At least for me, since I prepare several meals every day and cook a lot. I like it best when everything has its own designated spot and there’s still storage space left over for any new purchases and extra needs for family gatherings.

A modern kitchen with open cabinets and a coffee machine. Nolte Küchen.

Three kitchen essentials

Were there three things your kitchen absolutely had to have?

Yes. A steamer, a kitchen island, and the hidden passage to the pantry.

Style & Inspiration

Your home is incredibly stylish—where do you get your inspiration?

I have a clear vision of what our new home should look like. Easy to maintain, bright, minimalist, clean-lined, and lots of glass in the form of windows. Many apps, especially the big P., were on my daily list.

How would you describe your interior design style in a few words?

A mix of Scandinavian and Japandi in a modern and timeless interpretation.

A cozy living room with a sofa and Monstera plant, Nolte Living.

An elegant living room with a large dining table and stylish seating, Nolte Living.

A modern bathroom with an illuminated mirror and sink. Nolte SPA.

Daily Life, Structure, and Quality of Life

Do you pay just as much attention to detail in your interior design as you do to the exterior of your home?

Yes and no. When it came to the exterior design of the house, the color of the facade was important. We opted for a light cream shade. The front door—the face of the house, so to speak—was also important to us. We wanted everything to come together. However, the focus was, and still is, on the interior of the house.

What three tips would you give others regarding household management and organization?

That’s a good question. My husband is laughing! They say organization is half the battle—and I couldn’t agree more, even though it’s often difficult to juggle everything. In the evening, before going to bed, I tidy up as much as possible so we can wake up feeling good in the morning and focus on what matters most: leaving the house on time. Otherwise, I plan my shopping for the week and have set routines—for example, on Fridays, I clean the bathrooms. Three of them. Housework shouldn’t control our lives! The house is what makes our lives worth living.

A modern kitchen with elegant design and large windows. Nolte Küchen.

Living in the Kitchen

What does “Living in the kitchen"?

Everything: The kitchen is the center of our family. This is where we cook, laugh, play, learn, and have great conversations. You’re right in the thick of things, even when we have guests. When we were planning our house, it was clear from the start that the kitchen was going to be the heart of the home, and I think we’ve succeeded very well. From the kitchen, I have a fantastic view of our garden, I can see my daughter sitting at the dining table while she paints and crafts, and I can see our gorgeous living room.

Nolte kitchen journal