Community Kitchen of the Month @little.icebears
Our Kitchen of the Month for June comes from Jana @little.icebears, who shares her daily life on Instagram – with a focus on her cats, plants, and her beautiful home. Jana and her partner have been living for a year in a ground-floor apartment with a large garden and chose a Nolte kitchen in a modern black-wood look. Why? The combination of high quality, German production, and cosy, minimalist design won them over. The kitchen was designed by Jana’s partner himself – as a passionate cook, he spent a lot of time creating the perfect kitchen. For both of them, it was especially exciting to imagine cooking in it later. The design with dark, handle-free fronts and wood elements blends ideally into their open-plan concept, while the dark glass display cabinets provide a real wow effect. Jana's must-haves? Handle-free, ambient lighting, and high-quality, easy-care fronts – the anti-fingerprint technology makes cleaning easy, even with two white cats in the house. For her and her furry friends, the kitchen is definitely a place to feel good!
You are very active on Instagram yourself. What defines you and your account? Who are you, and what do you show us there?
My name is Jana @little.icebears, and I take my followers along in my daily life, mainly focusing on our cats, plants, and our lovely home.
Tell us more about your home. You live in a ground-floor apartment, right? How long have you been living there?
We've been living in the ground-floor apartment with a large garden in a quiet area for a year, and we love it.
How did you come to choose a Nolte kitchen in this style?
Of course, there were several manufacturers to choose from, but the high quality and the fact that Nolte is produced in Germany were decisive for us. The style is something different – modern black with a wood look for cosiness. It fits perfectly in our new apartment and our decor style.
Did you design your kitchen yourself or have it designed?
My partner designed the kitchen entirely himself. He loves cooking and kitchens. He spent hours on it, going back and forth with plans at furniture stores and kitchen studios.
What was the most enjoyable part of the planning?
Imagining standing in it and cooking.
You opted for a kitchen with dark fronts and wood elements; what do you like most about it?
We love simple and black furniture as well as wood tones, so it was simply the perfect combination for us.
What inspired you to choose a handle-free kitchen?
Since the kitchen is visible from almost everywhere in our apartment, we wanted something that integrates perfectly into the open space without looking "bulky." It should blend beautifully into the open space concept. So handles were out of the question for us.
What atmosphere did you want to create with the combination of matte and glossy fronts in your kitchen?
The dark glass display cabinets facing the living area add a WOW effect. They will be lit cosily as well.
What is the most important function in your kitchen for you?
Keeping it clean easily is the most important for me in everyday life; with the anti-fingerprint fronts, that works perfectly. I can only recommend it to everyone and take away the fear of dark fronts. And hey, we have two white cats. And of course, the great functionality.
What were the three must-haves that absolutely had to be in your kitchen?
Handle-free, ambient lighting, and your high-quality fronts. Should your kitchen be practical in everyday life, or was design the priority? In fact, both, which we were luckily able to implement superbly.
Is the interior just as important to you as the exterior look?
To be honest, yes. The inside of the cabinets has the same structure and colour as the outside.
You have two cats. How do they like your home and your kitchen?
Definitely too much. Many people might find it annoying, but I think I speak for the entire cat community when I say there is nothing better than a furry friend watching you cook with interest.
Your apartment is so nicely furnished. Where do you get your inspiration?
They are things that are love at first sight.
Does your character reflect your decor?
I don't think you can really define it that way.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of having an open-plan living and dining area like yours?
Advantages: It is a large open space, where you don’t always have to talk around corners or through doors, and you live together. With friends, it’s even nicer over a beer or an Aperol. A single disadvantage is smells from strong dishes, but they go away with ventilation.
We see that your decor is completely coordinated. How important is a harmonious overall look to you?
Very, as everything is open, it should be harmonious and cosy.
What is your favourite place in your home and why?
Of course, the kitchen. They say “the way to the heart is through the stomach” for a reason.
What are your top three household tips?
A tip I keep reminding myself of, which definitely makes everyday life easier, is: “Don’t let anything pile up in the first place, and you won’t have to tidy up at all.”
What does life in the kitchen mean to you?
For my partner, cooking on a weekend is pure relaxation, and I look forward every time to his delicious dishes, which he prepares with so much love each time!
