Design services
Our kitchen design process, from first visit to delivery
A German kitchen is built to order, so the work happens in a deliberate sequence: understand, measure, design, confirm, order, deliver. Here is what each stage of our kitchen design process involves and what you decide along the way.
Illustrative interior
01Six stages
The kitchen design process, step by step
- 01
Visit the showroom
We meet in Glendale, talk through your routines, wishes and budget range, and look at fronts, worktops and lighting together.
- 02
Measure
We confirm wall lengths, ceiling height, windows and the positions of water, gas, power and ventilation, or work from your architect’s drawings.
- 03
Design in 3D
Your designer plans the kitchen in 3D with real Nolte modules, then refines it with you until it fits.
- 04
Specification and quote
Every unit, front, handle, fitting and light is listed in the quote, so you can see exactly what you are approving.
- 05
Order from Germany
After approval, your kitchen is ordered from Nolte and built to your specification in Germany.
- 06
Delivery and installation
We coordinate delivery to your home and can coordinate installation with vetted professionals or your own contractor.
02Timing
What affects lead time
Because every Nolte kitchen is made to order and shipped from Germany, we do not quote a standard timeline on this page. We confirm the expected lead time when your order is placed, based on your specification and the factory schedule at that moment.
Several things shape the overall timeline: how quickly design decisions are made; whether your architect, contractor or homeowners’ association needs to review drawings; production and freight to California; and how ready the site is, with walls, floors and plumbing and electrical rough-in in place. Stone worktops are usually templated once the cabinets are installed, which adds its own step at the end.
The surest way to keep a project moving is to finalize appliances early. They fix more cabinet dimensions than anything else, and our 3D kitchen design stage depends on them.
03Your decisions
What you decide, and when
Layout
Island or peninsula, galley or L-shape: settled in the first design rounds. See our layout guide.
Appliances
Models and sizes, chosen before the plan is finalized so apertures fit exactly.
Fronts and colors
Front family, finish and handle concept, confirmed with samples in the showroom.
Worktop
Material, thickness and edge, plus where the backsplash starts and stops.
Lighting and power
Under-cabinet, plinth and display lighting, outlets and switching, coordinated with your electrician.
Inside the cabinets
Drawer organizers, larder pull-outs, corner solutions and waste sorting.
04On site
Who does what when the kitchen arrives
NOVAHAUS designs, specifies and orders your kitchen, and we coordinate its delivery. For installation, we can coordinate with vetted professionals or work alongside the contractor you already have.
Building work around the kitchen, such as demolition, plumbing, electrical and any permits your project needs, sits with your contractor or architect. We share drawings early so their work lines up with the cabinets to the inch. If you are planning a larger renovation, our kitchen remodel page covers how the pieces fit together.
05Checklist
Bring these to your first meeting
- Floor plan
- Architect’s drawings, a realtor plan or a hand sketch with wall lengths
- Photos
- Each wall of the room, plus the view into adjoining spaces
- Ceiling height
- Measured in two or three places; older homes are rarely level
- Appliances
- Models you are keeping or considering, with their widths
- Timing
- Any fixed dates, such as a move-in or a wider renovation schedule
- Budget range
- A range rather than a number; we will show what it buys
How long does a Nolte kitchen take?
Do you install kitchens?
When should I start planning relative to construction?
Can I change the order after it is placed?
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Consultation
Plan your project with a NOVAHAUS designer
Bring a floor plan, a photo or simply an idea. We will walk the showroom with you, talk through layout, materials and budget, and map out the next steps.