Flat panel kitchen cabinets: fronts & finishes

A flat panel front has no frame or molding to hide behind, so its surface is everything. Flat panel kitchen cabinets look precise when the material is consistent from edge to edge, the edges are sealed cleanly and the gaps between fronts are even. Nolte fronts are 19 to 22 mm (about ¾ to ⅞ in) thick and sit on a 16 mm carcass with a sealing edge that lets doors close gently and keeps out dust.

In every German kitchen we plan, the carcass behind every front is the same, in one of 11 decors that you can match to the front — inside and out at no extra charge. So the choice on this page is really about how the kitchen looks, feels and wears. If you prefer a framed door, see transitional kitchens. The pages below go deeper into frameless construction, lacquer, wood veneer and glass fronts.

Each front belongs to one price group, PG1 to PG9. Moving up a group changes the front, not the carcass system underneath; nolteneo adds its own neoBOX drawers and visible sides. That is why a plan can be priced in two or three fronts side by side, and why mixing makes sense — PG6 genuine lacquer on the island everyone touches, PG2 lacquer laminate on tall units.

Matte, gloss, wood and glass each span several groups. A matte kitchen can be FEEL at PG2 or SOFT LACK at PG4; a wood kitchen can be MANHATTAN at PG1 or neoFLAT veneer at PG8. Nolte publishes no prices; the configurator gives a ballpark and your consultation quote shows the effect of each choice. Read lacquer vs veneer vs laminate fronts for a durability comparison.