The Reveal: Our North American Kitchen in a German Apartment (After Months of Patience)
By the time our kitchen was installed, we had been in Stuttgart for 4 months - ordering takeout, eating out, and eating Buldak Ramen. It wasn’t exactly the romantic European living we’d pictured. But when the final cabinet doors clicked into place, we finally had the kitchen we’d been imagining since that first day in our empty apartment.
The Delays We Didn’t See Coming
We had accepted early on that the process in Germany would be slower than in the U.S., but IKEA still managed to surprise us. Our original installation date came and went with no updates. After a polite but persistent round of phone calls, we learned that they had delayed our installation without checking with us — pushing it back another month.
That delay forced us to extend our short-term furnished rental for another month, adding costs we hadn’t budgeted for. It was a frustrating end to an already drawn-out process.
The Installation — Fast and Precise
After months of planning and waiting, the actual installation took just two days. The installers moved quickly but with an attention to detail that was unmistakably German.
Every cabinet was leveled to perfection, the quartz-like countertop was fitted seamlessly, and the bar island — the centerpiece of our design — took shape exactly as we had pictured in Duygu’s 3D rendering.
Living With It Now
The kitchen has become the center of our home, just as we hoped.
Mornings start with the rich aroma of our home-brewed coffee.
Evenings end with a home-cooked dinner, and Bossa Nova playing on all HomePod Minis around the apartment.
The bar island has become our favorite place to talk about our day, share a quick lunch, or spread out a weekend cooking project.
It’s not just functional — it feels like a small piece of our Michigan apartment was transported across the ocean.
The Reveal
Our finished & furnished North American kitchen in Killesberg (Stuttgart), Germany
The black matte cabinets give the room depth, the light countertop keeps it airy, and the bar island ties the whole open space together. This isn’t just where we cook — it’s where our home begins and ends each day.
Final Thoughts for Anyone Moving to Germany
If you’re relocating from North America and want a kitchen that feels familiar, plan for:
Longer timelines — especially if you’re working with IKEA or similar retailers.
Extra costs — from short-term housing extensions to unexpected design adjustments.
Cultural differences — kitchens in Germany are more compact, so you’ll need to fight for open layouts and features like a bar island.
It takes patience (and a bit of stubbornness) to get what you want, but when you finally stand in your finished kitchen, coffee mug in hand, you’ll know it was worth every step.
