We pride ourselves on knowing all there is to know about our incredible range of products, but seeing them through a designer’s eyes always gives us a whole new appreciation for them. One of our favorite "Aha!" moments was seeing the specialty kitchen Lisa Steinbach-Schecter installed in her showroom, Kitchens on Montana. Called the Selfcare Wellness Kitchen, it brings together a collection of smartly organized products that help encourage a healthier way of eating, while paying homage to the natural environment with materials like wood and stone. (Even the glass chandelier references water droplets.) “I was trying to go deeper as a kitchen designer,” says Steinbach-Schecter, who has been in the business for thirty years. “This kitchen has all the tools and protocols front and center to encourage a plant-based diet and healthy cooking. It’s all about having products that are relevant to the task at hand and being respectful to nature, which has a wonderful effect on our health and well being.”

The kitchen has a contemporary look but it’s a concept that can be interpreted in any aesthetic. Steinbach-Schecter used low-VOC paint, a Thibaut textural wallpaper, and formaldehyde-free cabinetry to build the vignette, and incorporated a Galley sink, a Body Glove water filtration system, a pull-out Grohe faucet, planter boxes of herbs, recycling bins, and an Urban Cultivator for growing micro greens. Sub-Zero refrigerator drawers are oriented to the Miele cooktop and provide easy access to fresh fruit and vegetables. Other Miele products include an LED-illuminated stainless cooktop hood (think of it as a little chromotherapy while you cook), a coffee maker, and a combi-steam oven with warming drawers.

“Miele was really the first to create the steam oven. It infuses moisture and maintains vitamin and mineral content, which is so important,” she says, adding that she has one in her own kitchen. Steinbach-Schecter has used Miele products for years and particularly likes the brand’s streamlined look, user-friendly design, and cutting-edge technology. “They have a great concierge service too, and a staff that really takes pride in the company,” she notes. She’s quick to add that she always likes to encourage her clients to invest in quality, whether it’s appliances or ingredients. (And when clients upgrade products, she encourages donations to organizations like Habitat for Humanity.) She also encourages reading and seeking sound advice from wellness experts. “I just try to impart some wisdom in a nice way. Food is mood, and this whole kitchen just kicks up the happiness factor,” she says with a laugh. “Everything works in symphony.”

To learn more about Miele products, visit one of our showrooms. Through the end of this month, the purchase of a Miele induction cooktop or induction range comes with a complimentary 5-piece stainless steel set of Le Creuset cookware (a retail value of $425.00). And don’t miss our recent post on Miele’s latest dishwasher designs.

And because more is more, below is another of Steinbach-Schecter’s creations, this time a Miele kitchen she recently completed for a client in Bel-Air, in collaboration with designer Jeffrey Hitchcock.