Novy and Grietens Concept together toward the ultimate kitchen

Silent extraction power in high-end kitchen architecture

For five generations, Grietens Concept has been building interiors with character. What began as an electrical store in Leuven in 1922 has grown into a high-end total furnishing company where architecture, craft and technology merge. Marthe Natens works with her parents at their family business, Grietens Concept. They give that rich family history of Grietens Concept a contemporary translation. With in it Novy as a permanent partner in refined cooking solutions that combine architectural freedom and technical security.

Those who know Grietens Concept have come to grips with it by now: here the thinking is not in individual spaces, but in totality. This is no coincidence. The company grew generation after generation with changing home cultures.

From electrical store to kitchen retailer, from kitchen retailer to customization specialist and finally to total furnisher. Each time the horizon was broadened. In the 1990s, Sonja Grietens and Jan Natens laid the foundation for that integral approach. Meanwhile, five generations have put in the hours for the popular family business. As an interior designer, Marthe Natens is one of the current generation. And the success? Grietens Concept has shown over the past decades to be good at listening to their customer's wishes. How do they want to live is an important starting point in this.

Grietens Concept supervises renovations and new construction projects from the initial plans to the final finishing touches. Structural interventions, customization, material choices, lighting, furniture, everything is designed in one line. This total concept from A to Z is unique in Belgium.

Working with the best partners

In this overall vision, the kitchen has played a key role for years. No longer a separate room, but increasingly the heart of the living environment. And that includes good cooperation partners. The cooperation with Novy, for example, has been going on for more than 35 years and, according to Natens, is based on trust. “They understand how we work. They think along in solutions and are always available for questions.”

The fact that Novy is originally a Belgian brand was certainly seen as an advantage. But more important is the quality delivered and being a true product specialist. “Novy's products answer the needs our customers have and are also technically strong.”

Grietens Concept's enjoyment of Novy as an organization also made them choose this brand for a completely renovated doctor's residence with a warm look. Including Novy Undercover and Novy Pureline.

The Undercover is much talked about in the kitchen industry. The induction cooktop is fully integrated into the worktop and remains invisible until it is used. “I had initially chosen something else,” she says. “But then the Undercover was launched. I knew immediately: this fits here even better.”

What particularly appeals to her is the added tranquility Undercover brings to the look of the kitchen and living space. “Because the cooktop merges completely into the worktop, the lines of the design remain intact. A feature that is becoming increasingly important in open living kitchens.”

Practically, too, Natens finds it a fine choice. Undercover works as powerfully as a traditional induction cooktop and operates with a separate control. The surface is even easier to clean than an induction cooktop, and installation is smooth. Combining a product that exudes pure craft, but is also not too difficult for fitters to handle, makes this product completely unique. “Our fitters take a short online training course to fully master the integration. The installations go smoothly thanks to the step-by-step instructions. It is also fun for them to be able to create something so beautiful.” Naturally, customers are also responding with interest to the Undercover.

Multiple runners

In addition to the Undercover, the Novy Pureline is often chosen within Grietens Concept. This is a ceiling unit that combines powerful, quiet extraction with an almost invisible presence. Ideal for those who want to maintain a clean ceiling appearance. The Novy Panorama, with integrated extraction in the cooktop, also fits within contemporary open living concepts. “For projects without outdoor exhaust, this is a strong solution,” says Natens. This is because the extraction works through an integrated tower, is powerful and whisper quiet. It additionally appears only when you are cooking and, thanks to its thoughtful design, works effortlessly at any pan height.

Rest as a guide

What connects all these choices is a search for tranquility. “The kitchen today is part of the living space,” Natens concludes. And Grietens Concept knows better than anyone that this makes for well-considered choices. It is precisely in this search for tranquility, integration and technical refinement that the family business and Novy have found each other for more than three decades.