This is How I Live
Two Munich-based designers showcase their project—part showroom, part private sanctuary
How do you transform a home showroom into a living, breathing space? Interior designer Nicole Maalouf and her husband Daniel Eichhorn, a cultural economist, answer that question through their passion project: their own apartment in Munich's charming Haidhausen district recently became both their private home and the showcase for SoLebIch, the platform they founded in 2007.
Over two years, these Munich creatives partnered with premium brands to transform the SoLebIch apartment into a space where inspiration and ideas flourish. What emerged from a neglected nineteenth-century flat is now a stunning sanctuary where craftsmanship, design, and cutting-edge technology converge. Designed by Nicole Maalouf and architect Katharina Kassner, the rooms embody a distinctive aesthetic: vintage meets contemporary, playful curves blend with clean lines, and a sophisticated palette of materials—alabaster, chrome, and silk—creates visual richness. The color scheme ranges from understated tones like lilac and soft rose to bold jewel greens and vibrant oranges. The reimagined bathroom is almost cathedral-like in its contemplative quality: its curved walls frame a high-tech soaking tub featuring integrated lighting, sound systems, and touch controls, while microcement finishes create an atmosphere of serene calm. The kitchen pulses with energy as the heart of the home, while the bedroom wraps you in comfort. What truly sets this apart from a typical showroom: every inch is designed for actual living. Everything here works.
The kitchen and every other room—living spaces through to the bedroom—are fully functional for everyday living. The lush, well-established balcony beckons for lingering summer evenings with wine in hand. "This is precisely what we envisioned," says Nicole Maalouf. "We've curated numerous pop-up installations before—for imm cologne at the Qvest Hotel, in USM's Munich showroom—but a fully livable show apartment? That's entirely new territory for us," explains the SoLebIch founder. The apartment is available to book for private events and tours by request, and open-door events for interested visitors will be held throughout the year.
Photography Credits:
Benni Janzen
www.bennijanzen.de
(Published in CUBE Munich 01|23)