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FEBRUA RY 2019 | 27 Architectural Hardware Salice America's Air Hinge won big last year at the iF Design Awards for its compact, efficient design, which packs sophisticated function into 10 millimetres of space; for 2019, the company's comprehensive range of hinges incorporate technological developments, innovation, and high performance. The Silenta+ might be one of the most advanced deceleration systems available: the hinges deliver a consistently perfect closing action in a variety of size options (from 16 millimetres and up). Powered by twin silicone-oil dampers and housed in the hinge cup, the Silenta+ features a similar look and shape to the first generation Salice hinges, but equipped with a discreet switch to adjust the deceleration mechanism. It fits with thicker doors, aluminum-framed doors and even special angles, and is compatible with traditional mounting: a real workhorse of a design. T H I N I S I N Slim hardware designs mean that there is an increased ability to work with thinner materials and non-conventional materials, handy, given that the trend in Europe is the use of thinner materials and a departure from wood or wood prod- ucts, and we'll be seeing more and more of that in North America going forward. "Materials such as Phenolic, composites, and metals are being shown in kitchens in Europe and the hardware is being expected to keep up with the new trends," says Pavlov. "Hardware is getting smaller and refined, not just in drawer box systems but also in the hinges and lifters." Just how thin can cabinets get with this sophisticated hardware? "There's new technology from Blum that allows the cabinet maker to use fronts as thin as eight millimetres for doors and drawers, which opens up an entirely new use for solid surface material such as Corian and high-pressure laminates," says Frank Sansalone, product manager for Blum Canada. Elsewhere in the industry, thanks to the simple screw connection between Tiomos M0 and furniture doors, it is possible to use materials with a thickness of between six and 10 millimetres, without the need for cup holes. This clever design, along with its integrated damping technology, allows the M0 the use of thin materials such as aluminum, and underlines the aspiration of the Tiomos range to cover all applications. And while door fronts are getting thinner, drawers are getting wider, and colours are getting darker. Blum recently introduced two new lines of hinges to the Canadian market. The first, Tip-On Blumotion hinges in onyx black, comple- ments darker colour trends in kitchen cabinets and furniture interiors. P U S H A N D P U L L As the population ages, easy access to drawers and cabinets is critical to the usabil- ity of space. "Consumers are looking for features to make their lives easier," says Sansalone. "This fits well with motion technology." Blum's Blumotion, Servo-Drive, Tip-On, and Tip-On Blumotion are all designed for ease of opening and closing. Blum isn't the only company reinventing the functionality of drawers. Green Canada's Nova Pro Scala drawer box won the German Design award when it was initially shown in 2016, and its new Nova Pro Scala incorporates the high quality of the 40-kilogram and 70-kilogram Nova Pro fully synchronized full extension slide. Salice updated its pull-out shelf this year with a lock-open function, done with just a simple magnetic accessory. Now it's possible for a shelf to be held in a maximum open position to use as a fixed work surface or even support small appliances. A firm press releases the shelf and puts it back in a closed position. K N O C K , K N O C K While mechanical improvements are shaping architectural hardware in the kitchen, for doors, it's all about digital solutions. Electronic access control has been transformed by wireless solutions, reports Allegion Canada, thanks to the reduction of deployment costs. A new report by IFSEC Global, Assa Abloy, and IHS Markit notes that the market for access control is changing rapidly: it forecasts overall market growth at 7.9 percent. "The ongoing market shift from wired to wireless access control is forcefully backed up by a survey of senior security professionals," explains The Wireless Access Control Report 2018. "Nearly two-thirds of respondents 'have a more positive view of wireless than five years ago because the technology has improved.'" While once wireless deadbolts and locks would have been used just at the front door, wireless locks can actually complement existing security solutions to extend the benefits of electronic access control deeper in the building. By adopt- ing wireless electronic locks on interior doors, a single credential can provide a frictionless experience. Dormakaba is one company offering hardware for keyless solutions: its Simplex series of mechanical push-button door locks are cipher locks that use a simple numeric push button code to unlock – no electronics or batteries required. A glamorous cabinet handle, a wireless locking mechanism, a sleek set of soft- close hinges on ultra-thin cabinet doors: they're little things, but they make a big impact. They're the details that make a house a home. A Tiomos H hinge system from Grass Canada Inc. AVENTOS HF bi-fold lift from Blum Canada Ltd. Simplex 5000 mechanical push-button door lock from Dormakaba. Servo-Drive hardware from Blum Canada Ltd.

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