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OCTOBER 2015 | 55 Kitchens PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY BLUM CANADA LTD.; SSC COUNTERTOPS LTD. Whatever finish you choose, simple lines keep the look clean, which is especially important for condos or small spaces. Sleek designs are also easier to clean than more complicated or intricate cabinet faces. "Shaker, or some other complicated design, has so many edges you have to clean it or it looks ugly," laughs Zhang. To achieve these clean lines, hardware is disappearing. "We're seeing the no handle, no knob look coming back into play," says Skakun. In the '80s, that contemporary look was achieved by building a channel into the door, but today, handleless cabinets feature a chamfered back. It's a smooth, clean look. Designers are also starting to stack cabinetry with the lower sections flipping up with a touch-open. "People are always looking for ways to open and close their drawers and upper cabinets without having any handle or way to grab the front, so we always talk about our TIP-ON and SERVO-DRIVE [push-to-open] technology," says Frank Sansalone, product specialist with Blum Canada. As the population ages, accessibility becomes increas- ingly important to good kitchen design. Blum's CAPS (Certified Aging In Place Specialist), Lucy Traetto, consults with designers as they're renovating or retrofitting for the elderly or disabled, and she often incorporates technolo- gies like Blum's BLUMOTION soft-close hinges and no-slam drawers. TIP-ON technology can be expanded beyond the cabinetry, too: SERVO-DRIVE electrical opening assist for refrigerators and dishwashers are now on the market. To finish off the look of your kitchen, choosing the right countertop is essential. "We've gone through a cycle that was all about granite and natural stone, and people got bored of that and concerned about performance – so now they've moved to quartz," explains McGillvrey. But while quartz performs well, it lacks a little in terms of design features. New technological advancements, though, have produced a porcelain-based alternative, which allows the manufacturer to put any image on they want for a custom look that's consistent. And because this heat- durable veneer can be made razor-thin, it allows for a sleek look with a European sensibility. "When I started 20 years ago, it was a chunky front-edge and it's got- ten thinner and thinner," McGillvrey says. "Now we're down to a 12 millimetre and bevelling it back, so it can be knife-sharp." Dekton, the latest product from Cosentino, is one brand of super-slim engineered stone, which has a variety of uses even out of the kitchen. Chris Prince, owner of SSC Countertops, has seen it used for outdoor kitchens and barbecue tops as well. "Its ability to stand up against weather and heat is what makes it ideal for these outdoor surfaces," Prince says. Quartz options that look like marble offer home- owners a great look, without the downsides of marble. "Marble is such a sensitive surface for a kitchen – it is sensitive to acids and heat – so a quartz option that looks like marble is a preference among consumers right now," Prince explains. Floform's Theriault agrees and points to the low-maintenance appeal of quartz. "It's a manmade stone, and there's virtually no maintenance." This January, Formica will launch 10 residentially focused high-pressure laminates. Last year's collec- tion featured true-to-scale laminates of exotic stones and woods, along with exclusive collaborations from Jonathan Adler in his signature bold colours. It's just one company of many offering options to make the kitchen more fun. "It is a very exciting time for materi- als and style for the residential market," says Chmiel. A December 2015 ANNUAL INDUSTRY FEATURE: Sinks Book your ad space now: Dan Chapman 604.473.0316 Alexander Sugden 604.473.0358

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