Whether we are fitting one of our custom timberframe homes or remodeling an existing kitchen, the greatest care and craftsmanship goes into each and every piece of cabinetry and furniture we build. Our custom cabinetry, built with either reclaimed or FSC Certified woods, have a style and a feel all their own. However, their quality and aesthetic appeal is not just skin deep; the same amount of forethought, planning, and material selection is applied to our hardware choices.
The world of cabinetry hardware is a vast, and sometimes confusing one. The sheer number of choices could fill many volumes, and that takes into consideration only the internal hardware—the drawer runners, hinges, and door stops.
For years, we’ve sought to provide our clients with a product that both looks good and functions well. In our kitchens we feel that this is most important. After all, the kitchen is the room that folks use the most. It should be looked upon as a fun place, a place where we want to be. So where does one start when making functional hardware choices? For us the answer was easy.
Meet Blum, our fine woodworking group’s top hardware choice.
Blum shares our ideals and designs their hardware accordingly. We pride ourselves in being an environmentally responsible company and therefore require that the materials we source come from equally responsible parties. To date, all the Blum hardware that is shipped throughout the United States is manufactured in their Hickory, North Carolina plant, and Blum continues to hold the ISO 14001 ecological certification, recognized around the globe as the standard for “green manufacturing.”
Drawers
Let’s consider the quality and features of just two of Blum’s products—their TANDEM plus BLUMOTION drawer runners and their CLIP top BLUMOTION concealed hinges. These are really the backbone of our cabinetry hardware package. BLUMOTION is Blum’s designation for their soft-close feature which allows doors and drawers to close silently and effortlessly.
TANDEM plus BLUMOTION drawer runners bring together all of the features, innovations and benefits that Blum has developed since first making drawer runners in the early 1960’s. The first time you open and close a fully loaded drawer, you’ll quickly realize that TANDEM plus BLUMOTION is a runner system that is unmatched in quality, style and running action. Even a heavily loaded drawer will simply slide out, smoothly, quietly, and easily.
TANDEM plus BLUMOTION runners are mounted discreetly beneath the drawer and are the quietest opening and closing action runners we’ve ever encountered. TANDEM plus BLUMOTION also offers a wide range of drawer depths (9” – 30” in 3” increments), tool free height and tilt adjustments, two different weight capacities and even a unique corner cabinet drawer application. These are our favorite choice for all the custom, creative, and wooden dovetailed drawers we craft.
Cabinet Doors
As for door hinges, Blum’s CLIP top BLUMOTION hinge rounds out the premium hardware package in our custom cabinetry. The CLIP top BLUMOTION hinge is the latest in Blum’s line-up of soft-close door hardware. In the past we used to have to install a separate bulky device in the cabinet in order to stop the annoying slamming door, but thanks to the CLIP top that’s no longer necessary. Another nice feature of the CLIP top BLUMOTION hinge is the ability to deactivate the soft-close function, giving small or lightweight doors the same high quality of motion. Finally, the ease of installation and adjustability makes our cabinet-makers happy and our customers smile.
The new BLUMOTION soft-close mechanism is integrated in the hinge cup, and continues to provide the quality of motion that we know and expect from Blum hardware, regardless of the weight or closing speed of the door.
Beyond the Typical Hardware
Besides their superb hinges and drawer runners, Blum offers a number of unique and “fun” products for use in your kitchen and cabinetry. Their ORGA-LINE of organizational inserts uses various sized stainless steel trays and adjustable dividers, which allow the user to customize each and every space. Talk about fast, easy, ergonomic access to your items—from foil and wrap dispensers, to knife holders, spice trays and plate holders.
Newest Products
Blum’s newest product on the market is their SERVO-DRIVE system. With SERVO-DRIVE drawers and lift-up doors open with just a light touch of the drawer or door front. This feature is based on an electrical drive that, when activated, opens the door or drawer for you. Imagine unloading the dishwasher with your hands full of a stack of plates; just touch the front of the drawer with your knee and SERVO-DRIVE does the rest—simple, elegant, effortless, and really cool. You can bet we’ll be including this in our upcoming projects.
What is in store for the future of kitchen hardware? That is a question that we will have to wait to answer, but one thing we’re sure of —Blum will continue to follow their motto: “Perfecting Motion”!
