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38 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | July 2015 Product Trend Report following European trends toward larger drawers, upper cabinets with lifters instead of doors and small reveals between doors and drawers for a look with a seamless fow. "Functional hardware now has to be able to adapt to these trends. Drawer slides must have a higher weight-carrying capacity and the stability to fully extend in a 46" drawer without a lot of movement," she states. Hall believes that, as people expand their living space to include outdoor kitchens, there's a need to be flled. The accessory market has not kept up with the challenges cre- ated by outdoor kitchens, he says. Putting the grill into the countertop eliminated the ability to hang the utensils on the side of the grill. Glideware has introduced an Outdoor Kitchen Organizer to meet this need, he notes. DRAWER ORGANIZATION The popularity of open-design concepts and desire for clean aesthetics bring drawer storage into play more often. With that trend comes a need for organizers within these drawers. "Another trend that requires unique storage solutions is the reduction in wall cabinets within designs. It looks great, but where do you store your dishes?" says McPeek. "Enter drawer peg systems that allow you to access, store and organize your dinnerware." Drawers are highly functional and work better than they used to, adds Tripp. There is a lot of nontraditional storage happening in drawers, he says, including horizon- tal storage of wine, oils and sauces, or specialized storage for four and sugar. "Things you used to have up on the counter you might see down in the drawer, keeping ev- erything nice and clean," says Tripp. Peele adds, "Drawers are becoming highly functional storage facilities with specifc task-oriented construction – trash pull-outs and segmented storage for pots and pans or custom utensil trays are just a few examples of how custom creations can enhance the workfow." In drawer slides, there is an increased demand for full- extension soft-close slides, says Fitzpatrick. "This will allow the homeowner complete access into their drawer interior. You don't really know how great this feature is until you compare a full-extension drawer beside a standard-exten- sion drawer to see the diference." IN MOTION With easy access high on the list of in-demand features, products with movement are on the rise, from soft open/ close to items that swivel, slide, pull up and pop out. Sanchez says there's a big trend toward having every- thing within reach. This means adding items like pull-out drawers, trash can systems and spice racks to the mix. St. Cyr sees a growing trend toward items that can be pulled out when needed, but hidden away when they aren't in use. These include tables that pull out from a drawer and islands that hide the cooktop and sink underneath a sliding countertop. These hideaway features are particularly in demand in smaller kitchen spaces, and help maintain an uncluttered look when not being used. Aligning with the trend toward clean, smooth lines is an increase in push-to-open mechanisms that reduce the need for decorative handles or pulls, says Fitzpatrick. "The functional hardware itself becomes even more important – it becomes the focus rather than just taking what is ofered," she notes, adding that the soft-close function is quickly becoming standard at any price point. Since introducing its Glideware with Blum units, which feature the soft-close motion, at KBIS, sales of those units have far exceeded sales of their units without that feature, says Hall. "Most don't even ask the price. The motion in accessories is necessary to stay consistent with the soft- close on the doors and drawers in the kitchen," he notes. Additionally, he sees automation coming to accessories. "The automatic doors and accessories seem as futuristic WarmlyYours FeelsWarm countertop heat- ers add warmth to otherwise cold granite and stone kitchen countertops. Available in a variety of sizes, the heating element adheres to the underside of the countertop, raising the temperature of the surface an additional 20-25°F. With an ultra-slim profle, the countertop heaters are virtually invisible under overhangs. Circle No. 213 on Product Card Conestoga Wood Specialties has expanded its interior storage accessories with the ad- dition of four organizational styling options for kitchen cabinets and drawers, as well as closets. The Fineline drawer organization system, shown, is designed to be efcient kitchen storage for utensils and cutlery. The storage unit is available in birch and walnut, in multiple sizes and confgurations. Circle No. 217 on Product Card The heavy-duty chrome mixer lift from Rev-A-Shelf assists in access- ing the mixer from the cabinet, and the new Soft-Close dampener allows it to glide back into the cabinet gently and quietly. The lift, which holds up to 60 lbs., includes an alignment bracket that assists with side-to-side stabilization, a heavy-duty lift mechanism release, built-in shock dampeners and an adjustable spring tension. Circle No. 218 on Product Card Doug Mockett & Co. provides a towel bar set that slides out for easy access, then tucks away when fnished. Hand towels and cleaning rags can be moved up and out of the way to open up ad- ditional storage. The towel bar set is available in Satin Aluminum fnish. Circle No. 214 on Product Card Drawer dividers from Custom Inserts are designed to slide into grooves and can be easily relocated as storage needs change. The dividers are fashioned from clear 1/4" acrylic with 1/8" foors. Grooves are spaced 5/8" apart, center-to-center. Each set Includes four dividers. Circle No. 215 on Product Card Keystone Wood Specialties ofers Knife Block Drawer Boxes and Knife Block Drawer Inserts available according to custom specifcations. The minimum drawer height is 3-1/2", and the minimum depth for the knife block is 16-3/4". The knife blocks can be ordered prefnished or unfnished, and in any available wood species the company ofers. Circle No. 216 on Product Card Sugatsune America 's LIN-X Series of lateral opening door hinges allows doors to swing out laterally in a small radius, making them suitable for tight front space applications, such as a blind corner in closet spaces. LIN-X is damper equipped for soft-closing movement. Without a handle, the door can be opened from various points. The hinge can be used for single or double-door confguration. Circle No. 219 on Product Card