New product introduction: K344-5 No comments yet

The 4 sizes of K344 pull in Iron

The K344 series of pulls are the core of Cliffside’s Rope Suite, and the 5″cc version, newly added, is the most prominent change to this line in several years. While the addition of the 8″cc small appliance size in 2009 was a great improvement, and the enlargement of the B721 knob has proven very popular, adding the 5″cc size will have, we believe, the greatest impact of any changes we have made.

Pictured at right in Iron, the K344-5, shown with its matching 3″cc, 8″cc, and 12″cc sizes, has a gentle curve with the attractive rope design that makes this suite so eye-catching. You can see from the photograph how the details of the piece capture every subtle touch of the finish to make a bold look. Due to their size, the 5″cc pulls are an attractive complement to the rope-style moulding found in many traditional cabinets, and the tiered foot adds a touch of elegance.

What’s the difference: part 2 of 3 1 comment

In continuing our series on finish comparison, Cliffside proceeds from the gray to the gold, delving into the land of brasses. While much of Cliffside’s hardware is “solid brass”, only a few of those pieces are designated with “brass”-named finishes, like antique brass or polished brass, so it’s easy to get the two confused. Here are some other questions that our customer representatives field often:

What’s the difference between…

…polished brass and antique brass?

Cliffside’s polished brass finish has been around since the beginning. It, like the polished chrome and nickel focused on in our last edition, has a high-polish lacquer applied to it, which protects the finish and gives it that lustrous shine that is Cliffside’s signature color.

Antique brass, on the other hand, has a richer, more accented look while still maintaining a glossy sheen that is similar to the silver satin. Pieces with high levels of detailing, like Cliffside’s Rope and Criss-Cross Suites, make especially good use of the antique brass lacquer, as its dark elements linger in the ornamentation and elevate accented designs to a new plane.

The two finishes can be seen below, side-by-side on the same solid brass knobs:

At left: 110-PB (top) and K580-PB; at right: the same knobs in antique brass

…antique brass and antique english?

Cliffside’s suppliers are located worldwide in a variety of locations, and so their interpretations of finishes occasionally vary. In particular, Cliffside’s solid brass hinges are manufactured in Europe, so the antique brass finish that is applied to them is quite different from the rest of our hardware.

Compare, in this picture, an antique brass (AB) hinge alongside an antique brass (AB) pull:

K344-3-AB at left, as compared to BH3A-AB on the right

You can clearly see that the European-made antique brass hinge is much darker; its color, in fact, is comparable to the dark lacquer present on the foot of the pull shown at left. Cliffside’s customers were seeking an alternative antique brass hinge to match more closely with our AB hardware, so Cliffside developed the antique english finish.

View now the same image, but with an antique english hinge replacing the antique brass:

K344-3-AB at left, as compared to BH3A-AE on the right

These two colors are a better match when the hardware with a lot of open golden space, but the AB hinges are still available for those customers who prefer a darker finish, or for those who are using darker, more detail-oriented hardware, such as Cliffside’s Criss-Cross Suite.

Below, see the same hinge in both the AB and AE finishes:

BH2A-NM hinges in AB (left) and AE (right)

This year’s knob-minees No comments yet

The 83rd annual Academy Awards are rapidly approaching and, with them, the presentation of this year’s Golden Knob Awards! Check back next Friday to find out who the winners are, but until then, here’s your list of nominees!

Best Foreign Feature

Foreign Feature nominee: PM3-WT

Presented to Cliffside’s best import from our lines of European lead crystal and marble

• M994
• PM5-BG
• M13-32
• PM3-WT
• P-3-BLACK

Best Original Piece

K544-IR nominated for Best Original Piece

Presented to the best hardware piece that is unique to the Cliffside line

• B600-VB
• 148-SS
• 149-PN
• K544-IR
• K579-AB

Best Adaptation

Scroll Suite: nominee for Best Adaptation

Presented to the Cliffside line whose adaptation best serves our customers

• Rope Suite
• Classic Suite
• Scroll Suite
• Artisan Suite
• Criss-Cross Suite

Best “Short”

The 97015 butcher block knob

Presented to the best piece in our line of “small” or “miniature” hardware

• 97015-SS
• 100-20-IR
• AZ-SM
• 72
• M25

Best Supporting Actor

Great supporting performance from BH2A-OC-BALL

Presented to the hardware piece providing the “best support”

• 3-8-OFFSET-AB
• BH2A-OC-BALL
• AHO-VB
• BH2A-NM-OA
• BH3A-PC

Best Picture

24BP is a backplate for crystal knobs.

Presented to the piece that best exemplifies the great new photography on Cliffside’s website

• 3405-BZ
• M995-AQUA
• BH2A-RA
• IBCL-SS
• 24BP-PN

Be sure to check back Friday to find out this year’s winners!

Featured Suite: Rope No comments yet

Continuing our featured suite series, we focus next on the second grouping in the 2009 new product supplement: the Rope Suite. When originally introduced, it consisted of just three pieces, and was available only in five finishes. Due to demand, it’s now available in all of our ten signature finishes. Let’s examine its individual elements.

Knobs

B674 knob

B674-31-OC

The B674-31 is one of the three original pieces in this suite. It features the braided rope design around the rim of the knob. With a 1¼” diameter, it is similar in size to many of our other standard round knobs while offering a decorative alternative to more traditional styles. As with all of the hardware suites, this item is solid brass and available in 10 finishes.

B721 knob

B721-VB

In response to customer requests, the original B711 knob has been replaced by the new B721, which was introduced in spring of 2009. This oblong knob has the same look and braided design of the B711; however, it has been enlarged slightly. Where the B711 knob was 1¼” in diameter and 1” in height, the B721 knob is 1½” in diameter with a height of 1¼”.

Other knobs

161-IR

Since all of the pieces in the Cliffside signature line are available in all ten finishes and are all made from the same material, any knob can be used with the Rope Suite, if you prefer not to utilize the above designs. In the new product supplement, the B674 and B721 are accompanied by the 161 knob, but any other knob can also be used.

Pulls

K344 series pulls in 3"cc, 8"cc and 12"cc models

Before our recent line expansion, the K344 series was notably inconsistent, with the 3″cc pull available in the BNI finish while the 12″cc appliance pull was available in SS (Silver Satin). We are pleased to announce that all of the pieces are now available in the SS finish only, allowing you a greater freedom to choose pieces that match your hardware! The newest piece is the K344-8, a stylish size that is appropriate for oversized pantry doors or for appliances like dishwashers and trash compactors with wood panel kits.

K544-AB

This suite is the only one to receive a completely new cup pull as well; it was designed in conjunction with our suppliers especially for Cliffside Industries. Borrowing the braided design of the K344 and following the style of the ever-popular K4235, the new K544 cup makes a bold statement on any drawer.

Accessories

SBCL-PN

Each Cliffside suite can be accompanied by the use of one or more latches. Cliffside offers two styles: the IBCL finger latch, and the SBCL turn latch. Each is cast from solid brass and will prove more durable in the long run than any similar products made of inferior materials. Cliffside also offers the widest variety of finishes in the industry for both of these products.

BH2A-FB-NF

Cliffside’s solid brass hinges are the perfect solution for matching an exposed hinge to your hardware. Made with solid one-piece construction, our hinges have been developed with the finest European craftsmen to bring you a product that remains unchanged over the years and continues to provide the high quality you deserve and expect. Cliffside currently offers six hinge styles, with a new seventh style arriving in early 2010. The BH2A hinge is available with our signature steeple finial (17 finishes), a ball finial (11 finishes), or no finial (11 finishes). Its larger counterpart, the BH3A, is available with its signature minaret finial in 13 finishes. The BH2A-NM non-mortise butt hinge has 16 finishes to choose from with the signature finial, and 11 finishes with a ball tip as well. The newest hinge style, BH3A-NM — a larger non-mortise hinge — will be available with the signature finial in 11 finishes coming in early 2010. Additionally, Cliffside offers two styles of offset hinges and two styles of armoire hinges to supply your cabinet construction needs.

The moral?

Let yourself get roped in to buying Cliffside hardware this winter – you won’t regret it!