Wendy Legro's graduation project, a modern Hot Water Bottle, gets produced by Droog.

A hit at 2010 design shows in Milan and the Netherlands, Wendy Legro’s graduation project for the Design Academy Eindhoven, Hot Water Bottle, is being mass produced by Droog.



The flocked hot water bottle has been on show at Sotheby's London, Salone del Mobile, Milan, Nike's design conference in Beaverton, Orlando, Designersfair at IMCologne, Graduation Galleries 2009 at Dutch Design Week and has been picked up by Wallpaper* and Frame.


above image courtesy of Wallpaper magazine

above image courtesy of Core 77

Specifications
Year: 2011
Material: PVC, ABS with flock outer lining
Product Size: 16.6" x 9.4" x 2.5"

Droog's press release:
Generations of people know that a hot water bottle is a simple way to stay warm. With its soft skin and unique aesthetics, this one becomes too beautiful to hide. “The sensorial and visual qualities of this hot water bottle completely change the role it plays in a room. From something that is often hidden, it is now an object you don’t want to put away,” says co-founder and director of Droog Renny Ramakers.

Designer Wendy Legro states: “The hot water bottle tends to be an underappreciated product. It has a beautiful function but an outdated appearance. I wanted to reflect the feeling the bottle gives you in the aesthetics of the product.”



Too beautiful to hide - hot water bottle is available at Droog Amsterdam and in
Droog’s online store for € 59,-. Soon available at resellers worldwide.

Q&A with Wendy Legro, designer of Too beautiful to hide - hot water bottle

What do you think makes the use of a hot water bottle particularly relevant today?
The hot water bottle never really disappeared; it has always played a part in the background. With this new design I hope more people will get re-acquainted with a very simple way of keeping warm. After all, comfort is something we are always looking for.

What are the benefits above a regular hot water bottle or electric blanket?
I find the comfort and support you can offer a beloved with a hot water bottle really beautiful. But the touch of rubber to skin is not comfortable and the material can be a bit smelly. Hiding it in an extra layer brings down the beauty and warmth. As for other ways of local heating like the electric blanket, my mother used one at our home but for me there was a lack of charm. My goal was to give an aged product with a warm use the look and feel it deserves.

How does this hot water bottle relate to your other work?
When I design I let my senses guide me. By doing so I hope to add an emotional value to my products. Finding beauty in shape and details, to me, is the most important thing. The use of colour and material should complement this.

How does this sensorial value translate into Too beautiful to hide?
The shape with its curves and flat areas is formed to fit a human body. The round lines on the surface let the bottle stay warm longer, while they make you want to touch the soft ridges to sense what it feels like.

Wendy Legro (Enkhuizen, NL 1984) graduated with distinction from the Design Academy Eindhoven in 2009. In 2010 she founded Studio WM. with Maarten Collignon, based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Based on affinity with the senses, the designer couple develops products that show a keen sense of atmosphere and detail. Work by Studio WM. can be characterized by a use of intuition and a sensitivity to material and aesthetics.

Droog

Matti Walker designs another Modern Humidifier, the Anton for Stadler Form. Aromatic, too!

Designer Matti Walker is no stranger to creating modern mini humidifiers. Having previously designed tabletop humidifiers Oskar and Fred for Stadler Form (he also has fans and purifiers to his credit), Anton is yet another one - only this one smells as good as it looks. The Ultrasonic ionic humidifier has an aroma diffuser built into it.


above: Fred (left) and Oskar (right) are two other small humidifiers designed by Matti Walker for Stadler Form

The compact and quiet Anton Humidifier is available in four different colors -Honeycomb (yellow), white, Azurro (aqua) and black- and serves rooms up to 250 sq. ft.



It includes a dispenser for scented oils, an anti-calcium cartridge to prevent build-up, a patented Ionic Silver Cube™* to keep the water clean, and an automatic shut-off. Controls, including a night mode, are located out of sight on the bottom of the unit, and LED indicator lights switch from blue to red when the tank is empty.






Ultrasonic humidifier and aroma diffuser
Power: 24V - 18W
Output max. 120g/h
Tank capacity 2.5 liter (0.8 gallons)
Room size up to 60m3 or 25m2
Dimensions: 184 x 262 x 184 mm (10h x 7.25w 5.75"d)
Night modes: normal mode, dimmed mode and lights-out mode
Automatic shut-off
Weight: 1.9 kg (4lbs. )
Material:Polypropylene

*Ionic Silver Cube ™
The ionic silver cube (8) prevents the growth of germs and bacteria in the humidifier due to the continuous release of silver ions. The use of an ionic silver cube leads to a hygienic room climate. The lifetime of the ionic silver cube is around one year. We therefore recommend that you replace the ionic silver cube at the beginning of every humidifying season. The ionic silver cube starts working as soon as it comes into contact with water, and also works when the unit is switched off.

Buy it here from Stadler Form ($139.00)

Anton Humidifiers at Amazon

The Anton Humidifier (in white only) is also available here at the MoMA Design Store and at Design Public

Vibrator Chandeliers, Camo BBQs And More At Sundayland

I've written about Sundayland's unusual and original products for the home by the Gerscovich brothers before in the context of other articles. But if you're not familiar with Sundayland, it's time you were.

Young and hip, brothers Juan Diego and Fernando hail from Buenos Aires, Argentina. They studied architecture and then came to the US to work with Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects and Alejandro Ortiz Architects.


above: brothers Juan Diego and Fernando Gerscovich

Their first project was a 2003 commission for a front yard of a home in Venice, California and from there... Sundayland was born.


Based in Culver City, Sundayland has a small range of products but they are not easily forgotten.
Their newest addition to their collection is this faux 'brick' sideboard and cowhide rug:



The Japanese cowhide rug in the images above and below is available from Pure Rugs, a company that partnered with the Gerscovich brothers.


Pure’s 2009 collection includes eleven models of Patchwork Cowhide Rugs featuring The Japanese Cowhide (designed by Fernando Gerscovich-Juan Diego Gerscovich-Emily Kroll) The Pampa Sol & Noche (designed by Fernando and Juan Diego Gerscovich) and The Kahn (designed by Fernando and Juan Diego Gerscovich), ten models of Natural Cowhides, Zebra Cowhides, four models of Patagonian Sheepskin Rugs and the Sundayland Sheepskin Beanbags.

Their dyed sheepskin Pantone Rugs:

Their sheepskin Pouf and mini pouf

Their Camo Weber BBQ, the Knorr-Swiss, a six-wood veneer cube and a colored mini pouf:




Their Praying Car-Mat, a persian rug -like floormat for your car that comes in 4 different colors and patterns. And the Sylvia, a chandelier made of silver plastic vibrators:



Telephone table and the Water-Boy, a cooler that can be wrapped in any one of three laminated photos; Mountain, Beach or Arctic:


5'9" tall floor lamps, the Woody in oak, in cherry and the Fidji:



The Straight Table whose frame and legs consists of 8 solid builder construction measuring levels:


The Cactus table has a built in area for the succelent and its pot:


The faux marble table, ironically called The 1000 Pound, is filled with styrofoam and works for indoors and out:



Sundayland is located at 3818 Willat Avenue, Culver City, CA 90232. They do not sell online, but can be contacted by phone at +1 310 204 3848 or by emailing them.
You can visit their other venture, Pure Rugs, here.