Too beautiful to hide

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 It has a beautiful function but an outdated appearance.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."

Q&A with Wendy Legro

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. Wendy Legro's graduation project 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.