If It's Hip, It's Here (Archives)

Pushing Peeps. A New Peeps Store, Easter Peeps Contests, & New Peeps Products.

More Peepular than ever.
Those colorful sugar-coated marshmallow Easter treats shaped like bunnies and chicks continue to expand their cult-like popularity. More colors, chocolate dipped, bite-sized and sugar-free versions are now available. In response to the public Peep demand, Just Born has opened their first Peeps & Company store and have launched a new dedicated e-commerce Peeps site.

About the store
PEEPS & COMPANY® is located at the very center of National Harbor's dynamic main plaza. Directly in front of the PEEPS & COMPANY® store is Seward Johnson's famous statue, The Awakening, along with sweeping views of the beautiful Potomac River. The store's location is at a converging point for residents and thousands of visitors arriving by metro bus, car, and ferries, which dock at the piers in front of the store.

In a joint statement, David Shaffer and Ross Born, Co-CEOs of Just Born, commented, "This is a momentous occasion for Just Born, our family of associates, and fans of our candy. For years, we have seen tremendous growth and excitement for our brands, and received many requests for a store in just the right location. PEEPS & COMPANY® is proud to join the community near our nation's capital."

Inside the store:

above: The Corcoran Ceramics faculty was picked by Chicago’s RTKL to create the signature tile wall for the Peeps® Company flagship retail store at the National Harbor

The stores and site are being promoted with a Peepmobile (actually called the Peepster Car for some odd reason).

Here's a little news story on the new store:

Annual Peeps contests in which people create scenes and dioramas using the Easter favorites keep on growing. Several major newspapers now sponsor Peeps contests. Instead of showing you images of multiple entries like I have in the past, there are just too many, so instead I will show you the winning entry from the Washington Posts's contest along with links to the other contests so you can view the entries and winners on your own.

The Washington Post's 2011 Peeps Contest Winner: ‘Chilean CoPeepapo mine rescue’

above: This year’s winning diorama is called "Chilean CoPeepapo Mine Rescue." It was created by Mary Jo Ondrejka, Margaret Hartka, and Bryn Metzdorf. (Narration by Holly E. Thomas) (/Video by Evelio Contreras and Akira Hakuta)

•The Washington Post's 2011 Peeps contest
•Denver Post's 2011 Peeps Contest
•Chicago Tribune 2011 Peeps Contest
•The Seattle Times' 2011 Peeps Contest
• Pioneer Press' Peeps Diorama Contest submissions
•"Valley of The Peeps" contest, Allentown, PA.

Not only are the contests gaining more popularity but more and more non-edible Peeps products are being marketed. More peeps stickers, mugs, mouse pads, plushies, apparel and even golf accessories join brands like Lenox to create more branded items available from the Peeps online store.

Peeps golf balls, head covers and golf towel:

Lenox Peep tea light holders:

Peeps Silly Bands!

Mousepads:

Peeps Stainless Steel water bottles:

Peeps Jewelry:

Peeps apparel:

Visit Peeps and Company's new dedicated website which offers the above items and many more.

The Gooey origins of Peeps (courtesy of CNN):

Don't forget to see my many past Peeps Posts:

• Peeps As Pop Culture: The Peep Show II Winners & More

• PEEPS Peer Pressure! You Want Peeps Art? Here's Some Of The Best

• Washington Posts' Annual 2010 Peeps Show IV Winner, Finalists & Semifinalists

• Non Perishable Peeps Products. Everything Peeps But The Edible Ones.

Limited Edition Bent Wood Bracelets & Cuffs By Gustav Reyes

One of the standouts at this year's Smithsonian Craft Show (which ran from April 14-17) was the contemporary jewelry of Gustav Reyes. On the Craft Show website, they only show his rings, but it's his limited edition series of coiled, twisted and knotted wooden bracelets that really appeal to me.

Kohler introduces Numi, Kohler’s most advanced toilet. The Numi toilet is a state of the art, modern, automatic and motion-sensor, self-cleaning toilet combination bidet that also warms your feet, your tush, can play music with its built-in speakers, audio input jack and docking station and keeps itself odor-free.

above: the Numi remote in its magnetic docking station

That's not all, it has ambient lighting that gives it an inviting glow in the dark, the lid is hands-free and motion activated, the seat has adjustable heating options and it has a built in automatic charcoal filter deodorizer. It even cleans itself with your choice from three patterned water sprays. And everything can be controlled by a modern looking remote.

By the looks of the promotional lifestyle product shots, Kohler is marketing the Numi like a piece of modern luxury furniture. The stylized, and come on, let's face it.. over the top, images were shot in the famous Pierre Koenig Stahl House (also known as the Case Study House #22) in Los Angeles.

The Numi combines modern design, technology and engineering to bring you the finest in personal comfort and cleansing. From its striking form and features to its unrivaled water efficiency, the Numi toilet marks a new standard of excellence in the bathroom.

Features:

• Motion activated lid and seat:
Front sensors react to your movement when you enter the room for hands-free opening and closing of the cover. Motion at the floor-level engages sensors to raise and lower seat.

Side view of the hands-free, motion-sensor lid and seat activation:

Front view of the hands-free, motion-sensor lid and seat activation:

• Advanced Bidet Functionality:
Self-cleaning wand features multiple options for water spray pattern. Adjust wand position, water pressure and temperature to your preferences

• Integrated Air Dryer:
Located in the wand for more efficient drying.

• Deodorizer:
Air is pulled through a powerful deodorizing charcoal filter.

• Heated Seat:
Warms the seat to your comfort level.

• Feet Warming:
Warm air from floor-level vents, heats the floor surface and warms your feet.

• Numi Remote Interface Home Screen:
You can remotely control everything from the basic functions to the music, heating and lighting.

• Illuminated Panels:
Ambient lighting illuminates your space with a soft, inviting glow.

• Music:
Built-in speakers allow you to play a selection from the Numi toilet’s pre-programmed audio, FM radio or to connect your MP3 player through the audio input jack in the remote docking station.

The Kohler Numi has a retail price of $6,500 USD.

Learn more here

The Dune House. A New Stunning Modern Beach Home in the Village of Thorpeness.

Mole Architects has collaborated with the Norwegian firm Jarmund Visgnaes Architects on this beautiful modern beach house which is located just south of the picturesque village of Thorpeness in Suffolk. The Dune House can accommodate up to nine people with its five bedrooms.

You can book The Dune House for a weekend (3-nights, Friday to Monday), a mid-week break (4-nights, Monday to Friday) or a week (7-nights, Friday to Friday. Prices start from just £760 for a 4-night break (the equivalent of £22 per person per night).

“For us the most interesting tension was to create something that would not only fit in with the local landscape and ‘society’, but would also be refreshingly new”, says director Hakon Vigsnaes. “The gabled roof is particularly ‘English’ – not something you would find in Norway – so we wanted to make a feature of that.”

The roof, clad in a lightly tinted orange steel alloy, reflects the changing colours of the sea and sky and the panoramic windows on the ground floor offer views of the sea, whilst giving the sense of the house being nestled in the dunes. JVA wanted to create more than just a space for sleeping upstairs, so each of the four double bedrooms has a bathtub in it, with windows carefully positioned so that one can lie in warm water and take in views of the North Sea and surrounding meadows. Separate shower and toilet facilities are attached to each room and there is a small library and roof terrace on this floor.

The home has four double bedrooms on the first floor (bedrooms 1 + 2 can be made up as twins), all with a bath in the room, and ensuite shower and WC. On the ground floor, there is one bedroom(with a single bed) and an ensuite shower and WC.

The ground floor, which comprises a living area, kitchen, terrace and further en-suite bedroom, is slightly sunken into the dunes to provide a sense of privacy and a measure of protection from the wind coming off the North Sea. Sliding doors at each corner further help to visually dematerialise the ground floor.

Polished concrete, glass and aluminium predominate on the ground floor, while the upper story is constructed from solid timber planks which are left exposed internally.

Enquire about booking the Dune House here.

Dune House - Project Team:
- Architect: Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects
- Executive Architect: Mole Architects
- Contractor: Willow Builders
- Structural Engineer: Jane Wernick Associates
- Engineer (Timber superstructure) Eurban
- Quantity Surveyors: Boyden Group LLP
- Clerk of Works: Steve Foot, Techs Project Management

Living Architecture partners at The Dune House:
- Kitchen appliances provided by Miele UK
- Kitchen equipment provided by David Mellor Design
- Bed linen by Peter Reed luxury linen

images courtesy of Mole Architects, Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects and Living Architecture

New Wood Fireplaces, Radiators, Heated Poufs & Pet Beds From Italy's i-radium.

I've written about i•radium's beautiful radiators before, but they've added some new and noteworthy items to their collection since my last post.

above: some of the previous wood radiators and towel racks from i-radium

New Products
Heated poufs for people, heated beds for pets, radiators and towel warmers all swathed in beautiful woods like colored oaks (natural, white, grey and black), ebony and wenge.

The Joule bioethanol fireplace by Enzo Berti:

A revolutionary and innovative Bioethanol heating system. The only fireplace capable to generate heat profiting by the I-Radium technology of infrared applied to wood and by the ultrasound technology applied to Bioethanol combustion. It’s an invisible fireplace, mirrored glassed when turned off, it becomes source of heat with real fire when aflame. The whole process is microprocessor controlled and respects current safety world standards. Ignition, switch off, fan and flame modulation are operated by a special remote control or by keypad, directly on the device. The procedure can be interfaced with any type of home automation system and it’s already programmed for remote control via mobile phone.

Pause leather and wood heated poufs by Enzo Berti:

An innovative "heating pouf" made of wood and hide, characterized by sophisticated details and finish and strong aesthetic value. A new way to conceive a heater for a minimalist style

Dot heated pouf and MP3 player by Enzo Berti:

A new heating pouf of simple and sober lines. Leather upholstered seat, available in multiple colours, it can be used in any home environment. Dot is provided with an original option: a kinetic transducer, inserted within, allows you to listen to music. Easy to use, a simple connection to any MP3/audio source and power supply to be instantly wrapped in relaxing warmth and music.

The Meo Bau Heated Pet Bed by Enzo Berti:

It’s a warming bed for cats, dogs and puppies, designed to be placed next to chairs and sofas or to be carried easily around the house. Warm, elegant and comfortable, this new and re-interpreted version of the dog/cat crate-bed, embraces your pet with comfort and luxury.

Gigi radiator by Enzo Berti:

A whimsical radiator for the kids’ room and irresistible for older ones, Gigi, has an innovative style that embraces the environment in an atmosphere of fun and turns any niche or corner of your home into an original spot. In Fact, thanks to its extreme lightness, versatility and ease of use, you can take it with you in every room and enjoy hot moments of relaxation.

X-Red Towel Warmer by Michael Schmidt:

An innovative free-standing towel-warmer characterized by pure lines and a wide heating surface. The sinuous and elegant vertical shape of X-Red hides the towel hangers behind, thus maintaining the wall always tidy and well organized.

X-Red, naturally and easily adapts to any type of furniture and finds optimal positioning in both the private and public sectors.

Morphosis Radiator and Towel Warmer by Michael Schmidt:

Elegant style and neat design are the features of Morphosis, the new collection of these modular radiators: from elegant towel warmer to radiator easily works outside the bathroom boundaries. Positionable both horizontally and vertically allows maximum adaptability and possibility to be equipped with exclusive accessories, such as shelves and towel hangers, camouflaged behind the curved modules.