Frozen Peak Palace: Is it Coming Back?
by Phoenix, HSM team writer
What happened to the Frozen Peak Palace?
Not long ago we were treated to the sneak peak of a personal space: the Frozen Peak Palace. What has happened to it? Is it coming back? Will it be the same as the model we saw? Will there be improvements?
All these questions flood my mind. I love a mystery. When I was perusing the estates store the other night, I noticed I still haven’t seen that space. There was no offering of it as yet. When it was on the navigator for open house, it was there for feedback. How many of us actually gave feedback on it? I know I for didn’t. I didn’t realize until it was gone that it was there for that, and I wonder how many others in Home were like me. The developers were asking us what we thought about the place. They wanted to know what it needed in our opinions, or what it didn’t need. I can only hope they got some great feedback. There was so much it could be with a few tweaks. I likened it at the time to the Ice Hotel of Lapland.
That place is a marvel. Every winter, people pay to go spend the night in that frosty wonder. There are weddings and parties held there. If the developers do bring this one back and they have added to the view outside the balcony (because, let’s be honest, it was pretty blank and boring), I may be hosting a Christmas party there this year. Can you imagine the palace decorated for Christmas? The sparkle and glitz of the ice mingled with the sparkle of the decorations. Santa himself would be jealous. Just keep your coats handy.
There must be a draw; a hook. Not just a generic box-shaped space with an ice-themed skin over it. If there is a chance for an interactive outside area in it, I’d hope to build a snowman. Even a snowball fight with friends would be great too. Or how about a glorious simulation of the northern lights? That was what I though of when I visited the space at its preview. I hope someone suggested an ice bar furniture item and glasses.
This place needed some form of entertainment. It needed an element of fun. You don’t just want to go freeze your virtual asterisks off to death in a place like this. There are a ton of things that come to mind. It needed to have some color variation to the ice as well. Just a little subtlety can go a long way. If it does return, I hope it really is a palace fit for a snow queen or king.
For furniture, there could be a sleigh bed. An ice throne and an ice scepter would be logical gifts to offer, should Sony continue with its practice of bundling gifting with their estates. The Frozen Peak Palace had a great deal of raw potential, with emphasis on the raw. I can only see it becoming a fabulous place to chill if the developers keep their eye on the details and listen to the good ideas and suggestions from the potential buyers. This is something I would expect from the developers here that have already designed the places that remain classic on Home. If they intended this space to outlive some of the other personal spaces in desirability, then it would need something to make it unique from the rest.
Here’s something worth noting: a space doesn’t always have to have a gift to give our friends. Just look at the recently released Island Bungalow. As far as gifting machines go, it needs to be gifts that the owner doesn’t get himself. Make him or her have to visit someone else with the space to get those if he/she wants them. Otherwise, what’s the point? If it comes with something exclusive, as in the case of the Dream Yacht, make it really special.
Personally, I’m hoping to see the return of this personal space. Provided, that is, that the developers turned up the design heat enough to make that space a hot estate commodity. It was an innovative idea for a space. It had its exotic aspects as far as the suggested location of this estate, and though cold and frosty, it could be a cozy Home personal space. It remains to be seen, however, what changes they’re making behind the scenes.
Is the space even going to reappear? We will have to wait to see if the space has the realistic look and feel of a frozen palace, or the cartoony feel of some other spaces. After all, the word palace was in its name: it shouldn’t look like an igloo in a kids’ cartoon or a mystery destination for Shaggy and Scooby. It should have an intriguing element of beauty, like an ice sculpture. Something that once the sun comes out and melts it away, you remember and long to see that marvel again.
I want to see the Frozen Peak Palace rise from the pristine frozen tundra, cut icy block by icy block. Built by skilled virtual hands into the massive gleaming frozen wonder it should be!
Make it what the name suggests: a Frozen Peak Palace.
April 16th, 2012 by Phoenix | 16 comments
Phoenix writes poetry and is a photography enthusiast, along with writing for HomeStation Magazine. She is currently studying for a BFA in Creative Writing and BA with concentration in Photography. psn ID phoenixstorm21
youtube.com/user/phoenixstorm21
I think the crystal or transparent furniture items would look fantastic in this space. But I don’t agree with your suggestion that the owner of the space shouldn’t automatically recieve the item reward; very few people in my circle of friends buy personal spaces. And I seriously doubt they’ll buy one as “quirky” as this one.
I was not implying that the owner should not receive a reward. I was suggesting if the reward is different for the owner as in the case of the mansion, where the owner does not get the gifts he gives out…make them good enough so he she will go to someone else that has them. Unlike in the case of the Plum Pavilion where the reward is the same for the owner and for the guest.
I went to the open house. I was not impressed. I think that it will take a lot of work to make this a ‘hot’ commodity for me. Yes, we need color variation. The overused blue was far too much for my personal taste. Allow me to point out one thing that I have come to dislike, and developers, if you are reading,take note. A few recent homes have come to market, and my gripe with them is simple: the Gothic Mansion, the French Chateau, The Frozen Peak Palace, and the Log Cabin all have same basic layout. A large lower square and a loft, or balcony upper area. I love places that have some sense of construction where in we have segments. LOOT Space Station has 3 floors, as does Lockwood’s Luxury Yacht, as wellas the basic variations of so many homes. Let’s do more that ‘re-skin’ the same 2 floor homes with different environments. Let’s stretch out and be bold in design. Recent homes like the Moon Forest home are well designed and offer a different experience and demand a new look at how to decorate it. That being said, great article. I love the light and fun look at a place that some may have forgotten about.
Thanks Femaelstrom,
I agree with the need for new floor plans. I stated the very same thing in an earlier article. I would hope the feedback was something along those lines as well. As I have said I want to see how the palace, “has” if it has been improved. I am interested in the feedback that was given. I’m more interested in how the feedback was taken and used by the developers.
The problem with that space was it was just a big box.
The thin balcony above served no purpose. It wasn’t like a loft that could be turned into something. Another downside was that it was to cavernous. A lower ceiling and and separate rooms would’ve made this space more appealing. Some complained about the color. Perhaps it was just a little to blue. The biggest downfall with such a space is that it’s too niche. While my inventory and storage are overflowing with countless dollars of deco, none would be appropriate other than rewards I received from from Blue Balls.
@Femaelstrom, You’re thinking of Hidden Oak Retreat.
Cool CMC, thanks for the correction, I’m so bad at some of these names.
Didn’t like the space when I saw it and I won’t buy it if it does come back. Felt like a very “cold” atmosphere in it and it had nothing to do with the ice. I felt like I was inside a huge ice box refrigerator, box being the operative word.
Good article.
Thanks Burbie.
They did ask for comments. Maybe it will come out with suggestions that were made such as scenery and an outdoors area.
If not, it was an interesting visit.
I looked up Ice Hotel Lapland and sure enough it exists in Sweden.
Nice article.
Thanks Kid,
The real one is a beauty. I had suggested perhaps the Peak Palace could be something like that if revamped. But even if it doesn’t return with the presence of the real thing…someone in Home will like it enough to buy it. Thanks
There’s an ice hotel in Quebec City as well. In fact, I believe that this year they expanded it to an ice village due to overwhelming popularity.
http://www.hoteldeglace-canada.com/
Yes there is, and I researched it. My original article made mention of it. I opted to remove the reference as I did not want to over load the article. I believe my second photo is from Quebec City. This one shows the colors that could be added. There are some very stunning ice structures out there. I am only hoping Homes palace, could be as striking as one of these and not another box.
Thank You ElSkutto.
i also found the concept at least intruiging (SPELLCHECK). but sadly it came out the same time as ANOTHER big box apartment, which i dont remember the name. walking threw it i was thinking the same thing as the people around me commented on. ITS A BOX! almost no effort put into it other than slapping ice wallpaper up. it sooooo had potential though. i too thought of the aurora borialis. i mean if they even put a stairway up to the roof, with a spectacular view all around down below as well as the northern lights above you, THAT i would buy, even if a box. its just that with all the wonderful and innovative apartments that have and were coming out, the box stood out just as it was…a box. i mean look at the gothic manor. the cutteridge estate was more gothic. now THAT place was sooo excellent, i would have paid fifteen for it. and its STILL being updated. that kind of dedication from a developer shows they care. ….not just a pretty box. (psst, bring it out with a roof :D)
Oh wow! Glad you brought this article to light..I had totally forgotten about that space. I didn’t realize it wasn’t being offered any more…did they sell it when it was being shown? That was the FIRST thing I thought of when I went there…the Ice Palace that they build every winter and people pay to go and stay there! I have some beautiful pictures of that.
It would be nice if it had some Ice sculptures with lighting that we could change…like the wallpaper we can change in our Harbor space. Or even if they offerened Ice Sculptures in different colors..if they are thinking MORE money…which, I’m sure they are..LOL. I immediately thought it was cold too…brrrr…but, you could decorate with a lot of fur…rugs…wall hangings. You’d have to have a bar and a dance floor with different lights… I think it would be a great challenge to decorate!
I’m looking forward to it coming back!! Thanks for reminding us all that it existed! LOL
You’re welcome Boxer_Lady,:)
I agree with the thought of ice sculptures for decorations. That would be a “cool”, (pun intended) item. Maybe we could get one as a reward for owning the space. And the bar is a must!