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Valentine’s Day Treats from Chocolate Bar

Published by designy things

This smooth Belgian white chocolate heart is filled with crunchy, fruity pebbles.

As you might have heard, its Valentine’s Day on Saturday, so here are a few gratuitous images of the incredibly designed treats from Chocolate Bar, a chocolate shop with stores in the West Village in New York City and Manasquan, New Jersey. No matter what your plans are for Saturday, it’s always a good excuse to indulge in a little chocolate, if only with your eyes. Enjoy!

This smooth Belgian white chocolate heart is filled with crunchy, fruity pebbles.

Chocolate Bar offers an assortment of solid hand-poured Belgian milk, dark, and white foil-wrapped hearts packaged in their signature gift box with bow.

Chocolate Bar offers an assortment of solid hand-poured Belgian milk, dark, and white foil-wrapped hearts packaged in their signature gift box with bow.

These solid hand-poured milk or dark Belgian chocolate hearts are foil-wrapped and packaged in Chocolate Bar’s signature box with bow.

Warning: These hand-poured Belgian milk or dark chocolate bars are peppered with red hot candies.

Chocolate lollipop lips, a moment on the lips, forever on the hips.

This 60% cacao Belgian dark chocolate heart is sprinkled with sea salt. It comes packaged in Chocolate Bar’s signature gift box with bow.

This sugar-coated marshmallow heart is dipped in Belgian milk and dark chocolate. It comes in a set of two hearts packaged in gift bag with bow.

The Chocolate Bar’s signature box with bow.

All images courtesy of Chocolate Bar.

Crafty Birdhouses Made from Salvaged Materials

Published by designy things

To keep busy during the long New England winters, landscape architect Neil Best, co-owner of Magma Design Group in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, began building birdhouses that meet Audubon standards. These one-of-a-kind works of art are made of salvaged materials including slate roof tiles, metal strapping, recycled wood, old tin boxes, and rusted signs. Designed to provide maximum comfort for Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, and Nuthatches, these handmade bird cottages offer roof and floor ventilation as well as thresholds surrounded by metal or stone to prevent squirrels or predatory birds from widening the openings and gaining entry. The birdhouses can be back-mounted or attached to a pole, and no tools are required to open and empty the houses after the last resident has left the nest. Prices range from $350 to $500, depending on style. magmadesigngroup.com

All images courtesy of Magma Design Group.

Areaware Spring 2015 Collection

Published by designy things

Brooklyn-based Areaware presented their Spring 2015 collection at the NY NOW show this week in New York City. During my visit to the show last Sunday, I stopped by Areaware’s busy booth showcasing work by designers Runa Klock, Joe Doucet, Bryce Wilner, Daniel Martinez, Daphna Laurens, Brendan Ravenhill, Bower, and Object + Totem. Here is a roundup of some of my favorite new designs on display during the show, which wraps up tomorrow at the Javits Center.

1. Bottle Openers by Brendan Ravenhill

These clever bottle openers use a single bent nail as a lever to pry open your beer or soda bottle. A small circular magnet on the top catches the bottle cap, while a second magnet lets you hang the opener on the fridge when you are done.

2. Stick-Up Sticks by Bower

These simple magnets are cut at various angles so they point in different directions when attached to your metal surface of choice. Made of painted beech wood and magnets, they can add a bit of color and function to lockers, fridges, cabinets, or bulletin boards.

3. Black Minim Cards by Joe Doucet

A companion set to the original White Minim Cards, also designed by New York based designer Joe Doucet, these playing cards offer a subtle, monochromatic experience for your next high stakes game.

4. Gradiant Puzzle by Bryce Wilner

Made of thick stock and high quality art paper, this puzzle is not for the color blind. Available in red/yellow and blue/green, these puzzles are a meditation on color and shape.

5. Paper Clips by Daphna Laurens

These extra-large, bent spring steel paper clips can be used to hold your page, decorate a letter, or just make a shopping list a bit extra special. They come in red, black, and green colorways.

6. Drink Rocks by Runa Klock

While drink rocks aren’t new, I like the colors and textures of these shaped stones. Just chill them in the freezer before adding to your cocktail.

All images courtesy of Areaware.

My Favorite New Products Now Available at the MoMA Store

Published by designy things

Last week I got to get a sneak peek at the new products available at the MoMA store in New York City and through its online shop. Here, in no particular order, are my five favorite new gifts, gadgets, and gear now available through the store.

1. Amish Scooter

This scooter-bicycle hybrid has been crafted by the Stoltzfus family, an Amish family in Pennsylvania, since 1978. This substantial scooter lets adults move on two wheels without worrying about balance and knee strains. It comes with a kickstand, basket, and rear brake and handbrake with black or orange powder-coated steel frame and fenders. I’m partial to the orange myself. Black, $360, Orange, $320.

2. Porthole Infuser

Designed by the Chicago-based design firm Crucial Detail, the shape of this table-ready infusion vessel was inspired by submarine portholes. It can be used to create and hold 13 ounces of cocktails, infused oils, dressings, or whatever you want to conjure. Made of tempered glass, ABS, stainless steel, and silicone, the Porthole Infuser is dishwasher safe and comes with four recipes to get you started. 2” wide x 7″ diameter. $100.

3. Reflexion Jewelry Box

Designed by Sung Wook Park, this wood and metal jewelry case has an interior mirrored lid and velvet-lined drawer that swings open with one smooth pull motion. It measures 2.25” high x 5.5” wide x 9.25” deep. At only $40, it makes a really beautiful gift.

4. Fjord Teak Flatwear

Designed by Jens Quistgaard in 1953, this classic teak and stainless steel dinner set is part of MoMA’s permanent collection. Once a coveted vintage item, the flatwear is now back in a handcrafted version. Unlike other wood-handled pieces, these are extra strong because the metal goes all the way through to the end of the piece. Hand wash only. $115

5. Beoplay A2 Speaker

I have been spotting this sexy new speaker in the design press and I was excited to finally see one in the wild. Designed by Cecile Manz, this portable Bluetooth speaker has a vintage exterior that belies the powerful Bang & Olufsen technology underneath. It offers 24 hours of battery life (you can even charge your smart phone from it), an aluminum core, and an elegant leather handle. I had an overwhelming urge to take a bite out of it, which I think is due to its strong resemblance to an ice cream sandwich. The speaker measures 5.5” high x 10” wide x 1.75″ deep. $399.

All images courtesy MoMA except where noted.

Morpher Helmet

Published by designy things

Designer Jeff Woolf knows the importance of having a helmet on when biking — he nearly smashed his head open on a curb after getting hit by a car. Woolf created the Morpho Helmet after noticing that folks using bike share programs (such as in London) tend not to use helmets because they were too cumbersome to carry around all day. It was a design problem he wanted to fix — he knew if he could create a helmet that could fold flat, then he could save lives.

According to the makers of the Morpher Helmet, the number one reason people don’t wear helmets when riding a bike is that the helmet is too bulky to carry around all day, and while 92% of bike scheme cyclists don’t wear a helmet, 83% say the reason is due to lack of portability. Woolf’s new folding bike helmet design will let you ride to work or school safely, and then easily slip your brain-saving helmet into laptop bag or backpack.

Although Morpher folds and unfolds quickly, it was also designed to surpass all relevant safety standards. Currently aimed at all cyclists, the manufacturer eventually plans to market the technology to sports safety helmets. According to a representative of the company, the helmets are past safety testing and should begin production in Spring 2015.

Designer Jeff Woolf with two folding Morpher helmets.

All images courtesy of Morpher Helmet.

AllSwell Notebook

Published by designy things

The AllSwell Notebook is a slim, travel-friendly journal made in the U.S. from recycled materials. Launched by Laura Rubin, founder and creative director of Left Left Right (LLR) Consulting, the 8.5” x 6.5” notebook is essentially two journals in one, including a lined “WRITE” side and a unlined “DRAW” side perfect for sketching. A percentage of the proceeds will go to A Walk on Water, an organization that provides water therapy through guided surf instruction to specials needs children.

The notebook has 96 blank pages: 48 lined and 48 unlined. The interior covers feature custom designs by illustrator Alessandra Olanow. $21.00. http://allswellcreative.com/pages/find-us