Polder Sofa by Hella Jongerius for Vitra

by CH Contributor

by Kelsey Keith

Every time we come across Hella Jongerius's Polder sofa, produced by Vitra, we're impressed by the elongated lines, inspired by "tracts of land reclaimed from the sea in Holland." The low, flat and asymmetrically placed cushions form a flexible seating arrangement that's much more fun than stuffy.The couch comes in three variations, too, from XS to XXL, so it's guaranteed to look bomb in any interior.

Color options range from black to red to springy green, and the details are unmatched. Check out the buttons!

Available from Unica Home starting at $8,505.

479° Popcorn

by CH Contributor

by Laura Neilson

While popcorn will forever be the habitual accompaniment to movie screenings and ballpark outings, 479°'s brand new line of exotic-flavored organic popcons promises to induce a far more transportive experience. The aptly-titled "Globetrotter" sampler offers five wildly flavorful versions of the crunchy snack, including "Chipotle Caramel & Almonds," "Madras Curry & Cashews" and "Ginger Sesame Caramel."

Founded in September 2008 by Jean Arnold, an enthusiast for homemade popcorn and a Le Cordon Bleu-trained world traveler, the company's name sprang from the degrees Fahrenheit at which corn kernels burst into popcorn. 479° sources its ingredients from local farms as often as possible. The popcorn, for example, is from heirloom, organically-grown corn from family-owned farms in northern California, not far from 479°'s San Francisco headquarters. Same goes for the butter, which is from Marin County, and nuts from San Joaquin Valley. For its diverse collection of spices and seasonings, many of which originate from locales around the globe, the company only works with small-scale suppliers who exercise sustainable business practices.

The popcorn, cooked and mixed in small batches, is made only as orders come in to prevent wasting a product gone stale. Applying green methods to the production, natural, non-toxic products are used for cleaning the kitchens, recycled materials are used for the packaging and unused biodegradables are added to the compost pile. Whether it's implementing more eco-friendly practices or creating inventive flavors like "Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt," 479° is proof that you can improve on a classic.

Available in eight individual flavors and multi-flavor collections at Dean & Deluca and at 479°'s website starting at $8..

The Collector's Guide to Emerging Art Photography

by Karen Day

Published by the Humble Arts Foundation, The Collector's Guide to Emerging Art Photography features up-and-coming photographers from all around the world, who were chosen by the foundation for their work's aesthetic and intellectual integrity. The variety of the selected photographs makes the book not only a fascinating anthology of photos, but also a great source for finding artists who speak to your interests.

The comprehensive guide showcases over 160 international contemporary photographers, including French artist Boru O'Brien O'Connell (below right), Mexican photo-sculptor Alejandra Laviada, American Angie Smith (above right), and South Korean Jeongmee Yoon (below left). From portraits to landscapes to curiously arranged still-lifes, the range of subjects varies as much as the artists themselves.

A "crossroads of art and commerce," 100 copies of The Collector's Guide to Emerging Art Photography are available for purchase from the Humble Arts Foundation's website for $50.

Govino Wine Glasses

by CH Contributor

by Ariston Anderson

We've broken more wine glasses than we care to remember. And forget about putting out the good stuff at parties, but drinking wine out of a plastic cup kills the taste. However, not all plastic cups are created equally. Made of shatterproof thermoplastic polymer resin, Govino wine glasses are designed just like crystal stemless ware. And like crystal, there is no leaching that might alter the body and aroma of the wine. Better still, a handy thumb notch provides the perfect level for a pour.

After extended use, the glasses are meant to be recycled. They're perfect for entertaining guests, taking on the roof or anywhere else you wouldn't take the breakables. Purchase a four-pack for $12 on the Govino site.

SFMOMA Diaspora Playing Cards

by Karen Day

Las Vegas, a city that can be as lonely as it is lively, is accurately depicted in SFMOMA Architecture + Design Forum's newly commissioned design project, appropriately entitled Diaspora. A double deck of artfully designed playing cards, Diaspora is a collaboration between Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Michael Cunningham and dynamic graphic designer Martin Venezky in conjunction with SFMOMA's recent exhibition, "Double Down: Two Visions of Vegas."

Telling the tale of a double movement—humans fleeing the city and animals taking over what remains—the limited edition cards feature curious graphic images and one or two corresponding sentences designed so that each hand dealt tells a different story.

The cards chart a unique moment of collaboration between Cunningham, author of "The Hours," and Venezky, author of "It Is Beautiful & Then Gone," because they did not know each other prior to beginning this project. However, their contributions weave together so seamlessly one might assume they are old pals.

The cards come encased in a black linen embossed box and is limited to an edition of 300. Available upon request for $88, the woman to contact is SFMOMA Architecture + Design Forum's Coordinator, Hayes Firestein at hfirestein [at] sfmoma [dot] org.