Areaware's New Wall Decals

by CH Contributor

by Laura Neilson

Forward-thinking and CH fave design purveyor Areaware recently added a new line of vinyl wall decals to its inventory. Unlike the generic, monochromatic stenciled shapes and forms found in many wall stickers, Areaware's custom-made stock ranges from clever single-element designs to large-scale mural installations of fantastical landscapes and whimsical decorations.

The NYC-based company's collection comprises more than 200 different decals created by artists from around the world, including Adrien Gardere, French graffiti artist Fafi, Ich & Kar and Tado.

Whether jazzing up an otherwise blank wall, adding an otherworldly dimension to a room or simply brushing up on your multiplication tables, Areaware's new offerings provide a stylish and commitment-free alternative to paint jobs and wallpapering.

Prices rage from $72-850, at Areaware.
Check out more images after the jump.

Dynomighty Magnetic Desk Dots

by Nathan Suberi

Highly functional and dead simple, Dynomighty Design's Desk Dots made us instant fans on our recent visit to their Manhattan studio. An indispensable desk-side companion, the powerful ceramic magnets can hold business cards, post pictures, build little wobbly structures (a surprisingly and incredibly addicting pastime) or stand in as modern-day Buddhist meditation beads. And no matter how much you use them, Dynomighty guarantees they won't lose their tenacious strength, which is intense enough to work through a hand.

Desk Dots also make the perfect gift for any stressed soul. Pick them up for $15 through Dynomighty.

ChowMama's Adventurous Eating

by CH Contributor

By Rebecca Odes

Inspiring parents around the nation to treat their children to a healthier way of life, ChowMama's Michelle Chrisman and Stacie Billis aim to challenge the tastebuds of little tykes everywhere. With an upcoming line of savory organic baby food called ChowBaby and their blog full of creative recipes and tips launched last February, the pair make for a go-to resource for how to improve the diets of kids—and the parents who raise them.

What inspired you to start ChowMama?
My business partner Michelle and I started creating ChowBaby organic baby food about two years ago due to a lack of appealing organic baby food options, which led to our blog. We believe that all parents—even working parents without the time to make any or all of their baby food from scratch—have the right to feed their children organic, all-natural and preservative-free foods that actually taste good.

As moms, we have been deeply disappointed by how many food brands, along with the FDA, that have failed us and our children. ChowMama is a way for us to start building a community and an honest dialog with other parents.

Why is it important to be an adventurous eater and to translate this to even the youngest of palates?
More and more research indicates that the food choices we make when our children are little shape who they are and how they eat for life. Childhood obesity is still on the rise, type-2 diabetes is striking in childhood for the first time and there is still general confusion in America about what it means to eat healthy. The physical aspect of "adventurous eating"—that healthy foods create healthy bodies is one side, the other is a social-emotional aspect. Food and eating are inherently social, a way we interact with family, friends, and the world. Encouraging adventurous eating is part of raising open-minded, independent, and environmentally responsible people.

How will your products better than most baby foods available?
ChowBaby tastes better, looks better, smells better and is more like the homemade foods children eat around the world—made with herbs, spices and soul.

What are some of the biggest mistakes parents make when feeding their kids?

Continue reading after the jump.

Frozen Feet Films

by Max Gold

Called the most fearless documentary filmmaker of the the Twin Cities, Melody Gilbert's Frozen Feet Films unearths the strangest stories in the most banal places. With locations including the world's largest mall and abandoned urban environments, Gilbert presents her characters with rare intimacy that unravels their pain, much like how the Coen Brothers treat a psychopath—the difference of course is that Gilbert's subjects aren't fictional.

Gilbert's 2003 film, "Whole" explores the growing world-wide obsession with becoming an amputee, that is, physically healthy people who desire to, and even succeed in removing their own limbs. In the same way that many desire corrective surgery, the film documents the new impulse to remove limbs in order to feel more "whole."

In 2005 Gilbert made "A Life Without Pain, which follows three children who have the rare genetic defect of not being able to feel pain. Gilbert comments, "pain is really a gift that no one wants, but none of us can live without."

Perhaps this precipitated the idea for Gilbert's most recent social experiment called "Disconnected." Gilbert required several of her students at Carleton College to undergo "digital detox" for three weeks in an attempt to live a productive lifestyle without using computers or cell phones. Needless to say, this was a different kind of pain, but certainly a universal one. Disconnected screens this weekend at the Oxford International Film Festival. Follow Gilbert's latest projects on her website.

Marcel Wanders: Behind the Ceiling

by Nathan Suberi

A breathtaking monograph of prolific designer Marcel Wanders, "Behind the Ceiling" investigates the designer's motivations and inspirations, going beyond a simple catalog of work to lend real insight into what makes him tick.

The coffee table-style tome looks at Wanders' ability to reference old motifs while simultaneously exploring new themes, making him a leader in the permeating neo-decorative trend of the last decade. Rejecting the contempt for antiquity—what he calls "baby-face fixation"—in the world of design Wanders attempts to "use both old and new metaphors in the materials and material expressions I apply." Examples in the book include the way he adds novelty to classic Dutch ceramics (pictured below), outfitting eccentrically modern vases with traditional patterns.

More proof of the Dutch designer's innovative experiments take the form of alternate methods of production and presentation. The Knotted Chair and Crocheted Chair (pictured below) explore the use of epoxy resin to create functional pieces of furniture out of rope and cotton, respectively. A series called the "Airborne Snotty Vases" borrow their shape from mega-magnified models of mucus, captured and reconstructed using SLS rapid prototyping technology.

As beautiful and provocative as his products, the book also explores Wanders' more recent forays into interior and architectural design. From a glimmering Swarovski installation of luxuriously colorful murals (pictured below) to Mondrian hotels like 2008's South Beach Residence, his irreverent aesthetic creates playfully immersive environments.

Buy "Behind the Ceiling" from Gestalten or Amazon.