Norwegian architects Todd Saunders and Tommie Wilhelmsen found themselves at a familiar cross-roads for emerging architects.  At an early stage in their career, they found it difficult to find clients that would take a chance on young, unproven architects.  Instead of waiting for a chance to prove themselves, they made it happen on their own.  The Hardanger Summer Home is a self-initiated, self-financed project on a plot of land the duo purchased together.  The result is a simple, dramatic structure built into an amazing natural property in Norway.  We think they’ve proven their value as architects… how about you? [thanks apartmenttherapy]

We’re not going to lecture you about smoking– no matter what you smoke. If your pad gets the occasional haze, its best to be prepared. In doing so, you don’t have to have an ugly ash tray cluttering up your home, that open wound to your own personal feng shui. The brilliant minds at Vitamin have created the Tab A/B Planter x Ash Tray, a practical planting vase that covers up the nasty bits with fresh, flourishing flowers and vibrant greens. Place this one on your coffee table, both your smoke free and cough-friendly pals will enjoy it.

Buy: $89

Ask any creatively involved person, they’ll tell you that mistakes are often the most prolific providers of inspiration.  A few wrong notes on a keyboard can lead to wild new melodies, spilled ink can inspire a new style of painting and a few bad cuts can create a new style of furniture.  The latter is true in the Martin Sprouse Delete Tables, a cubic table that was borne out of a series of failures in woodworking.  When these cuts came, they exposed a design that needed its own attention.  For anyone who has ever felt the excitement of discovery in following a mistake, you’ll feel right at home with this design…

Buy: $TBA

The design team of Aranda and Lasch have developed a respected signature in the world of modern design.  Their works represent a geometric take on “beautiful decay”, as is shown above in the Aranda/Lasch Quasi Cabinet.  This piece looks more like an ivory altar attacked by an angry, chemical god than a storage system for human trinkets.  Thankfully, the Quasi Cabinet is built for the latter, bringing a fresh, mathematic sense of modern design to your own interior environment.  If the name Aranda/Lasch is new to you, check out their Quasi Table as well.  You’ll want to keep these guys on your own design radar…

Buy: $TBD

No need to cover your ears, GearCravers, these speaker-shaped lamps emit light, not sound.  The Lightspeaker Lamp is the ghettoblaster of modern lighting, a shining example of mashup design.  Flip on the Lightspeaker Lamp and the reflected light bulbs in the speaker cones shine back into the white speaker box, providing plenty of illumination for your own modern environment.  While this design concept is featured for sale on DeeplyMadlyLiving, its release is slated for later on this year.  Keep your eyes peeled, GearCravers.  We’ll leave an update once this one hits the market.

Buy: $TBA

Internationally reknown designer Karim Rashid has continued a string of wild, contemporary furniture releases with his new Poly Chair.  The Poly Chair is a plastic, angular chair available in a bold, obelisk black or a truthful, transparent model.  Ideal for modern interiors and progressive porches alike, the Poly Chair is a surprisingly versatile piece.  Place it alongside natural, organic elements like woods and house plants– you’re in for a healthy, sexy contrast.  When more from Mr. Rashid is released, we’ll be sure to mention it here…

Buy: $195

With high-rise living behind me, your GearCrave editor has taken to having a back yard once again. In May of this year, I dug a 10′x5′ plot out of the grass and laid down a bed of soil. After pushing in a handful of seeds of different varieties, I now walk back once a week to gather arm-fulls of cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, spices and more. It has become a hobby, one we never quite imagined we’d have taken on so fully. With a move back to city life not too far off in the future, we’re going to need to take this hobby with us. If you’re of the same persuasion, you’ll be as happy as we were to find this Foldable Recycled Plastic Greenhouse. Designed by Daniel Schipper, this geometric, folding greenhouse is made from recycled plastics and magnets to facilitate a tight fold. While still only a prototype, we’ll patiently await news from Mr. Schipper on a production model… which will hopefully be ready when we’re ready to move that back yard garden with us.

Buy: $TBA

Having trouble finding a nice condo in the city that includes a fireplace?  We’ve been on that hunt before ourselves, and we can tell you how hard it can be.  If you’re a modern-minded individual (you’re reading GearCrave, aren’t you?), bring the fireplace to you in ultimate style.  The Ponton Fireplace II is a clean biofuel burning fireplace encased in a glass cylinder.  Safe for both indoor and outdoor use, the Fireplace II releases very little C02– so you won’t be leaving ugly carbon footprints on your bearskin rug.  No matter the location, put the Fireplace II on your hardwood and you’ll have a brilliant modern centerpiece… just don’t go roasting marshmallows on it!

Buy: $2835

We might just be in love. The Moooi Boutique Sofa by Marcel Wanders is our latest obsession, a simple semi-sectional sofa with a Victorian-inspired upholstry pattern. Instead of Fleur De Lis, the Boutique Sofa has nude, masked women dancing among the repeating grayscale flora. The earth-toned cushions bring a warm-but-neutral effect that invites the eyes and blends with your modern home environment. Have a seat, my friend. Just keep your drink on the coffee table– you spill, you die.

Buy: $TBA