10 Must Have Desk Accessories for Design Minded Individuals
Most of us are completely content furnishing our entire home with a single trip to IKEA, but for design-conscious individuals like the team here at Studio Proper, we have an ever-growing wish-list of products to lust over.
So if you feel like polishing your desk setup, or if you’re struggling to find a gift for the design-critic in your life, we’ve put together a curated list of premium desk accessories to complement every workspace.
01. Desk Organisation
The quest for a tidy table-top is endless —Having a storage solution for the plethora of pens, pencils, sketchbooks, and stationery is step one of your journey to the perfect desktop.
Vitra Toolbox — $45
Designed by Arik Levy, this practical organiser is perfect for storing working materials, with ample space to accomodate the toolkit of any proffession.
Available in a variety of sophisticated colours, the Vitra Toolbox is a standout accessory in any environment, with a convenient carry handle to stow away the excess when needed.
ISO Organizer — $90
Welded from heavy-gauge cold rolled steel, the ISO Organizer is powder-coated and outfitted with a thin cork underside. At nearly six pounds, it stands firmly and boldly on any desktop surface.
Envisioned by designer Jonah Takagi and introduced by Chicago’s Field design studio, the ISO Organizer is a handsomely streamlined object for the office, with spaciously tiered sections for all kinds of accessories.
02. A Place For Stuff
From earphones to keys, coins to paperclips, loose items are inevitable. You could just sweep them into the endless black hole of your top drawer, or, you could turn that mess into class with an elegant desk tray.
Henry Wilson Stack Tray — $132
These solid Gunmetal Bronze Stack Trays from Henry Wilson are made, polished and finished in Sydney, Australia — Shipped in a set of three; the Stack Trays are perfect for compartmentalising all your runaway objects.
Cast in a bright finish that will oxidise and darken over time to reveal a distinctive patina, for that raw material aesthetic.
HAY Brass/Silver Desk Tray — $25
For something a little more bespoke, this minimal tray, designed by Danish studio HAY, comes in two beautifully reflective stainless steel finishes.
HAY’s continued vision ‘to create straightforward, functional and aesthetic design’ is fully realised with these simple and elegant trays.
03. Mount Your Tech
The next thing to sort out is your smart-devices; during a work day we’ll typically just toss our phone to the side and lay our smart-watch on the table, but there’s a better solution, we know because we designed it.
Studio Proper iPhone Desk Stand — $75 (Discounted from $110)
The Proper iPhone Desk Stand is endlessly useful in every home / office / studio environment, and beautiful from every angle. It mounts magnetically with a simple snap to any Proper iPhone Case, and it’s currently available at a discounted price for the holiday season.
Designed for convenience and accessibility, the Proper iPhone Desk Stand is a sleek mounting solution for your iPhone and your Apple Watch. Precision machined from solid aluminium with carefully considered cable management; this is a desk accessory designed to last.
The Proper iPhone Desk Stand comes in two colour-ways; gold/navy and silver/black. Available at studioproper.com.
Studio Proper Apple Watch Dock — $70
We‘ve also designed a compact charging dock to house your Apple Watch Charging Cable — While the Apple Watch lives most of its life on your wrist, we typically only wear it when we’re on the move. For the idle time in between, there’s a stylish desktop / bedside mounting solution.
The Proper Apple Watch Dock is a simple and elegant companion for your Apple Watch, designed with premium materials. Charge at your bedside or dock at your desk. The Watch Dock comes in two colour-ways; gold/navy and silver/black. Available at studioproper.com.
04. Mug / Keep Cup
Now that your workspace is looking fresh, it’s time to start the day…
But first, coffee.
Hasami Porcelain Medium Mug — $28
The simple lines and curves of this Hasami mug suggest a modern touch, but tradition runs deep in these porcelain pieces. Made in Hasami, Nagasaki, a district in Japan known for its quality pottery, these Porcelain Mugs use a technique dating back to the Edo Period.
The flat rim allows the mugs to be easily stackable, and Hasami also offers a Wooden Coaster and Lid that fits perfectly into the form of the Procelain Mug.
Frank Green Keep Cup — $30
If like me, you’re in the habit of strolling down to a local cafe for your daily fix, then consider a Frank Green keep cup; they’re environmentally friendly, stain and odour resistant, spill proof, and feature a ‘one handed toggle button’ to drink and reseal.
I went with regular all-black cup, but Frank Green offer a variety of customisable sizes, colourways, and finishes. Not to mention their Frank Green Pay app, which lets you tap your cup to pay for your coffee. Crazy.
05. Note Taking
These two note-taking products come from Ito Bindery, a paper supplier and bookbinder that has been operating out of Tokyo for more than 80 years; with a concise range of sleek stationery designed for “minimalists, and those who admire simple yet functional designs”.
Ito Bindery Memo Block — $20 (S), $30 (M), $35 (L)
These exquisite paper blocks each contain 350 tear-off sheets. The precision-cut edges and silky smooth surface makes these blocks perfect for taking notes, sketching out ideas, or planning out your work day.
The memo blocks are available in three modular sizes that form a rectangular shape when combined. Comes in white, gray, red, and a unique black option, which shows pencil marks in silver.
Ito Bindery Drawing Pad — $30 (A6), $40 (A5), $50 (A4)
The Drawing Pads contain 70 sheets of satin-smooth paper, mounted to a recycled cardboard base for stability and heft.
Based on the ISO 116 standard, each pad has a 1:√2 aspect ratio, allowing its sheets to be exactly half the area of the next larger size.
06. Measurement
Ever handy, rulers remain relatively unchanged in form-factor, which makes a divergent design all the more distinct.
Areaware Glass Ruler — $30
This dense Glass Ruler would be beautiful enough as a paperweight, but the overlaying grid (available in either inches or centimetres) allows for precise alignment when placed above an existing drawing.
Designed by Allon Libermann & Hye Jin Ahn, the Glass Ruler is an elegant piece of design, sure to display harmoniously on any desktop.
Grovemade Measure Collection — $169 (Set)
A little more practical, these rulers from Grovemade are a step away from their traditionally wooden monitor stands, but a step in a stunning direction.
A black ruler, protractor and triangle; all designed to be beautiful additions to your workspace, with subtle measurement marks and clean lines. Each tool is machined from a solid block of aluminum that is then anodized black.
07. Calculation
Yes, I know there’s an app for that, but let me tell you, when you’re quoting clients, adjusting packaging dimensions, or adding up how much you’re going to spend on this list, then a physical calculator can be a huge timesaver.
Also, ㄣƐㄥㄥ0, look how cool these things are!
Braun BNE001 — $33
How could I feature a ‘designer calculator’ without mentioning Braun? Exuding the fuss-free aesthetic responsible for inspiring the user-friendly interface of Apple’s calculator app, Braun’s calculator is an iconic piece of industrial design.
Crammed with retro styling that will serve as a desk companion for years to come, the Braun BNE001 is guaranteed to cause an immediate geek-out from the design-nerd in your life.
Satechi Smart Keypad — $35
A more practical extension for Mac users, the Satechi Smart Keypad blends seamlessly into the aesthetic of your Apple peripherals.
Usable in Calculator Mode or Keypad Mod, the Smart Keypad doubles as a Bluetooth numpad extension to your computer keyboard, making it the perfect accessory for your workspace.
08. Time
We all have the same amount of time each and every single day. What we do with that time is entirely up to us.
Flipping Out Clock — $140
You probably don’t need another time-teller in your life, but the aptly named Flipping Out Clock will definitely make you want one.
Stocked in the MoMA Design Store; this is a retro favourite pared down to its essence. The classic flip clock is reimagined by removing it from its housing, and putting its inner components artfully on display.
Tiller — $129
This one is a little more niche, however, every graphic designer, illustrator, or miscellaneous freelancer is familiar with the painstaking task of tracking their time. Fortunately, Tiller is dedicated wholeheartedly to making that easier.
Described simply as ‘One tap time tracking’, Tiller is a simple, one-button device that puts focused, deliberate work first. Built to help you keep on top of time tracking without leaving your workflow. Tiller has a precision machined touch-sensitive aluminium dial that rotates on a high-quality bearing, and an LED indicator light that lets you know if you’re tracking a project or not.
09. Nature
It’s no secret that the desk-dwelling lifestyles we lead aren’t the healthiest — The first solution of course is to take a break; remind yourself to go outside, take a short walk, breathe in fresh air. Throughout the rest of the day, maybe a plant will keep you sane?
Helen Levi Beach Planters — $110 (M), $190 (L)
These hand-made planters by Helen Levi are slipcast from three different stonewares marbled together to create an organic beach scene that will make you forget you’re at your desk entirely.
The planter has one drainage hole and is paired with a wheelthrown stoneware saucer. They’re made-to-order within three weeks, so place your order now for the holiday season.
Mr Kitly X Decor Selfwatering Plant Pot — $7-$28
For the absent-minded; these lightweight, modern, and colourful planters help you take care of your plants — After settling your plant into the pot, simply keep the waterwell filled and they’ll never go thirsty again.
The 170mm and 250mm sizes would both sit comfortably on a desktop, while the 300mm and 375mm are perfect for larger plants around the office.
10. Lighting
Working late? Such is the life of a creative, unfortunately I haven’t found any products that will extend your deadline, but these beautifully designed desk lamps will at least provide some late night companionship.
Fade Studio Task Light — $250
Designed by Fade Studio, the Task Light is a sleek wonder of industrial design. Built with almost no moving parts, it articulates over 120 degrees through bending alone, and it can simulate almost any natural lighting condition.
The Fade Task Lamp is available in four die-cut patterns and colors: Black, Blue, Red and White. Read more on the story behind the product here.
Luxo L-1 LED Task Lamp — $100
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The classic Luxo lamp has been around since the early 1930s, featuring suspension springs designed to mimic the muscles of a human arm; bending with minimal effort, yet holding firmly in any position.
Norwegian textile magnate Jac Jacobsen encountered the marvel of design being used in a factory assembly line, and streamlined and simplified the lamp some Scandinavian style. More than 75 years and 25 million units later, the Luxo lamp is a shining beacon of design. You might recognise it.
That does it for our cover on the top must-have desk accessories for design minded individuals. Leave us a comment if we missed anything! We’re always keeping our eyes peeled for design goodness. 👀
Visit Studio Proper to find more iPhone and Apple Watch products, and follow @StudioProper on Instagram to stay in the loop.
Note: Prices listed in this article are in USD, and are accurate at the time of posting based on various online search results.
