Plant-inspired desk accessories bring a sense of calm to your work life

There are plenty of tips and pieces of advice on how to decrease stress levels at work, particularly on your desk. Keep your workspace clean and tidy, put objects and pictures that inspire, and add green plants that remind you to take breaks and live. The latter, however, isn’t always possible in all environments, and some might not be too keen on the added responsibility of keeping that plant alive, even if it’s a succulent. That’s not to say you have to give up the benefits of having some green on your desk, especially not with this collection of accessory concept designs that try to bring life to your work by taking inspiration from Nature’s miracle workers.

Designers: Gahnghyun Yi, Jiwon Lee, Chaeyeon Ha

Plants have long been a source of inspiration for creators of all disciplines, including scientists, engineers, architects, and, of course, designers. The natural beauty these silent creatures possess is surprisingly not that easy to recreate, but we can easily distill the essence of their forms and translate them into designs that hold meaning in our lives. These desk accessories, for example, try to nudge your mind to think about real greenery, eliciting the same emotions of peacefulness, calm, and relaxation that a plant would bring if it were actually standing on your desk.

It’s not a literal imitation, of course; just an interpretation of the basic forms and shapes that plants possess. The Greenery Pencil Holder, for example, is a cylinder with a curved plate partially wrapped around it at an angle, almost like a bamboo stem with a leaf growing out of it. This “leaf” actually functions as a container as well, creating two spaces to place your pens, pencils, and other long stationery tools.

The Greenery Clock is a bit more abstract in comparison, with a stem that curves upward and a leaf that droops down from the top, forming a minimalist digital clock. There is actually a second leaf that’s less visible since it’s lying flat on the desk, creating a space to put small items on. The latter design is repeated in the Greenery Tray with two horizontal “leaves” providing the same flat container. What makes it different, other than the lack of a clock, are the elongated “stems” that act as a hook for hanging key rings and other items.

The Greenery Cable Holder is admittedly a bit of a stretch to imagine as leaves growing on a leaf vein. After all, it’s just a set of circles with cutouts for inserting a cable. One side of the circle is flat, allowing the cable holder to be stuck on desks or walls. With this set, you can add some green hues to your desk without sacrificing space, deriving both utility and aesthetic from simple designs, thanks to some inspiration from Mother Nature.