A set of great handy stationery designs are extremely critical for any product designer! These are the tools that help and support you through your creative process. They can either make or break your entire design process, so it’s imperative to have a collection that really lets you work easily, efficiently, and effectively. And, we’ve curated a collection of innovative and nifty stationery designs that every product designer must own! From the ultimate desk organizer to a tiny deceptive storage solution, these products are sure to meet the unique needs and requirements of your creative process. And not to mention, they’re also super fun! They add a pop of life and color to your work desk, while also managing to liven up your mood with their quirky + functional design. Which one of these stationery designs do you plan to use? Oh, and you can thank us later! Enjoy.
1. The Wooden Pen Holder
There’s something almost poetic about the act of picking up a brush or a fountain pen from an inkwell, drawing your strokes, and dipping it back in to be ready for when the next inspiration strikes, a feeling that’s almost lost even with the most elaborate and extravagant pens today. Not unless you have a pen holder that brings back that atmosphere, like a block of wood that could be the most Zen pen holder to ever adorn your desk.
Why is it noteworthy?
This wooden block is both unassuming and, at the same time, beautiful in its simplicity, as many minimalist products are wont to be. Made from genuine maple wood, each piece has grains and patterns that make it unique and special. Without saying explicitly, it’s an assurance that each black will be one of a kind, giving you the feeling that this pen holder was crafted just for you. Together with an equally stylish pen, this block transforms any desk into a thinker’s workbench, where the tools of the trade are just at an arm’s reach.
What we like
- The Wooden Pen Holder has a gently curving depression that can accommodate any pen with a standard size
- When you pick the pen up, you almost believe that the ink will also follow it up from an invisible well of ideas
What we dislike
- No complaints!
2. The Quick-Access Organizer
More often than not, the reason why we lose keys, glasses, or even wallets, is because we misplace them by just placing them anywhere when we take them out of our pockets. We develop that bad habit because it sometimes takes too much work to actually drop them in proper storage, like a desk or shelf organizer, partly because the storage box itself doesn’t make it easy to use it. Having to think which item goes where can be a mental burden when it has to be done multiple times a day, and the seconds you lose opening and closing most boxes add up over time.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Quick-Access Organizer tries to smooth out by making the act of organizing your everyday carry tools as effortless as possible. The lid has sections that can fit only some kinds of objects. This makes it easier to know what to put there, so you won’t have to waste precious time making that decision every time. Pretty soon, it will be second nature to put your glasses, AirPods case, or keys in those sections, so they won’t have to end up lost in uncharted territory ever again.
What we like
- The box’s real special talent is how that lid quickly and effortlessly swivels out of the way, revealing the spacious cavern inside
- This storage box is a minimalist beauty of contrasting and complementing elements
What we dislike
- No complaints!
3. Desco
It’s almost difficult to see Desco as an organizer, given how it visually looks disorganized on its own. It utilizes different shapes that seem to be haphazardly thrown together, as well as lines that cut through each other at odd angles.
Why is it noteworthy?
Unlike traditional desk organizers, you almost have to stop and think which items go where because, despite its seemingly random design, each nook and cranny of the Desco actually serves a specific purpose. That large acrylic circle in the middle, for example, has slits that are designed to hold notebooks, while the space going through the pipe shape can hold pens and even rolls of paper. The slanted foot has space for a few sheets of paper, while the acrylic surface of one of the wooden boxes can be used as a tiny wall for sticky notes. There is also plenty of space for all kinds of tools and knick-knacks, including a tray for your phone, earbuds, or smartwatch. There’s even a surface that can be used to keep your favorite mug within arm’s reach.
What we like
- Despite its jumble of shapes, Desco still adheres to minimalism as far as the surfaces themselves go
- The transparent acrylic gives an illusion of floating in the air
What we dislike
- No complaints!
4. Cyl
Desk organizers are a dime a dozen, but they themselves can actually be a source of headaches when they take over your workspace. No one can perfectly predict how much stuff we’ll accumulate over the years, and traditional organizers aren’t designed to grow with you and your clutter. You can buy more of them, in different designs even, but there’s a limit to how much room you have on the table. In contrast, Cyl uses the age-old stacking trick to free up horizontal space by utilizing often unused vertical space.
Why is it noteworthy?
This desk organizer concept doesn’t discriminate or put limits on what you can put inside. More importantly, you can easily see what’s inside and quickly get them without having to unstack the ones above. In theory, you can stack the containers as high as you can, presuming gravity doesn’t cause them to topple over.
What we like
- You can easily see what’s inside and quickly get them without having to unstack the ones above
- Organizers come in different sizes
What we dislike
- Not the most space-efficient design for your desk
5. The Coin Bank
Paperclips, small jewelry, dice, and especially coins seem to defy our efforts to keep a clean desk despite their size. In fact, it’s exactly because they’re so small that we tend to take them for granted until they’ve amassed enough numbers to invade the pristine surfaces of our tables and shelves. Fortunately, this coin bank not only makes it too easy to drop coins and other stuff into its bin, but it also makes it fun to take them out again when you finally have use for them.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Coin Bank makes it trivial to put things inside it while also making it easy to take items out. The large hole in the middle welcomes coins and objects of many sizes, but it’s the concave shape of the lid’s surface that almost makes the activity fun. Simply drop your coins, die, jewelry, or knickknacks and watch them slide inside. You don’t need to be a basketball pro or a sharpshooter to make sure those things end up inside rather than the outside.
What we like
- Features an intriguing magnetic rotating mechanism
- The lid’s bouncing and swinging movement can be so addictive that you might find yourself using it as your new fidget toy
What we dislike
- No complaints!
6. The HMM Scissors
Our workspaces are often littered with two kinds of things. On the one hand, you have tools designed to accomplish a task. On the other hand, you have decorative items designed to please the senses. Of course, there are now stationary and desk tools that are designed to hit two birds with one stone, especially those that embrace minimalist aesthetics that fit well in almost any situation. These scissors from popular brand HMM are designed to bridge those two worlds together, offering a tool that not only creates a sense of wonder but also inspires confidence in every snip.
Why is it noteworthy?
Just as with the tools mentioned above, scissors often come in two classes. One type is clearly designed for cutting away at your problems, while another type almost looks too pretty to be used. The HMM Scissors is definitely not the latter, with an aesthetic that clearly exudes its power. The wide and flat blades are almost reminiscent of industrial tools, and its black Japanese steel body gives off an aura of strength and durability.
What we like
- Flip the scissors and hold it by the blades, and you instantly have a box cutter
- A custom-made magnet lets the scissors stand upright with its sharp tip safely hidden inside the base
What we dislike
- No complaints!
7. Levitating Pen
Designed as what I assume is the world’s first and only ‘sci-fi’ pen, the pen is a marvel of engineering as it floats within its gravity-defying stand, looking almost like something out of an alien’s spaceship. The pen itself is a remarkable writing instrument, equipped with a Schmidt ballpoint cartridge for a smooth, luxurious writing experience, however, when you’re taking a break from writing, the pen doesn’t just simply go into a pencil case or a pen-stand.
Why is it noteworthy?
The pen comes with its own magnetic stand that allows it to rest in an inclined position with its tip touching the pen-stand, without tipping over. Magnets within the pen stand’s arc-shaped guardrail help the pen hover on its own, resting on just one point. The magnetic forces also cause the pen to gently sway up and down or even spin on its axis, resulting in an experience that feels metaphorically and literally out of this world!
What we like
- The pen’s wonderful interactive quality
- Spinning the pen in certain intervals can be a stress buster
What we dislike
- We wonder how ergonomic or comfortable would the pen be to use
8. My Cinema Lightbox
Inspired by the large backlit panels outside old-time cinemas and theaters that would tell people what was playing at the venue, the My Cinema Lightbox is a cute tabletop accessory that can be used to display any message you like. Each lightbox comes with the box itself, and a series of alphabets + letters printed on transparent sheet plastic that you can fit onto the lightbox.
Why is it noteworthy?
Each lightbox offers an option of either running on 6 AA batteries or via USB. The relatively thick box can then either be placed on a tabletop surface like your mantelpiece, work desk, or kitchen countertop or even wall-mounted to add to your room’s decor. Perfect for leaving adorable messages for your partner, motivational quotes for yourself, or having in the background for your YouTube videos or live streams!
What we like
- Great for writing fun and motivational messages!
- Comes in a few other variants, including a Mini, an XL, a rectangular 2-row lightbox, and tinted lightboxes with color-changing LED backlights
What we dislike
- No complaints!
9. The Grovemade and Blackwing Pencil Kit
This innovative kit can keep pens always sharp for use. The two companies worked together on this unique collaboration to develop beautiful tools for work.
Why is it noteworthy?
The Grovemade and Blackwing Pencil Kit’s aesthetics are pleasing, providing something easy on the eyes. So if you see something nice and calming on your desk, you may be inspired to work, and that’s what the pencil kit can do. A kit consists of 12 custom pencils, a Walnut stand, and one sharpener.
What we like
- The pens already come with their own tip-protection and a sharpening system
- The pencils also come with a unique stand that keeps the objects vertical
What we dislike
- Unfortunately, you can’t buy the items separately as they come as part of a kit
10. The Holder Desk Lamp
How about sporting a cool desk lamp that performs double duty as a book/document holder and a magnetic pin-up board to keep all your important reminders within your peripheral view?
Why is it noteworthy?
As I explored more renders of this design it started to grow on me – thanks to its useful functionality, sans any complicated design blueprints that seem infeasible to craft in real life. The idea of this desk lamp is to extend the usability of the good old desk lamp just beyond beaming soft light onto the desk’s work area. That’s because, you won’t be using the desk light at all times, and to make better use of the accessory, a book holder and a rotating magnetic pin-up board are incorporated into the product.
What we like
- Holds all your books, journals, and important files in an organized manner
- The inside lining of the book holder section has a dotted texture to keep all the important stuff in place
What we dislike
- No complaints!