What really makes a desk stand out to me is the collection of stationery items placed on top of it (and also the manner in which they are placed). The true value and efficiency of your desk lie in the smart assortment of designs you adorn it with – these are after all the objects that are gonna help you get through your workday, and directly or indirectly affect your productivity. It’s imperative to have a collection that really lets you work easily, efficiently, and effectively. And an innovative and functional addition to that collection would be the KNOB . pen tray.
Designer: Changho Lee
Designed by Changho Lee, the KNOB. is a clean, minimal, and sleek pen tray with rounded edges. It’s the kind of uber-cool and well-designed product that adds a whole ounce of personality and character to your desk. But despite its simple good looks, the KNOB. pen tray has quite a unique functionality. The pen tray was inspired by the knobs you find on a gas burner. Lee borrowed the design language of gas burner knobs, and replicated it in his tray creating a piece of stationery with intriguing-looking ‘control buttons’ or ‘knobs’.
These knobs or multiport radar allow you to adjust the internal space of the pen tray. So, you can basically customize the interiors of the tray, creating different sections by playing around with the knobs in the direction you want. You can adjust the buttons horizontally, vertically, or diagonally depending on which stationery items you want to place on the tray, and how you want to place them. You can fidget with the buttons to create space to accommodate multiple tiny items or a large pen or pencil all by itself. It’s quite fun to organize it!
It’s a pretty easy-to-use and accessible product that is available in a variety of colors – pale grey, bright blue, and muted orange. The color options are versatile and can work well with other accessories on your desk, allowing you to create the desk setup of your dreams. It comes in a simple and clean packaging design, making it super easy to unwrap and use instantly.
