Painting the walls of your cubicle would probably get you in some hot water with the facilities manager. Brighten your workspace without disrupting the office’s beige on tan color scheme with the Italian leather Bella Desk Blotter. Hand made, this gorgeous Desk Blotter features matte leather in rich designer colors with contrasting stitch accents. The Bella Pencil Cup, 3-Ring Binder, File Tote and Portfolio are also available from See Jane Work.

$40 at See Jane Work

It is a functional piece of history that becomes a conversation piece on any desk. Manufactured in the Basque region of Spain, El Casco has been producing fine chrome desk and smoking accessories since 1920.

Available from Exclusively Home for $110

Designed by J.R. Schebendach for Blomus, the akto desk accessory line is stainless steel with a modern look and a great price.

$54 at Unica Home

Putting the Anarchy Tape Cutter together for the first time is much like solving a puzzle, but is quite simple once the sequence is learned. It consists of three sand cast iron parts, with no-slip rubber pads, and a serrated blade attached. Though heavy by necessity, when disassembled, the pieces fit neatly into a tight block for packaging, and shipping.

Never lose your pencil again! Now its always to hand right where you need it – inside your note book. Just in case you prefer to use a pen, this note book has been designed to hold a Bic Crystal perfectly. Available in Large (140X190mm) or Small (90X125mm)

Buy it here.

Futura, the Latin word for future, breaks a long tradition of annoyance and time wasting fumbling. Ever since the shirt-arm fastener became an item of fashion in 17th century England, it has required great patience, three hands or an extremely caring wife. Futura, manufactured in stainless steel, is fitted in a second by pressing it in place and is as easily removed, due to the shaped arrow pointing the way into the third millennium.

$70 at JUNRO

When London-based designers Daniel Black and Martin Blum couldn’t find a tape dispenser that worked the way they wanted it to, they created their own. The Heavy-Weight Tape Dispenser (2006) has a three-pound cast zinc body that’s heavy enough to permit single-handed use. The forged stainless steel blade cuts effectively over years of use. The Tape Dispenser’s shape echoes the lines of industrial design icons, combining modern materials with a slightly retro sensibility.

$60 at Design Within Reach