Researchers at Italian design centre Fabrica have created a desk tidy for both plants and stationery to encourage office workers to make their spaces more verdant (+ slideshow).

Fabrica's designers wanted to bring "the therapeutic properties of plants" to desks, including space for foliage in the Statera desk organiser.

Statera – taken from the Latin word for "balance" – comprises a black metal structure that holds a small ceramic pot on either side and features hooks for hanging roles of tape.

The frame sits on an oval stone base, which is indented for tidying away loose desktop items and has holes along its rim to stand pens in.

The project was conceived by Fiona O'Leary and designed in collaboration with Giorgia Zanellato, who want to encourage users to pair plants that are associated with different health benefits.

"Studies have shown that growing plants in the office can help to clean the air and improve your physical and mental health," said the team.

"Statera allows you to choose complementary plants, such as Gardenia and Golden Photos or Peppermint and Philodendron, that can benefit your health and create a positive working environment."

The designers suggested that the plants could also help to offset the carbon dioxide produced by large server systems, and networks of computers and printers.

A full list of recommended plants and their benefits can be found on the Statera website, also designed by O'Leary.

Photography is by Marco Zanin.