Terrarium Koski Ceramic Air Plant Holder

A mini terrarium belongs on a desk the way a paperweight used to — occupying just enough space to signal that someone put thought into the surface. The Koski measures 2.5 inches in diameter, glazed ceramic, shaped to cradle a small tillandsia or a pinch of preserved moss inside a cup shallow enough that the plant remains visible from seated eye level. This tabletop terrarium weighs enough to stay put when you reach across it for a pen. The ceramic body absorbs heat during the day and surrenders it at night, creating a thermal buffer that keeps the root zone more stable than any desktop terrarium made from acrylic or tin. Slide it beside a monitor or line three along a kitchen windowsill where morning light passes through without the scorching intensity of an afternoon beam. Chive named this piece after Koski, the company's first secretary, who asked whether doing a good job meant she got to name something for her desk. The answer was yes, obviously, and the product has shipped under that name since 2012.

• Year Designed: 2012
• Material: Ceramic