The result of a virtual collaboration between masterful modern architect and designer Alvar Aalto, and Japanese designer Jo Nagasaka, the ColorRing Stacking Stool embodies a fascinating design history. The form is based on Aalto’s Stool 60, an iconic and versatile piece of three-legged furniture equally suitable as a seat, a table, or display stand. Supported by a trio of bent, solid birch legs, the circular top becomes the canvas for Nagasaka’s innovative update of Aalto’s design. First, soft-grained pine is treated with a stiff brush, accentuating the natural grain of the wood. Two layers of colored lacquer are then applied, subsequently sanded away to partially reveal the layers beneath—a Japanese technique called tsugaru-nuri. The results are surprising color combinations and irregular organic patterns that evoke topographical maps. (Each ColoRing 60 Stool is handmade and will be slightly unique.) Thanks to its geometry, the Aalto Three-Legged ColoRing 60 Stacking Stool can be stacked in a spiraling tower to save space. 17″ high x 15″ diameter.