Aalto bench 153B ColoRing, red - turquoise

The bench 153B, designed by Alvar Aalto for Artek in 1945, has gotten a new look with the ColoRing technique. Released in 2019, the ColoRing range is part of the FIN/JPN Friendship Collection by Artek. The collection celebrates the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and Japan.

Developed by the Japanese architect and designer Jo Nagasaka, ColoRing surface treatment accents the natural grain patterns of the wood with bright colours. Based on traditional Japanese Udukuri and Tsugaru-nuri techniques, ColoRing technique was created by brushing soft-grained pinewood with a hard-haired brush and coating it with two layers of coloured lacquer. When the layers are subsequently sanded away, a colourful play of the grain patterns unveils beneath them. Artek has developed a semi-industrial process of Nagasaka's manual technique to bring it to a wider audience. The Stool 60, Bench 153B and Tea Trolley 901 of the ColoRing collection are manufactured in Finland.

Alvar Aalto

Jo Nagasaka

Since its founding in 1935, Finnish furniture manufacturer Artek has stood at the intersection of Nordic design, architecture and art. By doing so, Artek has elevated Finnish design, along with Aino and Alvar Aalto's furniture, to global recognition. Artek’s furniture and lighting are cornerstones of Finnish design, gracing numerous homes and public spaces worldwide. Even today, most of Artek's wooden furniture is crafted in Finland.