George Nakashima is best known for his unique pieces of furniture, which are prized for their respect for the natural forms of the tree and the inherent grain of the wood. The Tray was designed in 2008 under the guidance of George Nakashima’s daughter, Mira. It is standard constructed of solid Douglas Fir that is quarter-cut and finished in a clear low-sheen finish. The edge details are available in solid Brazilian Santos or solid Wenge. Feature the designer's signature and KnollStudio logo on the underside.

Nakashima, a wood craftsman and poet, studied architecture at the University of Washington in Seattle, the Ecole Americaine des Beaux-Arts Fontainebleau in France and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Nakashima received the gold medal for craftsmanship from the American Institute of Architects and the Hazlett Award. The subject of several one-man exhibitions, Nakashima also authored The Soul of a Tree: A Woodworker's Reflections.