The Kaleidoscope Project: A Showhouse Designed With Diversity In Mind
“We’re changing the business model of the designer showhouse,” says Amy Lynn, founder of The Kaleidoscope Project Designer Showcase that’s taking up residence at the Cornell Inn B&B in Lenox, Mass. Not only will the designers’ work remain at the inn (usually the furnishings get ripped out in a few weeks), but this showcase is intentionally conceived to feature the work of 21 Black, Indigenous, and People of Color designers. The 18 guest rooms and suites, lobby area, dining room and bar will be open to the public for showhouse tours May 16-June 6.
Lynn, a Berkshires resident who is not a person of color, came up with the idea at the end of last year in reaction to the events following George Floyd's death and recognizing lack of diversity in the design industry.
“It was time for me to do something that at least changed the landscape of the furnishings industry, make it more diverse and equitable,” she says.
Austin Gray Design Group
With nearly 30 years in the design and furnishings industry as a retailer, designer, manufacturer’s rep and hospitality designer, she knew of some of the professionals she wanted to invite into the project. Partnering with Patti Carpenter, a trend expert, and connecting through social media led to a diverse group of professionals excited to put their own stamps on a space at the Cornell Inn. They all got a room of their own, except for a group of three designers collaborating on a space.
While Lynn [photo, right] was mulling what part she could play in diversity, equity and inclusion, and how to reflect a broader design narrative, a bit of serendipity stepped in. The new owner of the Cornell Inn, Kurt Inderbitzen, was looking for a designer to freshen the interiors of the property’s three buildings. He was referred to Lynn, who proposed the idea of a showhouse. The innkeeper, who couldn’t be reached for comment, is paying for the costs of the trade work, while The Kaleidoscope Project has raised almost $800,000 in in-kind donations from 35 industry sponsors. The designers reached out to their own sources for support as well.
(The Inn is closed during the renovations, and will re-open for guests on June 15 after the exhibition period.)
The showhouse will encompass The Main House, a Victorian cottage-style building that dates from the late 1880s and includes the public spaces and 10 guest rooms, and The Carriage House from the same era, with eight additional guest rooms. Carpenter, who has developed a career identifying the impact of global color and trends on the world of interior design, came up with the three tenets of the showhouse, each with its own color scheme: rest (neutrals), reflection (cools) and rejuvenation (warms).
“The showhouse needed to have some theme — we didn’t want it to be ‘hodge-podge lodge,’” Lynn says.
The inn has been under construction since Jan. 15, but since most of the designers are from out of town, few have even seen their rooms; frequent Facetime calls were involved. A sneak peak of the designs, with photos of the designers’ concepts and fabrics, are available on The Kaleidoscope Project’s social media. The forecast looks to be a varied and elegant representation of hospitality design. Tickets to both the opening night and showhouse tours are available now.
Nikki Klugh design board
“Greeny-blues are definitely the color story right now, with pops of spicy rooms,” Lynn says. “We think that there’ll be guests who will fall in love with one room and will want to stay there each time, and some guests will want to try different rooms every time.”
All of the designers are planning to be present at the opening night party on May 15. Proceeds from the tour will go toward scholarship funds to those in the Black, indigenous, and BIPOC community interested in a career in the arts and design industry. The chosen educational programs include Parson’s School of Design, New York School of Interior Design, and the Black Artists and Designers Guild. Already there are 14 interns working with the project.
“Our mission is to amplify the voices of those who rarely, if ever, have been given an opportunity to be heard, and to pave the way for the next generation of designers and creatives,” Lynn says. A second project is in the works.
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