Amy Lynn Schwartzbard is the real deal. A thirty-year veteran of the design industry, Amy Lynn likes to think big and lead with passion. She believes in always looking forward to “what’s next.” Her latest design endeavor, The Kaleidoscope Project (www. thekaleidoscopeproject.com), is an enormous undertaking, to foster greater inclusivity within the Interior Design Community.
The Kaleidoscope Project, TV Talk show host and pioneering social activist Ellen DeGeneres, and over thirty top design brands including, The Shade Store, Kravet, Caesarstone, Design within Reach, and Benjamin Moore, have all joined together, under Amy Lynn’s direction with Co-founder Patti Carpenter, to launch the first in-person designer showhouse of 2021, to celebrate the diversity and talent that exists within the creative interior design industry. It is the first designer showhouse that will remain in perpetuity and become part of the legacy of the 18th century Cornell Inn, in Lenox, MA.
Room design by Purvi Padia ; Photography by Frank Frances
“The extraordinary talents of so many designers of color are often not seen and their voices are not heard. We are a creative industry. It’s up to us to bring all of our best talent forward and create an equitable platform for all of our design community. It is my responsibility to create a path for our young talents to join the industry and have the opportunity to succeed. With this mission, The Kaleidoscope Project was born,” says Amy Lynn Schwartzbard, Principal of The Life Designs Group (www.TheLifeDesignsGroup.com), LD Hospitality Resources, and co-founder of The Kaleidoscope Project.
Room design by Rhydima Brar; Photography by Frank Frances
The Kaleidoscope Project has invited 23 leading designers of color to redesign the historic Cornell Inn, a 28-guest room property nestled in the heart of the Berkshires in Lenox, Massachusetts. The showhouse will open to the public from May 16- June 6, 2021, with all ticket proceeds going toward creating scholarships for young designers of color interested in pursuing an art or design career. Educational partners include the Black Artists + Designers Guild (BADG), Parsons School of Design, and the New York School of Interior Design (NYSID).
ED by Ellen DeGeneres (www.edbyellen.com) supported the Kaleidoscope Project with all the Table Top for the dining room, by Virginia Toledo. Coffee mugs for all the guest rooms, as well as rugs and bath towels. “With the advent of the Black Lives Matter Movement, we in the design industry community sought to support our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community in an actionable fashion,” shares Patti Carpenter, Principal of carpenter + company and co-founder of the Kaleidoscope Project. “We are seeking to show the true colors present within our community and to create welcoming and inclusive spaces that reflect a broader design narrative.” Schwartzbard, Carpenter, along with Liz Nightingale, EVP of marketing, have rallied an entire industry, sponsors and social activists, and educators to help support the mission. “The Kaleidoscope Project’s mission is to foster this under-acknowledged community and create a more representative view of our design trades and the world wherein we live and create,” says Amy Lynn Schwartzbard.
