The Kaleidoscope Project, Ellen DeGeneres, Elle Decor & Over 30 Major Design Brands Celebrate the Diversity and Talent Within the Interior Design Community With a 2021 Showhouse Featuring Rooms by 23 Leading Designers of Color; The Cornell Inn Showhouse Opens to the Public (May 16-June 6)

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Apr 20, 2021, 08:48 ET

LENOX, Mass., April 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kaleidoscope Project (www.thekaleidoscopeproject.com), TV Talk show host and pioneering social activist Ellen DeGeneres, Elle Decor magazine, and over 30 top design brands including, The Shade Store, Kravet, Kohler, and Benjamin Moore, have joined together 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.

The design community, thirty major design sponsors, twenty-three leading designers of color, social activists, educational organizations, and celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres rally behind the vision of The Kaleidoscope Project to promote the under-represented talents and diversity within the Interior Design Community

"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.

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).

"I'm thrilled Elle Decor (www.elledecor.com) is joining The Kaleidoscope Project, and throwing our brand behind this incredible effort to support beautiful work by a diverse roster of design talent," says Asad Syrkett, Elle Decor, Editor in Chief. "Showhouses are one of the most amazing ways to see incredible work from designers across the country," said Ian Gibbs, Co-Founder and Creative Director of The Shade Store (www.theshadestore.com). "We're thrilled to support the Kaleidoscope Project and help give traditionally underrepresented designers a voice within the community. This is a very talented group, and we can't wait to see how they transform each of their spaces." "Kravet (www.kravet.com) is thrilled to support this inaugural showhouse experience. We commend the founders for bringing this opportunity to the extraordinarily talented and diverse BIPOC community of interior designers," shares Ellen Kravet of Kravet, Inc. 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." "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.

For more information visit TheKaleidoscopeproject.com

Media Contact:
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SOURCE The Kaleidoscope Project