A Colorful Evening During WNWN

We shared with you the design savants who made the Kaleidoscope Project showhouse at The Cornell Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts, so special in an earlier post, highlighting our products many of them tapped for inclusion in their spaces. If you missed it, the story is here. Today, we’re highlighting a few of the rooms in this post but there are many more photos on the venue’s website. We’re holding an event in our showroom at the New York Design Center that will feature the Kaleidoscope Project’s founders so we thought it would be great to look at their overall mission for those of you who are not familiar with them.

A Colorful Evening During WNWN

Our WNWN event will take place on September 29th beginning at 5 p.m. at the NYDC (200 Lexington Avenue) in Suite 506. During the happening, Kaleidoscope Project founders Patti Carpenter and Amy Lynn Schwartzbard will share how the showhouse project at The Cornell Inn was conceived and developed, as well as more details about their mission and philosophy (with, perhaps, a sneak peek of their next project). During the evening, we’ll celebrate the true colors that make up the design community within the context of a broader design narrative through their vision. You can register for the entire two-day WNWN event here and then RSVP for our soiree here.

Amy Lynn Schwartzbard (left) and Patti Carpenter (right) will speak at WNWN.

Carpenter and Schwartzbard describe the Kaleidoscope Project as a designer showhouse venture to showcase the diverse talent within the intensely creative design industry. Their overarching intention is to amplify the voices of those who rarely, if ever, have been given an opportunity to be heard. They did just that with The Cornell Inn showhouse. Owners of the destination now describe the venue as a 150-year-old inn with a brand-new experience, which is evident from the photos illustrating this post.

The living room in the lobby of The Cornell Inn designed by Everick Brown.

But Carpenter and Schwartzbard make it clear that their organization is more than a showhouse. “The Kaleidoscope Project Designer Showhouse is proud to partner with educational programs and 501(c)(3) organizations providing scholarships to those in the black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) community who are interested in a career in the arts and design industry. It is our responsibility as professionals to provide opportunities and a pathway to higher education for future creatives,” they say. “As a part of the broader community of the visual and performing arts, we must lead by example and shatter the stigmas. In line with our educational efforts, participating designers are encouraged to mentor a BIPOC student or intern studying a design discipline throughout this project.”

Our Graz Table Lamp in Jennifer Owen’s space at The Cornell Inn, which will be discussed during the WNWN event.

They are aptly qualified to be at the helm of such an effort. Schwartzbard has had a nearly 30-year tenure in the design and furnishings industry. She has applied her talent in many arenas: during 16 years as a home furnishings retailer, for more than 25 years as a designer, and during six years as a manufacturer’s rep and boutique hospitality designer. Amy is a savvy business woman, advocate, coach, world traveler, and a mother to her very special 28-year-old daughter, Justine. The Kaleidoscope Project is the culmination of her years of experience and passion.

The bar designed by David Santiago at The Cornell Inn with our Fen chandelier as a centerpiece.

Carpenter is an international expert in trend research, analysis and forecasting, and is the principal of carpenter + company, an award-winning firm focused on identifying trends in home décor, personal accessories, fragrance, and gifts. She began her career in the world of fashion, and has since explored the impact of global color and trends on the world of interior design. She has designed, sourced, and created private-label collections for leading international brands that include Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Crate & Barrel, Donna Karan Urban Zen, Sferra, and Ralph Laruen.

Shawna Underwood’s bedroom at The Cornell Inn.

Much of the work she sourced was hand made by artisans around the globe. As a recognized leader in trend forecasting, Carpenter serves as a consultant for Pantone and is the Global Trend Ambassador for the prestigious Maison & Objet trade show in Paris. She sits on the Advisory Boards of SERRV International and the Black Artists and Designers Guild (BADG). She is also a member of the IFDA and ART. Carpenter has worked in fifty-seven countries around the world, and calls New York City home. She loves travel, and discovering art and culture. As she continues to work with artisans, her goal of collaborating in 100 countries is within sight.

See for Yourself

Come by and see for yourself how fun these two industry movers and shakers are. We bet you’ll leave WNWN with some spoiler alerts about the next project the dynamic duo and their a-list of designers will take on. You’ll also get to see some of our most popular products that are taking a bow of their own in the New York showroom!