A Historic Berkshires Inn Gets a Chic Makeover by 23 BIPOC Designers

As the great race to book summer vacations gets underway, there's a new hotel in the Berkshires vying for your attention. Actually, it's about 200 years old—but you'd never guess by the looks of it.

The Cornell Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts, comprises three 18th- and 19th-century houses that have been converted into a bed and breakfast, and they've just undergone a massive facelift to incorporate impeccable modern decor. The renovation was organized by The Kaleidoscope Project, a nonprofit dedicated to highlighting and encouraging diversity in the interior design industry, which used the inn as the base for its 2021 Designer Showhouse.

The organization brought in 23 BIPOC interior designers and numerous home brands to refresh the 28 rooms of the Cornell Inn, which are currently on view to the public through June 6 as a showhouse. (Proceeds from ticket sales will contribute to scholarship funds for young designers of color.)

"Showhouses are one of the most amazing ways to see incredible work from designers across the country," said Ian Gibbs, co-founder and chief creative officer of the project's brand partner The Shade Store, in a statement. But, typically, they're taken down at the end of their run. That's not the case with the Cornell Inn—starting June 15, guests will be able to book a stay in the high-design rooms.

Each of the 23 designers (check out the full list of names here) was tasked with designing a guest room, the lobby, or the dining room and bar based on one of three themes: rest, reflection, and rejuvenation. All things we need as we come out on the other side of the pandemic!

So if you're considering a weekend getaway to the Berkshires, make sure the Cornell Inn is added to your list of accommodation contenders.