Pottery Barn donates fabrics to interior design school

From left, Eileen Díaz Lamboy, director of the Interior Design Department at the University of Puerto Rico, Carolina campus; Emily Arlet, an interior design graduate and associate interior designer at the Pottery Barn; and John Rivas, director of the Graphic Design Department at UPR-Carolina.

By The Star Staff

Upscale furniture store Pottery Barn has donated hundreds of pounds of unused fabric samples to the Interior Design Department at the University of Puerto Rico, Carolina campus.

The materials were delivered to the Interior Design school by Emily Arlet, a 2024 graduate of the department who now works as an associate interior designer at Pottery Barn.

“The store offers experiences in interior design, which allows me to continue learning about the profession,” Arlet said.

During a sorting of fabrics to make room for new ones, Pottery Barn’s manager and its staff inquired about possible donations. Arlet suggested donating the fabrics to her alma mater.

“I know these are items that students need and can be used for their professional licensing exam,” she said.

Although she could not provide an estimated value for the donation, the fabrics will now be sorted and placed in the Interior Design Library, where students can use them for their interior design projects.

Eileen Díaz Lamboy, the department director and founder of the Interior Design Library, described it as a repository for materials and objects used in interior design.

“These fabrics will now be part of the collection in the Interior Design Materials Library,” Díaz Lamboy told the STAR. “Here, students can explore different materials and check them out like a book for their design projects, creating material boards as if they were preparing presentations for clients.”

Díaz Lamboy expects the materials to be available to students within a month. Fabrics that are either the same color or are duplicated will be donated to students for their projects.

“As part of the licensing exam, students must complete a design project that includes materials such as fabrics, paint, or wallpaper,” she noted. “They need to create a palette of materials.”

John Rivas, a graphic design artist and director of the Graphic Design Department, emphasized the importance of private sector support for young graduates and students.

“This type of donation allows students to learn about texture and textiles,” he said.