Charles Pavarini III, IDS, DLF, Allied ASID
President, Pavarini Design

As grandson of Charles Pavarini, Sr., Charles Pavarini III has reinterpreted the legacy of the Pavarini Construction Company, known for creating historic landmarks including the Seagram Tower, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the State Theater at Lincoln Center, and numerous other landmark buildings in New York City and throughout the world. Charles Pavarini III graduated at the top of his class with a B.F.A. in Architecturally Based Interior Design, winning the Bronze Medal for Design Achievement in 1980. After working as Design Assistant to the legendary International Designer, Ruben de Saavedra, ASID, Charles gained pivotal career-building experience which allowed him the opportunity to develop his own design sensibility--thereby setting his own firm into motion in 1981, Pavarini-Cole Interiors, Inc. When Elizabeth retired at the end of 1997, Charles became sole principal of Pavarini Design, Inc. (PD) and has continued to uphold the distinguished achievement standards set forth by Pavarini-Cole. As President and CEO of Pavarini Design, Charles maintains his position as design director within the company and as a Kips Bay Designer having completed 6 rooms, every 3 years since 2003.

Pavarini’s design style has evolved into a highly poetic blend of traditional and contemporary design elements, carefully developed from a strong interior concept. All of his projects hinge around a powerful central design theme and maintain a certain ‘vision’ which is always dramatically executed given Charles’ keen sense of color, style, and use of lighting as a ‘design tool’. Having sat on the board of directors of the Designer’s Lighting Forum of New York for twenty-eight years, he has a refined approach to interior design always staged with strong focal points and exacting lighting technique to harness the artistic and architectural vernacular of the spaces he designs. His extensive experience in the Performing Arts as performer, costume designer and set designer qualify him to conceive projects of any scale and proportion with great dignity and an unmatched passion for mood. The work of Charles Pavarini III has been widely recognized throughout the United States for its diversity and ‘livability’. Whether it be the cozy mountain hideaways, desert retreats or Park Avenue penthouses, his projects have a recognizable flare as witnessed in his impeccable workmanship, creative use of Folk Art, Fine Art, sculpture, and ‘magical’ effects that awe and amuse in a very theatrical yet livable manner.

The work of Charles Pavarini III has been recognized by numerous organizations throughout the design industry. Charles was a charter member of the International Society of Interior Designers (ISID) and was elected to the Board of Directors of the New York Chapter for fifteen years. During that period he served a term as President of the N.Y. Chapter of ISID and was subsequently appointed ‘International Representative’. He received numerous Presidential Citations from ISID for his contribution and outstanding work. Charles later became facilitator for the formulation of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and remains a charter member. In addition, he served on the Executive Board of Directors of the Designers Lighting Forum NY for six years and is currently on the board of managers.

During the summers of 1998 and 1999, Charles Pavarini III dedicated himself to academic pursuits. He went on sabbatical to study product design and marketing under Massimo Vignelli at Harvard University Graduate School of Design. From there he studied Palladian Architecture throughout Venice, Florence and Vicenza under Manuel Ponce León.

Charles has consistently dedicated himself to philanthropy throughout his career. In 2004, Charles spearheaded a new fundraising venue for the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club of NY: The Dinner Dance Cruise, which has raised over $800,000 for the char