Pavarini points out that choosing all chairs would make the table feel almost
inaccessible, while the benches break things up a bit.
Pavarini mixes the room’s fabrics in a masterful way. “I was totally committed to using three colors in the chairs to reinforce the
holiday feel,” he says. “It gave the entire dining room a fresh, contemporary look in what was really a
traditional room. It makes a room exciting when you have that mix.
“The distribution of color is a very powerful tool,” he adds. Varied patterns include anything from paisley to stripes, while heavy
eyelash fringe adds some eye candy. “Many people shy away from mixing fabric, but you can lock it in with color and
scale.”
Hanging a chandelier from the ceiling was not an option, but that didn’t stop the design pro from turning a detriment into a real dazzler. “It made me think how a room is lit, especially a dining room,” he says. “I came up with the idea for two high table lamps that did not encumber the
space, and they provided beautiful lighting.” The fixtures, which feature custom translucent lampshades with fringe trim,
brought the room down to a very warm level without blocking the view, he says.
Additional lighting sources include vintage sconces from David Duncan Antiques
that look like sheaths of wheat and LED lighting in red, green, and blue that
was on a color fade. “You felt the coloration of autumn through the very subtle lighting,” the designer says.
Dark paneling gets a perk from contemporary paintings that flank the fireplace
above George III consoles from Hyde Park Antiques. “The artwork lifted the look and did not make it so heavy and traditional in
feeling,” the designer says. “The paintings also supported the color palette.”
Pavarini’s theater background always makes a grand entrance in his designs. “My designs are more cerebral,” says the designer, who views a room as more of a stage. For this project, he
filled the massive fireplace with 50 pumpkins. Pavarini thought it would be fun
for them to look like they’d come tumbling down the chimney.
The distinctive dinnerware also augmented the autumn theme. For the striking
centerpiece, the designer chose a glass cylinder with autumn branches
surrounded by bud vases filled with fall foliage. Murano glass pumpkins and
gourds add to the festive yet formal fall theme. Pavarini was given permission
to host a dinner in the spectacular space, which served as a successful
fundraiser.
The designer deftly demonstrates that fun and formal can go hand in hand. “Even if it is a serious room, I think the way we live today is not all formal
all the time,” he says. “There should be moments of whimsy and a relaxed feeling about the room.” 
