If you’ve been to Skillman Library, Ramer History House, Scott Hall, Oeschle Hall or almost any other building on campus, you’ve seen Nadda Pavlinsky’s work.
Pavlinksy celebrated her 36th year as Lafayette College’s interior designer last month.
“I just love my job,” she said.
While Pavlinsky now primarily handles smaller projects like furniture choice, she was the brains behind several major renovations on campus. With her guidance, the college selected furniture, ceramic tiles, bathroom fixtures and lighting.
“The finishes are all cohesive,” Pavlinsky said. “When you go in there, into a building, you look at it and you say, ‘Wow.’ It’s put together nicely.”
Pavlinsky helped transform Ramer and Scott from fraternity houses into the buildings they are today —the designated history and academic advising buildings, respectively — gutting and reconstructing much of their interiors in the process in the late 2000s.
The prominent center staircase of Scott Hall was carefully maintained during the renovation, and Pavlinsky placed photographs of the building from its time as a fraternity in the lobby.
“It’s a beautiful building,” said Sue Herschlag, an office of advising staffer who works in Scott Hall. “We’re lucky to be here.”
Herschlag said the deep red and warm yellow paints in Scott Hall were chosen to match design trends during the time it was first built, between 1907 and 1908, as another nod to its long history.
“She’s very good at what she does,” Herschlag said about Pavlinsky. “She makes sure that things are done well.”
Pavlinsky also contributed to converting Oeschle Hall from a gym into an academic building in 2001.
“Nadda is passionate, she’s dedicated, she’s got a great eye for style,” said Wendy Hill, a neuroscience professor who got to know Pavlinsky during the Oeschle renovation.
“The other thing I really love about working with Nadda is she has a real commitment to Lafayette,” Hill continued. “She tries to make spaces that are welcoming but also true to our character as Lafayette College.”
Pavlinsky also worked on designing Kirby House, Pfenning Alumni Center and Colton Chapel. She said she considers consistency for color and furniture, as well as longevity, in her projects.
“We try to do a standard for each space so that all the spaces in the building are cohesive with each other,” Pavlinksy said.
“I could always count on Nadda for honest responses to questions,” said Bruce Ferretti, who served as the executive director of facilities before retiring in 2023. Ferretti was Pavlinsky’s supervisor for several years. “She was a good researcher. She had the courage of her convictions.”
When Pavlinsky began working on interior design projects for the college, she pursued and received an interior design degree from Northampton Community College. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in art from Lafayette in 2016.
Pavlinsky stopped running major renovations when Lafayette began hiring outside firms to oversee construction projects in 2016. According to Pavlinsky, following a renovation from start to finish was her favorite part of the job.
“I loved doing that,” she said.
Pavlinsky currently manages the college’s work order program and maintains the facilities division archives.
In addition to her role at Lafayette, Pavlinsky teaches courses on architectural history and interior design at Northampton Community College.
“It’s nice to have somebody who, I think, feels similarly passionate about the college and always wants the best,” Hill said.
