We were lucky to catch up with Charlie Bolivar recently and have shared our conversation below.

Charlie , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

I think of interior design as a very creative job. My work has always been my passion. Through my work, I’m able to help people make positive changes to their lives by helping them change their living environment.

By designing someone’s house, I help them create a home that is customized to their specific preferences – a place that tells a story about who they are, and how they embrace life in general. Individual pieces of furniture or accessories can help tell the story of how they see and live their lives, or of places they’ve traveled to and which mean a lot to them.

The same concept also applies, to a certain extent, when designing a commercial space.

I therefore think of my legacy as leaving a footprint of various beautiful residential or commercial designs that showcase my clients’ lives in ways that makes them happy – and by extension, that makes me happy and fulfilled!

Charlie , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started working at the D&D building at the age of 17 for a company named Decorators Walk. I began in the Sample Department, giving wallpaper samples and fabric samples to the decorators and their clients. After that I moved onto assisting designers in decorating the show room or placing new furniture to create rooms to look like homes. Eventually, I took over that responsibility and this is how My passion for design began. I stayed in that position for over 10 years, while taking classes at Parsons School of Interior Design. During that time, I also worked for two amazing designers, Patrick Falco and Bob Johns. In all, Charlie has been in the business for over 30 years.

I’m a trusted member of IDS (The Interior Design Society, one of the country’s largest design organizations with more than 2,000 members). In addition, he is an approved member of Houzz and participates in the trade programs of several of the most prestigious furniture design companies and major furniture stores in the U.S.

Charlie’s Designs LLC delivers top quality work and has received five-star reviews across various platforms including google, Yelp, HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack and others.

Charlie’s work has also been featured in multiple articles in the press and online including The Best Kitchen Designers in Queens New York by Home Builder Digest, Unleash Your Inner Designer With These 25 Simple Home Decor Ideas by Redfin Blog, The Top Best New York Interior Design Blogs And Websites, The world Of Interior Magazine, Golden Paintworks, Brewster Home in the U.S., Capital Moments magazine in the U.K., Lumas in Budapest, Hungary, Alignable, Just Homey, Pinterest, and Nextluxury magazine. Charlie has also been featured in articles by IDS (the interior design society), featured twice by Magic Murals.com, and in 2 separate articles by LoveHappens Magazine, as well as various radio interviews, including Meet The Elite Podcast, U.S. Business Talk Radio, Empire Radio in New York, PBNPodcasts.com, and the Business News Network. Charlie was also selected by Shutterfly to design its Thanksgiving Day commercial that aired on CBS.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My goal with every design is to create something unique that brings together various aspects of my client’s personality and life style. Each design must be practical (and, of course, affordable!) while simultaneously creating something beautiful and aesthetically pleasing.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I started my interior design business on part-time basis while working full-time in the finance & accounting department of a major NYC hospital. Once I decided to pursue my design career full-time, I financed it from my savings and from the cash flows generated by my design projects.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.charlies-designs.com/
• Instagram: charliesdesignsllc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charliesdesignsllc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-bolivare-3460025b/
• Youtube: @charliesdesignsllc9943
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/charlies-designs-new-york-3?osq=Charlie%27s+Designs+LLC&override_cta=Request+a+consultation

Image Credits

All photos where taken by Basel Almisshal from Studio Basel ([email protected] tel # 267 244-6172)