Celebrate 50 Years of Classic American Design with Mario Buatta's Interior Decorations

Julie A Pearson: Super well packed by the seller at a reasonable price. This book is a must for your designers library.

United States on Apr 24, 2023

Dr Mee: This designer, Mario Buatta, was absolutely a genius at giving clients what they didn’t even know they needed before they needed it. He built a well deserved reputation to take a dreary room, apartment or house, and infuse it with Charm, color, pattern and details and comfort that cosseted it’s owners with more comfort, spirit, optimism, cheer. Breathing new life, personality and comfort where previously there was utterly none. Skillfully timeless antiques that added beauty and warmth with new and even less expensive pieces like colorful earthenware, and new upholstery stuffed with heavenly plump down stuffed cushions that no plastic foam could ever, never duplicate in comfort.
These rooms surely elevated the dwelling and the sprits of those fortunate to dwell there. The charm, warmth and relaxed elegance of timeless traditional English Country House Design is brought to it’s zenith here and deservedly so.
No minimalist mod room could comfort a human being from the inevitable turbulence of life like these rooms can.

United States on Sep 04, 2020

Reem: Great book to have if you liked Mario. Looks good on the coffee/console table too. Interiors are from the previous era but can be adapted to current period. Four stars from me because its not THAT useful for current projects. Try Alexa Hampton's the language of interior design if you're looking for an updated classic book.

United Kingdom on Jun 30, 2020

Amazon Customer: As expevted

United Kingdom on Dec 13, 2018

P. Davies: The definitive Mario Buatta book. A real treasure. A great artist but unstuffy, down-to-earth quality. Loved the copious colour photos. Great sense of humour too. Hope he will do more books. Pat Davies, Whitby, Ontario, Canada.

Canada on Jun 29, 2016

Reading Rocks: This book is not for the weak.......page-after-page-after-page of color-upon-color, mixture of patterns, and very few nightstands and end tables left bare. I say all this fondly because I like Buatta's decorating style albeit in small amounts.

The book is heavy, printed on quality paper, and the photos are clear and crisp. It offers a look at Buatta's career and provides a great narrative -- of his life, how he became a decorator, and his insights into how he decorates.

He does not do modern decor so be warned that this book - from page 1 to the end - contains photos of filled, colorful rooms. He is known as the "Prince of Chintz" since he was the first decorator to use lots of chintz fabric for the homes he decorated.

This book would be a great addition to your design library since it offers a look at traditional and colorful decor that is a great source for inspiration.

United States on Aug 29, 2015

jeroendottir88: Wonderful book

United Kingdom on Feb 28, 2015

Daisy's Human: If you've read anything regarding English Country style (or looked at a high end shelter magazine) in the last twenty or thirty years, many of these interiors will be familiar. While the interior pictures are stunning, Buatta's wit and charm enchant as he describes various encounters with celebrity clients.

For me, the appeal of this flamboyant yet liveable style is Buatta's description of "decayed elegance". Furniture bought for life, of the highest quality, and then, appropriately, lived upon. Buatta takes the task that he has been given and delivers the goods with what is there already, whether a shoe box size NY apartment or a ginormous southern mansion. That's not to say that the furniture, artwork and wall color is simply duplicated from one project to the other. It is incredible that, though instantly recognizeable as a Buatta interior, each interior maintains the personality of its owner as well as Buatta's.

Perhaps the best thing to be said for any decorating treatise is that regardless of the style, any reader can glean many basics on scale, print combining (or not) and color. And this book delivers on that and much more.

United States on May 28, 2014

Louise Glass: I have waited impatiently for many years to have a book written on my favorite interior designer, Mario Buatta. I first viewed his English Country rooms back in college and was awestruck by his talent. The Prince of Chintz has such a distinct style I could always spot his rooms immediately.

While reading I was enchanted by the wit of Mario as he describes his career throughout the years. He has a sense of humor that is as delightful as his flower strewn rooms.

I was shocked by the disparaging comments on the photography. I treasure this book and I have a virtual library of interior design books but by far this one will stand out as the best! Most of the photos are clear and as bright as fresh cut daisies. Mario's book reminds me of a field of fresh flowers blooming in the homes of the people privileged and lucky enough to have him transform their spaces.

The huge tome has a gorgeous photo on the front which eliminates the need for a cover that will tear with time. Their is a bright yellow ribbon bookmark that is as pretty as it is helpful. All in all I rate this book five stars and recommend it to all the readers who admire Mario's work and anyone interested...

United States on Feb 26, 2014

mary fierlbeck: This is a handsome book. The bindings assert themselves over the frivolous turquoise and indigo spots.
I like the heavy pages and the way the book is divided into sections.
Mario Buatta is a creative genius. He is gifted with an eye that shows an incredible sense of color and freedom of design. There is fearlessness and boldness of color placement with a satisfying sense of balance and proportion.
I love the sublime beauty in pastel combinations offset by a piquant contrast.
Some other things I love are the trompe l'oeil paintings, the landscape wall paintings and the floor paintings.
I see joy and humor and freshness in his work.
Having said all that, and as beautiful as they are, I feel that some of his creations are overwhelmingly kaleidoscopic and need to be perused in small doses because they are tiring to look at.
I find, also, that some of his rooms are cluttery and don't envy the cleaning ladies.
I am not fond of sweet doggie paintings.
But, all in all, this is my 'feel-good' book.

Canada on Feb 17, 2014