Mario Buatta

Mario Buatta (October 20, 1935 – October 15, 2018) was an American interior decorator.

Early life and education Buatta was born in West Brighton, Staten Island, New York, the son of Felice Buatta, a violinist and bandleader whose stage name was Phil Burton. He was educated at Curtis High School, briefly studied architecture at Wagner College and Cooper Union, after which he worked as an interior decorator for department stores while taking classes in design at Pratt Institute, Columbia University, and, in the summer of 1961, at the Parsons School of Design in Europe. In addition to his work for clients, he licensed a wide range of products, including a telephone. and also as the "King of Clutter", Buatta was greatly influenced by English interior design, especially the Regency period, and known for rooms that evoked the English country house.

Buatta was unusual in the interior design profession in working almost alone, and described himself as "married to [his] business".

He died in New York City on October 15, 2018, at the age of 82.