Ep. 336: The Life of Mario Buatta with Author Emily Eerdmans

How to Decorate

We're thrilled to be joined by design historian and author Emily Eerdmans, who opens up about her insights on the legendary decorator Mario Buatta (a.k.a. the Prince of Chintz). Emily first talks about the process of writing Mario Buatta: Anatomy of a Decorator, and how it’s different from Mario Buatta: Fifty Years of American Interior Decoration. And, yes, Mario fans should have both books in their collection.

Emily then takes us through the fascinating journey of Mario, a trailblazer who incorporated personal branding into his design work, seamlessly adapted the English country house style to suit the American market, and crafted stunning designs using color and antiques. We dive deep into the heart of Mario’s design mantra with Emily, understanding the role of the four C's: chintz, curtains, color, and collections.

What You'll Hear This Episode:

• How Mario’s humble roots played into his design.
• Why it’s so important for the next generation of designers to remember this icon.
• The four C’s: chintz, curtains, color and collections.
• The power of design history and how it shapes our choices when creating timeless spaces.
• More about Mario’s ingenious use of color and antiques to create mesmerizing designs.
• Some of the challenges in writing an intimate biography and working with strong personalities.
• The importance of curtains in modern apartments.
• Mario's love for the English country house style.

Also Mentioned:

• Ballard Designs
• Emily Eerdmans
• Mario Buatta: Anatomy of a Decorator
• Mario Buatta: Fifty Years of American Interior Decoration

Please send in your questions and decorating dilemmas to [e-mail] so we can answer them on our next episode!