Photos/Video: Magda Katz
Mario Buatta, nicknamed the “Prince of Chintz,” was a household name for those who followed interior design – and even if you didn’t, somehow his name always seemed familiar. This article brings Marvelous Marilyn Maye into focus especially today on her 92nd Birthday. She was a longtime friend of Mario, along with others whom you’ll recognize attending his memorial in January 2020.
Mario Buatta designed for many famous celebrities like Mariah Carey, Henry Ford II, Malcolm Forbes, Barbara Walters, to name a few, and oversaw the interior of Blair House in Washington, D.C. His lush floral prints distinguished him. When he died of pneumonia complications on October 15, 2018 at the age of 82, he left an unimaginable range of collections, personal and interior furniture and fine art in his New York City apartment and Connecticut home (William H. Mason House). When it all hit the auction block at Sotheby’s in January 2020, his assets netted $7.6 million shattering estimates.
Photos Via Auction Sources of Mario Buatta’s Apartment