Rendering and samples by Mario Buatta

For each major project—like this grand living room of a 57th Street penthouse—Mario Buatta makes a detailed drawing on plain white paper and staples fabric, tassel, and trim samples to cardboard to see colors and textures together. Analog, yes, but it’s a document of the room, so that years later, when the sofa needs re-covering, he can find the fabric at a glance.

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