Paolo Buffa

Paolo Buffa (1903–1970) Milan - Italy

Paolo Buffa was an Italian architect and designer best known for his designs of mid-century furniture. Characterized by usung good lines and high quality timber such as rosewood and walnut and pairing it with chrome and glass , forming them into organic yet sharp design. Born in 1903 in Milan, Italy, Buffa studied at the Politecnico di Milano before working for architect and designer Gio Ponti.

Soon the young Italian was turning out country houses and civic buildings, some in the classical-revival mode that was all the rage during Mussolini’s dictatorship. Also off his drafting table came carpets, lighting, an espresso machine, and scores of mod-meets-historic interiors.
The designer’s oeuvre includes exhibitions at the 1948 Salon des Artistes Decorateur in Paris. Before his death in 1970 in Milan, Italy, Buffa had been named one of the most important designers in the country.