| Viewers around the globe know Mark Brunetz as the hip and savvy designer on Clean House, the #1 rated television show on the Style Network. Recently celebrating 100 episodes on the show, Mark has become one of most distinctive celebrity home designers today creating accessible, well-designed rooms for the masses. With a core audience of over 10 million viewers in the U.S. alone, Mark's unique approach has helped revolutionize how people decorate; all starting with the fundamental question, "How do you want to live?" At the creative helm of his LA-based design & production firm, Mark has collaborated with Hollywood’s A-list, been featured in over 200 episodes of home improvement television and has launched his eponymous line of home furnishings on HSN. He travels extensively with a variety national and international charities and is currently penning his first book with Penguin Publishing.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Mark's exposure to quality craftsmanship began at an early age walking his grandfather’s construction sites and spending weekends at flea markets with his Mom, a prodigious collector of vintage furniture. “In high school, I remember winning a $50 gift certificate at our local mall,” jokes Mark. “With my mind set on buying a pair of Levi jeans, instead, I came home with a beautiful, hand-carved duck.” These early influences marked the beginning of his life-long love of design and the decorative arts.
With a B.S. in Biology/Pre-Med and three years of post-graduate work in Exercise Physiology, Mark accepted his first job out of school at the acclaimed Jane Fonda Workout in Beverly Hills, California. Within two years, he had created and co-starred in two of Jane’s best-selling exercise videos and quickly established himself as a part of the Hollywood creative community. His professional work in health & fitness culminated by serving as the National Vice Chair for ‘Workout for Hope’ for the City of Hope, a cancer research center in Duarte, California, and presenting educational seminars for industry professionals worldwide.
In 1994, Mark co-founded Fortis Films with actress Sandra Bullock under a first-look production deal with Walt Disney Pictures. As a Development Executive, Mark facilitated the making of nine studio films with his creative acumen proving valuable in establishing the fledgling company as a viable production entity in Hollywood. “Working with an A-list actress on a day-to-day basis gave me incredible insight to what it was like to live like a star,” reveals Mark. “This is when I first knew, I wanted to make this available to everyone.”
In 1999, Mark served as Creative Director for a special events company designing for such clients as Nestlé, DaimlerChrylser and Bacardi USA. “No matter how large or small the event,” explains Mark, “my goal was to create a sense of belonging in a parallel universe.” Mark’s innovative approach helped the special events company secure the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas as a strategic partner, while his ground-breaking designs earned him a final nomination for Best Design at the 1999 Annual Special Events Convention held in San Diego, California.
In 2000, Mark launched his own Los Angeles-based design firm, MBIDP / Mark Brunetz Interior Design & Production. Drawing from a mix of discerning clientele, Mark began compiling a design portfolio on both coasts ranging from the renovation of a 1937 New England style homestead to the remodel of a mid-20th century, desert retreat in Palm Springs. “I’ve always believed you can’t define a person by one specific style of furnishings or fashions for that matter” says Mark. “People are multi-dimensional and the rooms they occupy should be informed by such.”
In 2002, Mark segued into reality television when executives at MTV Networks asked him to host the premiere episode of Crib Crashers based on the celebrity-driven show Cribs. “Designing for television is unique in that it’s no longer about one client,” explains Mark. “You now have the homeowner, the network, the viewing audience and above all yourself to satisfy. It's a constant dance.” Since his MTV debut, Mark has appeared in over 200 episodes of home improvement television for every major cable network.
Currently, Mark can be seen as the co-star of the two-time, Emmy nominated Clean House on the Style Network. Mark has also designed homes for their annual special Clean House’s: Messiest Home in the Country 1, 2 & 3 and in 2007, Mark inspired the companion show Clean House Comes Clean – a behind the scenes look at Clean House in which he serves as consulting producer and co-host.
With equal exposure in print, Mark’s design work has been featured in nearly every major newspaper in the U.S. including a NY Times article on 'America's Obsession With Putting Its House In Order’. He has contributed to a variety of popular magazines including People, Us Weekly and In Touch, and has appeared on numerous radio, internet and TV shows.
Involved in a variety of charities on a local and national level including the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Mark explains, “I’m constantly amazed at the power of design and its ability to transform lives. It’s what recharges my batteries on a daily basis.” The designer recently founded Design Without Borders, a non-profit organization committed to sharing the power of a design makeover in developing areas of the world.
Mark currently resides in Glendale, California.
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