--- title: "Urso Designs — Interior Designers & Decorators | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/urso-designs-pfvwus-pf~277042187 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~277042187.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Urso Designs" category: ["Interior Designers & Decorators"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/5063410a0148d3fd_7359-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "By Appointment Only, Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan 48230, United States" latitude: 42.3847 longitude: -82.9244 phone: "(313) 824-6300" website: http://www.ursodesignsinc.com rating: 5 review_count: 8 best_of_houzz_awards: 9 followers: 165 last_updated: 2026-09-02 --- # Urso Designs Original Houzz profile: [Urso Designs](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/urso-designs-pfvwus-pf~277042187) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Interior Designers & Decorators - **Location:** Grosse Pointe Park, MI - **Serves:** Detroit, Saint Clair Shores, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Park, Beverly Hills, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Shores, Bloomfield - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (8 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 9 awards (2014–2023), for Design, Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 25,000 Ideabook Saves Gail Urso of Urso Designs, Inc. has been engaged in the practice of interior design for over 30 years. An Allied Member of ASID, Gail’s experience ranges from residential projects of all sizes to diverse contract projects such as judicial chambers, legal, medical and dental offices, a small restaurant, an art gallery and a fish market. Urso Designs, Inc. is a full-service interior design firm providing design consultation from concept to completion. Our goal is always to listen to our clients and interpret for them a design that fulfills their practical needs and surpasses their aesthetic hopes for their home. Gail believes that each client’s aesthetic preferences and practical needs are always the primary considerations when designing interiors. An initial consultation aids in understanding the “feeling” the client wishes for the environment being designed as well as in ascertaining the practical considerations of the project, i.e. budget, time constraints, etc. In the end, the space designed, whether it is a single room or an entire home or place of business, must reflect the personality, taste and style of the client. Gail seeks to avoid trends and to create stylish, casually elegant interiors that will endure for many years. Gail views a project as rewarding when her clients are comfortable in the well-designed space that she has created for them. ### Services Provided - Interior Design - Kitchen Design - Bathroom Design - Space Planning - Lighting Design - Floor Plans - Downsizing - Kitchen Remodeling ### Areas Served - Detroit - Saint Clair Shores - Royal Oak - Birmingham - Grosse Pointe Woods - Grosse Pointe Park - Beverly Hills - Grosse Pointe Farms - Grosse Pointe - Grosse Pointe Shores - Bloomfield ### Typical Job Cost $50,000 - 500,000 I am more interested in the project than the overall budget. ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Urso Designs | | Address | By Appointment Only, Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan 48230, United States | | Phone | (313) 824-6300 | | Website | http://www.ursodesignsinc.com | | Followers on Houzz | 165 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — Urso Designs - LinkedIn — @UrsoDesigns - Blog — www.ursodesignsinc.com ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Urso Designs](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/urso-designs-pfvwus-pf~277042187) - **Website:** http://www.ursodesignsinc.com - **Phone:** (313) 824-6300 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - Allied Member ASID and DETROIT HOME Design Award Winner. - Published in The Detroit News, Styleline Magazine, Michigan Blue, and Detroit Home. - Featured on the cover of the 2012 issue of the Michigan Design Center's "@Home" magazine, an annual publication. - **Best of Houzz:** 9 awards (2014–2023), for Design, Service. **Affiliations** - [American Society of Interior Designers](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/american-society-of-interior-designers-pfvwus-pf~1510192642) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 8 reviews** ### All 8 reviews **★★★★★ — spencer4400, Aug. 2017** > We had the good fortune of working with Gail when we were transforming our newly purchased Ann Arbor condominium. With her skill she helped us define our goal, which was to create an elegant urban environment. She certainly broadened our notion of good interior design as she designed our plans, ordered all goods and services, hired our contractor and scheduled deliveries and installations. Four years later we can only repeat what we have saId to her: We wouldn't change one thing! **★★★★★ — Becky Davenport, Aug. 2017** > I have worked with Gail and Urso Design for over 20 years and 4 homes. She has an amazing eye for color and scale. Gail is a designer who can embrace your personal taste and create the perfect finished home.....a real professional and a pleasure to work with. **★★★★★ — Marianne Battani, Aug. 2017** > Gail Urso was indispensable to my most recent project. I had worked with her on several other remodeling projects and I knew I wanted her to do my new condo. From the gorgeous silver-foiled entrance way to the master bath, the home is exquisite. The spa-like master bath is fitted with dark cabinets and stone-colored walls. The rest of the house is painted in various shades of gray. The kitchen has white and gray cabinets with a back splash of white subway tiles and ceramic pieces. All rooms have beautiful high quality furniture which is comfortable and proportioned to the room. The kitchen, for instance, has a glass table that opens the small area, while the large living room has beautiful light gray matching couches and an ottoman that create a cozy space. Oh, Gail even selected some fun chandeliers! And for a splash of color, the laundry room which is off the living room hall is eggplant. I think my home is truly beautiful. Most of all, Gail and I had such a good time working together. **★★★★★ — Kelli Carney, Aug. 2017** > We have worked with Urso Design on several houses over the past 12 years. Gail has been very professional and is a joy to work with. She is very creative, enthusiastic and flexible. When we first approached her for help with our home, she spent the time to understand how we lived, our design priorities, the colors we tended to gravitate toward. She then presented proposals that incorporated "us" in new and fresh ways. We've loved every house that she has worked on with us. **★★★★★ — lemaitland, Sept. 2013** > After years of living in homes built between 1900-1925, I moved into a condo that was twenty years old. It had a "popcorn" ceiling, very old carpet, bathrooms in need of updating, etc. Gail was very optimistic that this house had the potential to be as charming as those older ones were. I wasn't so sure. Before I even moved in Gail had workmen at the house putting in hardwood flooring throughout, a new mantel and tile for the fireplace, crown molding in numerous rooms, plantation shutters in the living room, dining room and kitchen, ceiling changed to smooth surface, new paint and wallpaper, and new lighting everywhere! The transformation was amazing! I couldn't believe how warm and inviting my house had become. After I moved in the bathrooms were updated as well. > > I trusted Gail's instincts and ideas on most everything. She had helped me with two other very different homes and I was always very happy with the results. In each case she has captured the character of the home and reflected my tastes. > > Gail works very hard at getting to know you and what you like. She has a good sense of what will appeal to me and works with that, but sometimes encourages me to expand my thinking. In my current home, she suggested using bolder colors and the result is spectacular. I appreciate her willingness to work with pieces I already have, but she finds creative ways to use them differently than I might have previously. > > Gail has wonderful people who work with her. From painters, to carpenters, electricians, upholsterers, etc. They were all very professional, pleasant to work with, and did beautiful work. > > It has been a pleasure to work with Gail in making this house into a very special home. **★★★★★ — stylebird, July 2013** > Gail has transformed three of my homes into exactly what I've asked for; chic, colorful, coordinated spaces, with a modern, fashionable spin. From our urban loft--which needed massive window treatments, wallpapr + furniture--to our streamlined condo and city home, she's perfected our spaces with a standout scheme, one-of-a-kind pieces, unique materials, and fabulous prints. **★★★★★ — Martha Welch, March 2013** > Gail Urso has designed 3 homes for us in Michigan and our daughter and son-in-law's condo and now new modern home in downtown Chicago. Gail understood the "feeling" we wanted in our homes, and took it from there, Layout, fabrics, furniture, paint, flooring, hardware, tiles etc. Interesting textures, colors and materials. She made a large, cold, colorless home into a family home. With space for all, and cozy enough for just my husband and I. > > As he says " It's an oasis of beauty... complete with functional enjoyment. Can't wait to go back...hate to leave!" **★★★★★ — Leo Nouhan, Sept. 2012** > We had a dated kitchen in need of a major facelift. We really needed someone to assist us with finishes and colors to give the the sophisticated kitchen we were looking for. > Gail took her inspiration from a ceramic art tile - pulling a rich paler of browns, blacks and metallic bronze to transform our family space into a grown up space. > She selected rich Santa Fe granite countertops with a beveled edge. Classic grass cloth covered the walls over new chair moldings. New casement and trim moldings and new wood doors were installed. The pickled oak caubinets were reconfigured to create a new peninsula. 2 uttermost lighting pendants in a disressed industrial finish hang over the counter. > For the backplash a dark bronze metallic hand made ceramic. She painted a bar area black for contrast to the pickled oak cabinets - new hardware - new hardwood floors to match the rest of the house. > The result was nothing less than PERFECT! > Gail is a master at designing comfortable sophisticated spaces that are functional. She gave us exactly what we wanted. Always professional and responsive to our questions. > We hope to work with her again soon. ## Selected projects - [Bathrooms and Powder Rooms](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bathrooms-and-powder-rooms-pj-vj~2842545) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 2 - [Sunrooms & Porches](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/sunrooms-and-porches-pj-vj~5735729) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 2 - [Libraries, Dens and Family Rooms](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/libraries-dens-and-family-rooms-pj-vj~5735734) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 1 - [Lakeside Getaway!](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/lakeside-getaway-pj-vj~294181) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 12 - Description: Our work was featured in and on the cover of the Michigan Design Center @ home magazine! We were working with the amazing Gail Urso of Urso Designs. Photo credits go to Jeff Garland Photography. - [Show Houses](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/show-houses-pj-vj~544925) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 4 - [Serene and Sophisticated](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/serene-and-sophisticated-pj-vj~2241007) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 - [Color Tells a Story!](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/color-tells-a-story-pj-vj~286155) - Location: Various cities, MI - Photos: 29 - Description: Each room represented in this collection features dramatic color that evokes a feeling unique to the room. - [Northern Michigan Cottage](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/northern-michigan-cottage-pj-vj~286009) - Location: Glen Arbor, MI - Photos: 7 - Description: This Northern Michgan Cottage is situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. The sweeping views are spectacular and dictated that the design of the interior space complement and not detract from the lake, the sand dunes and the trees surrounding the cottage. Also taken into consideration were the four Michigan seasons that create different practical needs and views! The clients brought to the project an extensive pottery collection and this provided the inspiration, along with the views, for… - [Simply Charming!](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/simply-charming-pj-vj~285892) - Location: Ann Arbor, MI - Photos: 8 - Description: This charming home reflects the client's love of Provence....the colors and the style. The eclectic choice of furniture styles and art show a preference for a traditional but updated ambiance as well as a casual elegance. - [Vacation Home on Lake Michigan](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/vacation-home-on-lake-michigan-pj-vj~195992) - Location: Saugatuck, MI - Photos: 15 - Description: A 2013 Detroit Home Design Award Winning Vacation Home for Urso Designs,Inc., this home sits on a beautiful piece of property looking over a sandy beach on Lake Michigan with beautiful wooded acreage behind it. The house was designed to provide a gathering place for family and friends from Michigan and Chicago throughout the year. The blues and greens were selected with the views of the water, trees and sky in mind as well as with the homeowners collection of pottery visible on the shelves on ea… - [Casually Elegant Dining Rooms](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/casually-elegant-dining-rooms-pj-vj~240209) - Location: Metro Detroit, MI - Photos: 6 - Description: Each of these dining rooms, while distinctly different in style and ambiance, conveys a casual elegance that makes them comfortable for entertaining friends and family. [See all 11 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/interior-designers-and-decorators/urso-designs-pfvwus-pf~277042187) ## Ideabooks - [Swickard](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/151457014/list/swickard) — 10 ideas - [Clements](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/149396696/list/clements) — 18 ideas - [Lloyd](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/142696519/list/lloyd) — 14 ideas - [Claire and Bob Brown's Master Bath](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/118657984/list/claire-and-bob-brown-s-master-bath) — 2 ideas - [Resources](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/116967809/list/resources) — 1 idea - [Foyers](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/116443241/list/foyers) — 10 ideas - [Great Kitchen Ideas](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/9635709/list/great-kitchen-ideas) — 50 ideas - [Love the overall look!](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/20808048/list/love-the-overall-look) — 4 ideas - [Railing ideas for deck](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/109092051/list/railing-ideas-for-deck) — 3 ideas - [Specialty Rooms](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/10693217/list/specialty-rooms) — 38 ideas - [Fireplaces](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/67746733/list/fireplaces) — 6 ideas - [Children's Rooms](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/10772044/list/children-s-rooms) — 22 ideas - [Favorite Window Treatments](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/9592605/list/favorite-window-treatments) — 11 ideas - [Dreamy Bedrooms](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/10693564/list/dreamy-bedrooms) — 27 ideas - [Beautiful Rooms](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/10693339/list/beautiful-rooms) — 10 ideas - [Outdoor Spaces](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/10693417/list/outdoor-spaces) — 33 ideas - [ursodesigns's Ideas](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/53960530/list/ursodesigns-s-ideas) — 3 ideas - [Wagner](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/47514516/list/wagner) — 4 ideas - [Accessories](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/17711869/list/accessories) — 4 ideas - [Gardens!](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/10772266/list/gardens) — 6 ideas [See all 27 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/ursodesigns) ## Community Q&A **Q: shower floor** *(in Photo Questions)* Is the shower bench sitting on glass tile? If so , don't have to worry about cracking the glass A: It has not been a problem! **Q: wallpaper** *(in Photo Questions)* hello, lovely room!! could you please tell me the name of the wallpaper used? thanks A: Thank you! The wonderful wallpaper was from Schumacher. Unfortunately, I believe it has been discontinued. I'm not sure. It may be available in other color ways. I'm glad you like the room! **Q: Where can I find pillows and carpet?** *(in Photo Questions)* Where to find the pillows and carpet? A: Most of the pillows were custom made. **Q: Wallpaper** *(in Photo Questions)* Who makes this wallpaper? A: Quadrille **Q: where can i get this wallpaper and how much is it per roll?** *(in Photo Questions)* A: There is no wallpaper used in this room. What you are seeing is a beautiful rug hanging on the wall! **Q: Where can I find the sheer shades?** *(in Photo Questions)* A: These are Conrad shades...available through designers. --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-02.*