Urso Designs

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!"

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.