Mauren Ursino spent a decade as a management consultant before listening to her heart and pivoting her career.

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“The creative bug had always been chirping in the back of my ear,” the designer remembers. “I finally left my job and returned to school full-time.” She studied Interior Architecture for three years at George Washington University in D.C. before graduating and moving her family to New Jersey, where she launched Ursino Interiors.

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In the six years since she’s made a name for herself by working with historical buildings and clients who appreciate a home’s character. She honors original details and brings in era-appropriate furniture that she juxtaposes with contemporary pieces for a balanced aesthetic.

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It’s no surprise that the press has noticed Maureen’s warm, transitional projects, earning her write-ups in Vogue Living, House Beautiful, Homes & Gardens, and more. Here, she shares the secrets behind her success, like how she makes a room feel cozy and her all-time favorite color, as well as the thought process behind her Expert Showroom.

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How I curated my Showroom

I love mixing contemporary pieces with vintage items that are more traditional to create a balanced and cohesive feel, which is certainly a through line in my Showroom. Some pieces are oversimplified, super crisp, and tailored, while others are a little more funky, brutalist, or traditional.

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It's a great way to get my point of view concisely. If I was doing a consultation trying to help someone choose a fabric, my favorites are right in front of me and I can make suggestions quickly. Everything's just more honed in.

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My go-to brands

Nickey Kehoe is a favorite. I love their nod to classicism done in a very warm and approachable way. I love both Schumacher and Rose Tarlow. Both brands have a traditional feel which, when mixed with more contemporary pieces, creates a perfect balance. DISC Interiors is just so chic. The firm has a way of achieving a less-is-more look in a very classic way.

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What makes a room feel cozy

Lamps. I love to add a layer of warm lighting that's not coming from the ceiling to create a romantic glow. Also, personal items someone has collected in their life over time, whether from family members or their travels—anything that speaks to someone’s personality and hints at who they are and what their story is. In my mind, nothing can replace those accents to add to the coziness and warmth of a home.

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The first thing I do when I design a room

When I start with a client, we dive into a pretty intense lifestyle survey. I try to understand their requirements and how they live: do they have children, what are their daily routines, how do they enter their house, where do they keep the snacks… These personal questions help me design the space appropriately for them.

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The color that never disappoints

My all-time favorite color is olive green. If I have an opportunity to include it in a home, it will find its way in. It’s almost neutral, in a way, and it adds a little bit of warmth without being overly loud. It doesn’t take away from the other neutral bases in a room.

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My secrets for a well-layered room

Textiles: throw blankets, window treatments, area rugs. Any opportunity to add a cushion to a seat goes a very long way. Anything soft and tactile is the magic sauce for adding that feeling of rich layering.

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What I buy vintage versus what I specify new

Upholstery, with the exception of one-off accent chairs, is typically new. I almost always specify a new sofa just because I find it very hard and expensive to buy a vintage piece and have it perform the way people need it to over time. Lighting is typically a mix. I love vintage lights, but there are a lot of really great artisanal vendors now who make beautiful table lamps and whatnot. At the very end, the styling and accessorizing are usually almost all vintage.

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A no-fail piece every space needs

A really beautiful, properly-sized rug. It goes so far in anchoring a space and bringing it together.

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My go-to finishing touch

The very last thing I do is combine the accessories I curate with anything personal the client comes to us with. That final layer has to really resonate with the client: everything from ceramics to throw blankets and lamps. I love incorporating beautiful coffee table books that cover topics that feel personal to the client.

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What I love about The Expert

Oh my gosh, I love the consultations. I like meeting so many people from all over the country experiencing different design challenges—and figuring out how I can help them. Sometimes, I discount how much knowledge I really have because I’m in this all day, every day. I take it for granted. But I'll get on a call and someone will ask me a question and I just instruct them through whatever they're experiencing. It just feels great to steer them in the right direction.

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What’s next

I just photographed our largest project to date and those images will be coming out into the world soon, which I’m very excited about. I have several multi-year projects in progress, so my team and I have our heads down in design development mode. Those will be coming to life later this year.

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