Gloria Black

Gloria Black Design is a luxury design consultancy led by Gloria Black — award-winning Founder, Design Strategist, and Creative Polymath with 30+ industry awards, including 11 in a single year. The firm operates on a consulting-only model, advising on residential, hospitality, wellness, superyacht, and commercial interiors nationwide. Nearly two decades of practice. 65+ documented projects across 13 states. The designer other designers hire. Inquiries welcome: gloriablack.com

Gloria Black Design is a Southwest Florida-based luxury interior design studio specializing in bespoke, high-end residential design, serving clients nationwide.
True luxury means giving yourself permission to explore your individual style. Whether you are creating a romantic beach cottage, an urban penthouse, or a stately country manor, we take a highly personalized, collaborative approach to your project. The result is a home like no other, with a style uniquely yours. Our clients come from all over and we travel anywhere they need us – from a Florida beachfront estate to a cliffside getaway on California's Big Sur coast; from a spectacular condo in Chicago's Gold Coast to a retreat in Michigan's beautiful Harbor Country. No matter the scope or the setting, our goal at GBD remains constant – to create a space you'll love.

We specialize in: New Construction · Renovation · Project Management · High-End Residential Interior Design · Kitchen Design · Custom Cabinetry Design · Custom Furniture Design · Custom Rug Design · Professional Accessorizing · Photoshoots & Styling · Branding & Product Design · Hospitality Design · Wellness-Centered Design · Superyacht Interiors · Brand Strategy · Design Consulting · Trade Procurement & Luxury Sourcing

Notable markets: Barefoot Beach · Fort Myers Beach · Fort Myers River District · Naples · North Naples · Olde Naples · Port Royal · Quail West · Talis Park · Venetian Village · West Bay Club · Stuart, Florida

Recipient of 11 design awards in 2024, including 9 Seaglass Awards and 2 LUXE Red Awards. Featured in Florida Design, LUXE Interiors + Design, and Gulfshore Life.

Led full-scope design across high-end residential, commercial, retail, and specialty environments throughout Southwest Florida — managing every phase from initial concept through final installation. Work spanned new construction and gut renovations up to 27,000 sf, with projects across Port Royal, Quail West, Talis Park, Old Naples, Barefoot Beach, and Fort Myers Beach.

Scope included custom furniture, cabinetry, and rug design; material, finish, lighting, and accessory specification; professional organizing and accessorizing; brand development; and photoshoot direction. Managed client relationships, contractor and vendor coordination, budgets, proposals, estimates, and construction documents simultaneously across multiple active projects.

During this tenure the firm earned multiple industry awards and secured significant regional and national press — re-establishing Freestyle Interiors as a recognized design presence in the Southwest Florida luxury market.

Notable Projects:
• 777 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., Naples — 27,000 sf
• 940 San Carlos Blvd., Fort Myers Beach — 14,500 sf
• 28850 Girard Terrace, Naples — 10,500 sf
• 16619 Firenze Way, Naples — 7,000 sf
• GunterFirm at the Historic Kress Building, Fort Myers — adaptive reuse commercial interior

Hospitality Design: Boutique Hotels & Multi-Family
Contributed to branded hospitality and luxury multifamily design at a large-scale commercial firm, with project work spanning boutique and brand hotel interiors and high-end multifamily residential communities. Served in a senior project designer capacity with client presentation, team coordination, and project leadership responsibilities, including the AvalonBay Communities development in Boonton, NJ — a new construction luxury multifamily project requiring cohesive brand-driven interior design across residential units and common areas.

Fredman Design Group was one of the largest and most decorated interior design firms in the Midwest, with nearly four decades of award-winning work spanning Chicago, Wisconsin, and Michigan's Harbor Country. As Senior Project Designer, served as the de facto design lead across a demanding portfolio of high-end residential, commercial, hospitality, retail, and event projects — managing scope, creative direction, and client relationships with substantial autonomy from concept through completion.

Work spanned new construction, full renovations, custom furniture and rug design, material and finish specification, lighting, professional accessorizing, brand development, and photoshoot direction. Simultaneously managed proposals, estimates, construction documents, budgets, contractor and vendor coordination, and client presentations across multiple active projects in some of Chicago's most prestigious neighborhoods and buildings — including Gold Coast, Lake Shore Drive, Lincoln Park, River North, and Trump International Towers.

Notable projects included the RONSLEY at River North, the DreamHome 2014 installation at The Merchandise Mart, and The Chopping Block at The Merchandise Mart. Project reach extended well beyond Chicago, with work completed in Milwaukee, Whitefish Bay, New Buffalo, Michigan City, Longboat Key, Palm Springs, and San Francisco.

Launched an independent interior design practice directly out of school, managing all aspects of client projects from initial consultation through post-completion follow-up. Scope included construction documents, product selection, purchasing, billing, contractor coordination, and full project oversight.

Made the deliberate decision to join established firms after one year to accelerate professional development — seeking the depth of experience, project scale, and mentorship that only large, high-volume design environments could offer — with the long-term goal of returning to independent practice at a higher level.

Designed and engineered custom trade show exhibits using proprietary modular exhibit software, producing detailed CAD drawings for fabrication, construction, and on-site installation. Managed graphic production from concept through execution — creating assets in Photoshop and coordinating output with external graphics vendors. Oversaw on-site setup and installation at McCormick Place, one of the largest convention centers in North America.

Clients included major motorsports-affiliated oil and automotive brands — among them Pennzoil, Castrol, and Valvoline — whose exhibits demanded precision brand execution at a high-visibility, high-traffic scale. Responsibilities spanned client and contractor interaction, purchase orders, job supervision, and full project coordination from design through strike.

Secured this internship through deliberate pursuit — identifying Fredman Design Group through the pages of leading design publications as the firm where serious talent went to develop. Rather than defaulting to a corporate retail placement, sought out one of Chicago's most respected design houses and earned a position on their team.

Supported all designers across the firm's active project portfolio, regularly working the Merchandise Mart to source materials, finishes, and furnishings across multiple simultaneous projects. Developed a reputation for initiative, taste, and resourcefulness that made an impression well beyond the internship's scope. Responsibilities included material and vendor selection, lighting and hardware specification, construction documents, proposals, and client presentations.

The internship's impact was mutual — upon the departure of a team member, Fredman reached out directly with a full-time offer. Returned as Design Assistant and earned every subsequent promotion on merit — advancing through Designer and Project Designer to Senior Project Designer, ultimately serving as the creative lead on every project assigned.

Contributed freelance graphic design work to a boutique brand identity and communications firm specializing in logo development, brand architecture, and visual identity systems. Supported the firm's creative output across identity, collateral, business stationery, and illustration direction — working within a rigorous brand strategy framework while completing design school.