This nail salon in Detroit, designed by US studio Duett Interiors, doubles as an experimental artist residency studio and educational space for Black women.
Cure Nailhouse recently opened in the city’s historic Sugar Hill Arts District and was founded by nail artist and creative director Cyndia Robinson.
Rich colours and minimalist fixtures are used throughout Cure Nailhouse
Her aim is to provide a space that offers educational opportunities and increases visibility for Black women and femmes in the beauty sector, and “uplift nail artistry as a sculptural, narrative-driven practice”.
“At its core, Cure is committed to expanding creative and economic opportunities for Black women and femmes in the beauty industry and beyond,” said the team.
The bar area features cabernet-coloured shelves for storing glassware
To design the space, Robinson teamed up with Tiffany Thompson of Duett Interiors to help blend “functionality and artistry” in the treatment and community areas.
“The space merges gallery minimalism with rich material storytelling,” the team said. “Deep merlot tones, gender-neutral furnishings, and art-forward detailing come together to create an environment that is both visually arresting and inclusive.”
The space acts as both a nail salon and a training centre for artists
A bar area is coated in a cabernet-coloured Farrow & Ball paint, which also lines cube-shaped cubbyholes containing ceramic vessels and longer shelves storing glassware.
Shiny metal stools by Zieta Studio that appear to have been inflated reflect in the glossy concrete flooring, and signage throughout the space also has a metallic sheen.
Tigg Coll pairs orange with blue in Cona coffee bar and nail salon
An arched niche contains hand-washing basins and a playful counterweighted pendant light by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio.
Magazines and literature are displayed on narrow ledges that span floor to ceiling, while an in-house gallery showcases emerging and established artists whose work spans beauty and art.
A pendant light by Ladies & Gentleman studio hangs within an arched niche
Charcoal-grey textured walls line the minimalist powder room, which also features a concrete basin, a faucet that extends down from the ceiling, and black-and-white photography.
Cure Nailhouse houses quarterly artist salons, public workshops, exhibitions, and artisanal activations – all designed to foster collaboration across Detroit’s beauty, fashion and art worlds. “These programs are anchored in cultural preservation, radical self-expression, and creative experimentation,” the team said.
The charcoal-hued bathroom includes a concrete basin and a faucet that hangs from the ceiling
Detroit’s creative and cultural scene continues to grow, and the neighbourhood in which Cure Nailhouse is located includes leading institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, The Detroit Institute of Arts, N’Namdi Center for Contemporary Art, and Library Street Collective.
Nail salons in the US with notable interiors include a minimalist San Diego location featuring plush brown pedicure chairs and a Houston spot where customers are pampered in large teal armchairs, and a Los Angeles space with industrial-style surfaces and pops of blue.
The photography is by Pablo Enriquez.