Walk into Italcasa Design and you’ll notice two things pretty quickly: the boldness of contemporary European furniture and the ease of the conversation happening around it.
There’s no hard sell, no pressure to “know” design before you arrive. Instead, owner Bill Bahoora starts the same way he always does: with questions, stories and, depending on the time of day, espresso, water — or maybe a glass of Prosecco.
For Bahoora, that sense of welcome is intentional.
“People are nervous sometimes,” he says. “They think modern design is going to be cold and stark, or that they don’t speak the language. My job is to make it comfortable.”
He also enjoys challenging that idea. Many pieces, he says, live in two worlds at once: functional and expressive.
“It’s furniture,” he says, “but it’s also art. Nobody’s house should look exactly like anyone else’s.”
That blend of high design and human connection shapes everything at Italcasa. The showroom brims with sculptural forms, dramatic lighting and pieces that beg to be touched. But Bahoora and co-owner and designer Lisette David, who specialize in sourcing high-end European furniture, are quick to say their work isn’t about chasing trends or creating showrooms that feel untouchable. It’s about finding what fits the way people actually live.
Italcasa has been a respected go-to in Metro Detroit’s design scene for more than 30 years, evolving from a primarily Italian-furniture destination into a full-service interiors studio. Today, it operates out of Royal Oak and the Michigan Design Center in Troy, working with homeowners and trade professionals alike.
Bahoora talks about furniture the way some people talk about music. Ask him about a chair, and he’ll tell you who designed it, where it came from, and why its proportions matter. That knowledge comes from decades of immersion — and countless trips to design fairs in Milan, Paris and Cologne. Even on vacation, he finds himself spotting familiar pieces in hotels and restaurants and snapping photos like souvenirs.
David’s path into design was more intuitive. Adopted from Colombia and raised in Michigan, she describes herself as having always been drawn to art and color. A few years ago, a friend connected her with Bahoora, and she found herself immersed in a design language she’d never encountered before.
“I was learning constantly,” she says. “Every piece had a story.”
Even now, she says, when she’s unsure about something unusual, she turns to Bill. He’ll rattle off designers and histories as if flipping through an invisible catalogue.
At Italcasa, every project starts with a conversation. New clients sit down with the team to talk about budgets, timelines and, most importantly, how they want their space to feel. From there, the process might include home visits, measurements, layouts and curated presentations.
Some clients want quick-ship pieces that arrive in weeks. Others are willing to wait months for custom designs. Either way, the approach stays the same: flexible, thoughtful and personal.
While Italcasa works with many well-known European and international brands, Bahoora doesn’t think in terms of logos. He looks for designers with strong points of view and pieces that won’t feel dated in a few years.
“I like things that have integrity,” he says. “Something you’ll still love later.”
Some of Italcasa’s most important relationships began by chance. One of Bahoora’s favorites started at High Point Market in North Carolina, where he struck up a conversation with P.J. Natuzzi over coffee and Scotch. He was honest: He had once loved the brand but felt it had lost focus.
Instead of bristling, Natuzzi listened. That conversation evolved into a long-term partnership and helped shape Italcasa’s growing Natuzzi Italia presence in Royal Oak.
“It was about being real,” Bahoora says. “That matters.”
Over the years, Italcasa has furnished everything from hospitality spaces to deeply personal homes. Bahoora recalls projects like 220 Merrill and the Kingsley Inn with pride, where modern design meets public comfort.
More recently, he’s been excited about outfitting a new Churchill’s cigar lounge in Rochester Hills, saying it’s a reminder that contemporary furniture doesn’t belong only in pristine living rooms.
But his favorite moments are quieter, when a client finds the just-right piece. Like a Plymouth home anchored by a customized Moroso design in bold color, chosen as much for personality as for proportion.
“That’s when you know,” he says. “It fits them.”
If Italcasa has a defining trait, it’s approachability. Bahoora and David want clients to ask questions, take their time and feel confident in their choices. Over the years, many have become friends.
“Design should feel special,” Bahoora says. “But it should also feel like home.”
“Some people think modern design is going to be cold and stark, or that they don’t speak the language. My job is to make it comfortable.” — Bill Bahoora