Interior Designer Victoria Hagan Captures Comfort and Style With Quiet Sophistication

To be truly inspired for interior design ideas, one has only to look at the interiors by Victoria Hagan. One of the top New York interior designers today, Hagan's interiors epitomize refined sophistication and exhibit her talent for combining various styles. Her interiors showcase her ability to balance the old with the new and to create spaces that are full of texture, harmonious color and strong silhouettes. Interior designer Victoria Hagan captures comfort and style with quiet sophistication.

Victoria Hagan graduated the Parsons School of Design in 1984 and began an internship with designer Simone Feldman. This relationship led to a partnership up until Feldman's death in 1991. At that time, Hagan opened her own design firm and has been recognized by many as one of the leading interior designers. She was inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame in 2004 and has been listed in Architectural Digest's "Top 100."

In 2002 Hagan introduced a line of furniture, fabric and accessories that represents the inspiration that she finds in the people and places around her. She refers to her collections as the "new American classics." Victoria Hagan's designs illustrate her trademark tailored upholstery, strong silhouettes and innovative textures.

When implementing Hagan's style into your own home think simple, comfortable and interesting. You won't see an overabundance of embellishments. What you will see is an expert use of color, clean lines, interesting textures and the unexpected. You won't see one particular style of furniture or décor. What you will see is an eclectic mix that is well blended.

Hagan's interiors seem to be filled with light and have a well-balanced blend of comfort and style. Texture is definitely a trademark of the designer's, whether it is achieved with a luxurious throw, a unique piece of art, a decorative pillow or even the upholstery.

When you work with texture and concentrate on the scale of furniture, color should be used with discretion. That's not to say a room should be boring. Certainly, Hagan's interiors are far from boring. However, they exude a restful respite from overwhelming color proving that a dash of color in an unexpected form or place more than makes up for a roomful of overindulgence.

The trick to capturing the essence of Victoria Hagan in your own interiors is to keep it sophisticated, subtle and mix it up a bit. Choose neutral wall colors, blend subtle upholstered pieces for a sophisticated look and accessorize for touches of texture, color and interest. You would be surprised what a few interesting pillows will do for a sofa.

Don't be afraid to mix styles. It's okay to blend a contemporary acrylic coffee table with a traditional style modular sofa. That antique desk of Uncle Bob's would fit beautifully next to that upholstered club chair. The modern art sculpture that you just had to buy at that new gallery in town will work its magic as your "something unexpected."

Above all, make your space livable and make it yours. Add your treasured collections or furniture pieces. Keep the space uncluttered, enabling you to move freely about in total comfort. Experiment with different arrangements of furniture and accessories, as well as with mixing styles. Use Victoria Hagan's own mantra as your guide, "the beauty is in the mix." Above all else, take a cue from Hagan's approach to decorating: keep it fun. That's advice you can use from one of the top New York interior designers.