Photo by Nicole Martyn
At just 17-years-old, Mona Hajj came to the United States and pursued a career in interior design. After graduating from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in 1987 and working for an architectural firm for a few years, she was encouraged by a friend to open her own design company in 1991, establishing Mona Hajj Interiors in Baltimore.
For over two decades, Hajj has crafted interiors that combine a far-reaching global vision with an American emphasis on elegance, comfort, and simplicity. Her graceful and distinctly original aesthetic voice is born of her diverse background and history. Through her education in Europe, Lebanon, and the United States and her extensive travels, Hajj developed both an eye for defining detail and a skilled familiarity with an international range of stylistic influences.
Hajj’s instinct for selecting the ideal element—be it an object, furnishing, or textile—is a central component of her style, and gives it not only its singularity, but also its serenity. Despite her ability to create elegant interiors, her work is neither overly formal nor forbidding. Rather, Hajj’s inclination toward ease and availability, whether in the city, country or beside the sea, results in interiors—no matter the style or period—that are colorful, textural, and delightfully and abundantly livable. “When people walk in, I want them to feel their home is the only place in the world they want to be,” says Hajj.
Mona Hajj Interiors is a complete design studio, providing clients with interior architecture, custom cabinetry and furnishings, and a selection of fine art and antiques. Whether the project is grand or rustic, rich in tradition or contemporary and simple, Mona Hajj Interiors performs with an intimate understanding of individuals and their needs, and creates interiors that reflect the style and character of each client.
How did you get started in the field of interior design? I have been exposed to design since I was born. My family worked in the textile industry in Beirut and Africa, so I was surrounded by beautiful fabrics and textiles from very early on in my life. Through my education and extensive travels I have developed my instinctive passion about design.
What do you love most about your job? I truly love design. I like envisioning a project and putting it together in my mind to create something beautiful for my clients. I truly love it, and I never get tired of it.
If you could change one thing about your industry what would it be? Something I have noticed when I travel to Europe, Beirut, or even New York City: people seem to move and things seem to happen more quickly. Sometimes the process can be more time consuming than I’d like it to be, and I believe in serving my clients efficiently.
What accomplishment of yours makes you the most proud? My three children: my daughter Bana, sons Ahmad and Walid, and now my granddaughter, Layla. They are my life. I am also proud of my design career. I do exactly what I love doing, and that is a big accomplishment to still enjoy designing every single day even with the ups and downs of running a business. I still love it.
Who in your life was most instrumental in helping you get started with your career? I have a very good friend, Dina Khoury, now a professor at George Washington University, and she was my very first client. She is a woman I love and respect, and she really encouraged me to start my own business. She really believed in me.
What was the biggest challenge you had to face to get to where you are today? How have you managed to overcome it? Really, the biggest challenge is the management part of the business. I have six full-time employees and have been very lucky to have such a great group to work with me. I have learned over the years that you have to be an employer first but also a friend and sometimes pseudo-psychiatrist at times. It’s a very personal business, and I feel lucky to be surrounded by such a great support system.
What did you want to be when you were five? I wanted to be a designer, whether it was in fashion or interiors. As a young girl, I remember loving to draw and paint. I came from a country where designing carpet is very prominent, so I probably wanted to design carpet when I was young or even become a fashion designer.
If you could do anything other than what you are doing, what would it be? I would love to travel and explore my passion for antiques. I appreciate the many different cultures I have experienced in my life and would love to continue to learn more. I’ve been to India and also Turkey eight times mostly on business, but I haven’t seen all of Turkey. The first place I would visit is Istanbul because it has such a clash of cultures where the East and West come together…it’s a wonder to me. And it’s so beautiful…the architecture is out of this world while the textiles are to die for.
What advice can you offer someone wanting to get started in your field? Design is not a formula; it is instinctive. You’ve got to have a sensibility about a project. If you don’t have it, the design will eventually grow old. Design is a very personal thing as well, so you really have to love it. Go to a good design school for the basics and make sure this is what you naturally love to do.
Jennifer K. Dansicker is Special Projects Editor for ChesapeakeHome.
Contact:
Mona Hajj Interiors: monahajj.com or 410-234-0091
