The bright, three-story painting of a tree on an exterior wall piqued my interest, drawing me into the old Norka Futon building on West Market in Akron. There I met Karen Starr, a cheerful, well-spoken woman and half the business team behind Hazel Tree Interiors. Starr, a designer, works with her husband, Jon Haidet, a certified picture framer.
Open since last July, Hazel Tree has since attracted national attention, including a recent profile, “Reclaimed Art and Design”, on Apartment Therapy (apartmenttherapy.com). “I fancy myself as an interior re-designer,” said Starr. “We rethink, reuse, refinish, reupholster and rearrange — all those ‘re’ words. I try and maximize what people have through design consultations.” In an industry that relies on selling shiny new things, Starr’s philosophy is unique, and certainly REfreshing.
The showroom is a testament to Starr’s design vision: an end table made of an antique metal shopping basket, a lamp with a tree-trunk base. It’s a visual treat just exploring the showroom.
Everywhere I looked was something new to examine, from candles poured in Depression era glassware to a sofa made of reclaimed materials. Local artists and artisans make everything. The beauty of Hazel Tree, according to Starr, is “that people like us are making things right here.”
Both Starr and Haidet have lived in Akron all of their adult lives. “I love living here,” said Starr. “The area has so much going for it. I hope people stop moving away.” Employment rates be damned: “We didn’t have jobs, so we made them,” said Haidet. Starr hosts the Facebook page Locally Owned Akron, which features local Akron- and Cleveland-area events, mainly music. She also volunteers for the summer Highland Square festival Art in the Square.
Starr learned her trade on the job as an assistant in a local interior-design studio, though her background is decidedly artistic. She’s done work as a stained-glass artist and worked as a producer in musical theater. Haidet studied graphic design and art photography at The University of Akron.
Hazel Tree is constantly changing its showroom. Starr plans to do some major changes by early May, and will be featuring new artists throughout spring and summer. In addition to the showroom, Starr and Haidet are also currently revamping the Hazel Tree website (hazeltreeinteriors.com).
The tree mural I’d seen on the wall facing Main Street draws many people in by design. The couple had considered a traditional sign, but ultimately decided they didn’t want just a billboard. Instead, Starr hired Kelly Tighe, a longtime theater friend and scenery designer, to paint a mural. The idea for a tree design came to Starr in a dream, and Tighe expanded on the idea. Though I didn’t notice at first, the roots of the tree spell out the word “Akron” — an apt anchor for a business so entrenched in this area.
