Meet Lori Julien

design assistant

Lori’s path to becoming Hazel Tree Interiors newest Interior Design Assistant is long and winding and has taken her coast to coast. After graduating college with a degree in history, she headed to Boston and worked at a historic preservation society for a few years until heading to NY for grad school. During this time she fell in love and simultaneously her best friend from college was diagnosed with cancer. While taking care of her friend, she felt a calling to do something more meaningful with her life. She finished grad school, moved to the West Coast to be with her now husband Kyle, and went back to school to become a registered nurse. After twelve years in California, they moved back to Ohio and settled in Akron to raise their three children.

Regardless of her life work, Lori has always had a passion for repurposing and preserving the past by collecting and curating vintage items and sustainably and creatively transforming pieces for her home and later for others. Even while working as an RN, Lori painted furniture for clients. Three years ago, she retired from nursing and turned her side hustle and passion into her full time work and opened Marigold Sol on Kenmore Blvd.

During this time she often worked in collaboration with Hazel Tree Interiors and custom painted furniture for design clients. Through the many years of friendship, Karen and Lori would often talk about working together in a more formal way, but it was always a what if/dreamy conversation and the timing was never right. Until now. She recently closed her brick and mortar storefront and was rethinking her creative work future and we were in need of an Interior Design Assistant. The timing was perfect!

Her unique background and passion for sustainable design has prepared her well for this position. She’s a creative problem solver who cares deeply about the work she is doing and the people she is serving. She is super excited to be part of the Hazel Tree Team!