New home perfect time for design dreams

By Laura Hipshire
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

“I’m like a ‘one-stop shopping place,’” says Donna Harki. Donna has worked as Henry Ford Village’s custom services coordinator since 1998, and is a one-woman decorating dynamo. “I do anything from carpet, painting, crown and base moldings, walk-in showers, and window treatments, to something small such as a light fixture.”

Two years ago, Henry Ford Village opened up a walk-in Design Center, a place where community members can meet with Donna, as well as browse through carpet, countertop, and fixture samples, among other things. “I designed the Center,” says Donna.

Decorating is easy
“I have had quite a few individuals want jobs done while they are away,” says Donna. “When they come back to a freshly painted or newly carpeted apartment, they are so happy!” Donna says she has developed a great working relationship with many community members. “They know me and trust me,” says Donna. “I know at least 85% of the members on campus by their first name.” Donna works closely with a select number of trusted vendors in the area. “They’re really good and they give me great prices, which I pass on to customers,” she says.

Creativity is the name of the game
Before she started working at Henry Ford Village, Donna was a manager at a basket company. “People say I have a good eye for things,” she says. For the past two years, Donna has been collecting birdhouses and ‘goofy’ watches, as she describes them. So far, she’s collected 20 of the quirky timepieces, including some featuring Felix the Cat, a smiley face, penguin, and Grover from Sesame Street. “I find them to be conversation pieces,” Donna puns. “I like to see the community members react to them.

“I also like to draw,” she says. Donna likes to draw mostly ‘cartoon-type’ things. “I also like to paint designs on shirts.”