(Style) Hunting Season Is Year-Round for Local Interior Decorator

MANHATTAN, IL — JanaLee Wiechers didn't start out hoping to open a home decor shop.

She didn't even begin as an interior decorator. After graduating from college, she landed a job in marketing with a paycheck that left her little to spend on decorating her downtown apartment.

"I had to get creative," she said, laughing.

She began picking up little items here and there that could make her small space more of a home—and she has carried that approach for home decor into a business in downtown Manhattan.

"Collected" is what Wiechers calls an "occasional shop" located at 215 S. State St. in Manhattan. The shop is open for three days a month, complimentary to her full-time business as an interior stylist.

"We love helping our clients LOVE their HOMES by creating spaces that feel hunted & gathered and uniquely theirs," Wiechers wrote on social media to describe her shop. "Our open shop events take place monthly and include a collection of new, upcycled, reclaimed and hand-made home goods, jewelry gifts and more."

The Frankfort resident found herself helping friends and family with home decor projects, at their request.

"They recognized my gift and passion for styling and encouraged me to pursue it as a business," she said. "I have been styling and designing spaces since I was a little girl. I didn't play with dolls, but I was always rearranging my room, building cozy little nooks and getting inspiration from the great outdoors. I genuinely love what I do and want that to come through."

Soon her schedule was packed with design work, leaving little time for her to set up a display at the usual farmers markets and pop-up markets. She learned of the space in Manhattan—ideal for her to store the items she loves, work on more, and hopefully increase interest in her services.

She took over the space formerly occupied by a Mexican restaurant in November 2015, and opened the store in March 2016. Her merchandise is a collection of items that can be pieced together or featured separately in a home, staged in the store in the way she envisions it all working together.

But it doesn't have to be all or nothing with the items, she stressed.

"I really like to have a wide range of things that can spice up a place," she said. "I like to be here for the people that really appreciate unique things.

"Small things can make a big impact. As much as I'm about selling things, I also like to help people get ideas."

She's also all about working on a budget.

"I have the most fun when I'm working with people on a small budget," she said. "Pulling in nature is huge for me.

"...Naturally, the design process always begins with helping clients identify a style or look they love. But it also has to make sense for their lifestyle and budget—and that's where my creativity and skills shine."

Besides spotlighting her curated items at the shop, she can be hired for efforts such as mantle designs, gallery walls, styling bookshelves—even down to beautifying an old couch by handpicking new throw pillows. She has also offered some workshops such as crafting custom throw pillows. Other services available include paint and color consultation, room design, space planning, furniture shopping/selection and styling/finishing.

"Style is always evolving," she said. "The idea is about hunting and gathering—you're never really 'done.' Style is always evolving."

This month, Collected is open Saturday, Nov. 19 from 11 to 3 p.m. She plans to offer additional holiday hours, and encourages people to contact her for advice on tablescapes, mantle designs, and other decor questions for the holidays. For more info on her hours, find Collected on Facebook. For more on her services and rates, check out her website.