An elegant vibe: Robin Vaughn builds a business through home and fashion in Galena, Ill.

Robin Vaughn has developed a reputation for taking risks.

“I think sometimes people think I’m a little crazy,” said the 56-year-old, with a laugh. “Like, ‘OK. We’re going to bring in furniture. And now, we’re going to bring in diamonds. But it has created an experience for people when they walk in the door. It has become a place where people have said they can come for inspiration. And what we’re surrounded by and what we wear plays a huge role in how we feel.”

From home furnishings to apparel, it is a space that Vaughn has carefully curated throughout the years.

She is the owner of Simply Elegant Boutique, a trendy corner shop located in Galena, Ill., that caters primarily to home decor, with fashion and accessories peppered in.

Vaughn inherited the business from her mother, an interior designer, who sought to expand her home decor offerings by opening a second location as a clothing boutique, with Vaughn managing it.

“She mainly just wanted to be able to have fun going to market and having a big closet she could buy from,” Vaughn said, laughing. “At first, I had no idea how to make it work. How did people make money just from inventory coming in and going out?”

Simply Elegant Boutique opened its doors in 1991. But by 1997, Vaughn had found her stride, growing a successful and sustainable business.

“I had hired someone with a strong background in sales to show me how to do it, and that person really became a mentor to me,” she said. “Every Wednesday morning, we would hop on a call, go over sales, and discuss what was working and what wasn’t for the boutique.”

One area that wasn’t seeing a strong return in sales was footwear. Vaughn’s mentor encouraged her to make the bold decision to slash them from Simply Elegant Boutique’s inventory.

“She said that shoes were one of those areas that just took a lot of work, with all of the sizing,” Vaughn said. “I asked what the other area was, and she said, ‘Swimsuits.’ We had a good laugh over that, but it helped me figure out what I wanted the business to be and who the customer was that I wanted to sell to. It was a process that took longer than I thought it would. That’s the thing about being a business owner. People think it’s just fun, but it’s a little like a game. It waxes and wanes. There is a lot to it. But I love the challenge.”

That challenge has continued to pay off for Vaughn and Simply Elegant.

Now overseeing the full scope of the business, the clothing boutique relocated from a smaller storefront location on Galena’s historic Main Street to its current location at 130 Main St., which previously housed Honest John’s Trading Post.

The space offers a larger footprint for the shop, combining what Vaughn’s mother began, with one half dedicated to home decor, furnishings and other gifts, and what Vaughn developed, offering clothing and accessories in the other half.

“I wanted to find a way to incorporate both,” Vaughn said. “Initially, the idea was just to bring in home decor items, but when I went to market, I found that I gravitated toward the furniture. So, we began offering it. We sell everything off the floor. If it’s a piece you want today, you can have it today.”

The shop sells everything from furniture to lighting, pillows, throws, bedding, rugs, artwork, mirrors, clocks and decorative accents.

Vaughn also offers consultations from small, one-room revamps to full home redesigns, as well as delivery services.

“People will often go to multiple stores, picking out their couch at one location, window treatments from another location and artwork from yet another location, get it home, then wonder why it doesn’t work together,” she said. “We want to be an all-in-one shop — a place that you can go for everything.”

Although vast and eclectic, Vaughn prides the store’s offerings on a cohesive vibe, mixing modern and classic looks, neutral tones and bold artistic statement pieces that set the tone of a space.

“A lot of home design really only needs to center on one piece of art,” she said. “Once you find that one piece you can bring the room around, everything falls together. But in the Midwest, I find we are very drawn to working with what we already own, so I love being able to do that. Your home should be your sanctuary — a place where you are surrounded by what you love, but that is functional and meets your living needs.”

In clothing, one can find tops, sweaters, jeans, dresses, jackets and coats, along with scarves, hats, gloves, handbags and jewelry.

Gifts include candles, vases, books, cards, hobby and hygge packages, and mystery boxes with an assortment of small treasures inside.

Another offering is Simply Elegant’s latest venture and one it plans to continue to expand — diamonds.

“It’s one of the only places in Galena you can find something like that,” Vaughn said. “It brings in something a little higher end, and it’s just a lovely addition.”

Living in the Galena Territory with husband John, whom Vaughn described as her biggest supporter, chipping in when needed with Simply Elegant deliveries and switching up the layout of the store, Vaughn said she doesn’t see herself retiring — at least not yet.

“(The business) fills up a lot of my plate, and there will come a time I can’t lift couches anymore,” she said, with a laugh. “But it’s like my baby. Eventually, I will hope to pass the torch to someone who will keep it going. But right now, I look around, and I’m happy with the business, happy with the store, happy with what we offer and happy with my staff. I’ll keep find what new and crazy ways I can continue to help people bring beauty into their homes and lives.”

Megan Gloss writes for the Telegraph Herald.