While sitting around the Christmas tree a few years ago, Shaunna West couldn’t help but think of the beauty of the moment.

She said the paper and the boxes made the living room cluttered, but said the event was “perfectly imperfect.”

“Everything was a mess, but at the same time everything was beautiful,” said West. “That is just life. Life isn’t always perfect, but that is what makes it beautiful.”

West later created a blog about inexpensive ways to decorate and repurpose items and gave it the same name as her Christmas experience, and the blog has grown into a store on the square in downtown Troy.

Even before the store though, the blog grew in popularity and resulted in West filming a pilot show for HGTV.

The blog began as a way from West and her husband, Matt, to share there home décor styles and techniques and the store grew out of the popularity of the couple’s use of chalk paint.

Chalk paint was discoverer in England roughly 20 years ago, and West’s store is one just a handful of locations in Alabama that carries the unique product.

“Most people think that is chalkboard paint, but it is not,” said West. “It is named that because it has a really matte finish. It is a really easy, versatile paint that is fun to play around with.”

The downtown location contains lots of merchandise for purchase, all designed by the Wests. Shaunna also has plans to hold workshops at the location to teach others how to create one-of-a-kind pieces.

“We are hoping to host two or three monthly workshops,” said West. “The first one will be on Dec. 1, at 10 a.m. They will all be different, sometimes you will bring a piece of furniture to paint to learn different techniques.”

Spots for the workshops are available for purchase at the store, or on the blog at perfectlyimperfectblog.com

Perfectly Imperfect is located on the square in downtown Troy, a place where Shaunna says she feels at home.

She said she loves “dropping by” Momma Goldberg’s Deli or Byrd Drugs for lunch, and enjoys the atmosphere that the area offers.

“I love being downtown,” said West. “There is a fun vibe down there right now and it creates a really wonderful place in the community.”

The store is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.