Just three miles east of Hillsboro, nestled among the woods and hills, is a store where customers can find refurbished furniture and vintage pieces that are “different and unique,” according to owner Alice Wilson.

Alice’s Laidback Living opened last summer, with its doors welcoming shoppers in June. In the months since, Wilson said, the store has “had a good response.”

“Once (people) come out, they like it a lot,” she added.

Alice’s Laidback Living, Wilson said, aims to live up to its name. The store offers customers a relaxing environment as they browse Wilson’s many pieces. A fireplace in the center of the room and numerous antiques are all a part of that atmosphere, Wilson said.

Wilson refurbishes the many pieces available. Wilson said she “realized how much (she) loved” refurbishing when she was a stay-at-home mom.

After her kids were grown, Wilson said, she needed an outlet and Alice’s Laidback Living was born.

“I just love refurbishing furniture,” she said. “I like to take something … and put new life to it.”

Wilson said she finds most of her pieces at flea markets and auctions. If an item has “good bones and good lines to it,” Wilson said, she paints it. She added that different types and periods of furniture can be pulled together with paint.

Wilson said that she also gives her pieces a distressed look, so as to give them a “timeless” feel.

She added that her style is centered on lighter colors. She utilizes blues, whites, neutrals and stripes. And while Wilson said her furniture could fit with many types of decor, much of it is reminiscent of cottages and lake houses.

Her furniture, Wilson added, “is something different and unique in our community.” As such, her items “(fill) a niche there.”

In addition to furniture, other items offered at Alice’s Laidback Living include pillows, slipcovers and rugs.

The pillows are made from vintage European grain sacks, all of which are home-spun. Wilson added that the material is between 50 and 100 years old.

She uses canvas for the slipcovers, which is softened and pre-shrunk. Wilson added that slipcovers “work well” with families because they are sturdy and easily washable.

In addition, Wilson’s pieces also feature a variety of newer, floral fabrics, all of which have natural fibers.

Rugs in the store include cowhide, Dash and Albert and Jute. The Dash and Albert rugs, Wilson said, are made from cotton. The Jute rugs consist of natural fibers.

Ultimately, however, Wilson said, “It’s not just about furnishing a house. It’s about creating a home.”

In the upcoming year, Wilson said she plans to “just … keep growing and getting busier.”