About ARThrifter (aka The Arkansas Thrifter)

Hi, I’m Lan. I didn’t start ARThrifter because I had everything figured out. I started it because I was tired of feeling stuck in the same loop: inspired, optimistic, and then overwhelmed—followed by purchases that didn’t work, projects that didn’t finish, and rooms that never felt “done.”

The house that taught me the hard way

In my last house, I had more ideas than clarity. I wanted it to feel like us—comfortable for my family, functional for real life, and elevated enough that it felt special. But I didn’t have a process. I had inspiration.

So I did what so many of us do when we’re trying to “get it right”: I bought things that were pretty, trendy, or a great deal. I told myself I’d make them work later.

They didn’t.

Pieces didn’t go together. Items piled up. Some things got resold once I realized they weren’t right. Projects would start with energy and stall halfway through. Our home slowly became a collection of “almosts” and “somedays.”

The worst part wasn’t even the wasted money—it was the feeling that we couldn’t enjoy our own space. We didn’t host the way we wanted to, because the house never felt finished. It always felt like a work in progress.

Confession: I’m easily distracted by shiny objects—much like a raccoon.

A beautiful finish, a “can’t-miss” deal, a piece with potential… and suddenly my brain can convince me it belongs in the plan, even when the plan isn’t fully formed yet. ARThrifter is how I keep that creative instinct, but add guardrails, so the exciting find becomes an intentional choice, not another stalled project or regret purchase.

When it got worse… and then finally got better

Then COVID happened, and we were home—really home—for long stretches of time. The unfinished projects and the clutter of wrong decisions became impossible to ignore. And while that season made things feel worse at first, it eventually did something important: it forced clarity.

I finally understood what I wanted the house to feel like.

That shift changed everything. I started learning how to do projects myself. I started finishing what I started. I got more intentional—less “buy and hope,” more “plan and execute.” The home came together in a way it never had before, and when it was time to sell, it was easy to see the value of a cohesive, finished space.

But I also couldn’t stop thinking about the cost of the earlier years: the trial-and-error purchases, the stalled projects, the time spent undoing decisions. If I could go back, I would have wanted one thing more than any specific product or style tip:

A method.

Our current home (and why I’m doing it differently this time)

We moved into our current home at the beginning of 2025. It’s large, traditional, and full of potential—great bones, but not a lot of style. The kind of house that deserves a luxury feel, but doesn’t automatically have it.

The setting is what sold me: over an acre right in town, mature trees, two creeks, and wildlife that shows up like clockwork—deer, foxes, raccoons, coyotes, and everything in between. It feels serene and grounded, like the property itself is exhaling.

We bought the house as-is with the intention of putting our own stamp on it—and staying for years. That also meant I needed to be smarter this time. The budget had to stretch farther. I didn’t want to waste money like I did before.

The AI Design Edit™ was born from necessity

I’ve spent more than 20 years in technology and data, and I started my AI and automation journey in 2018. So when I approached this home, I naturally turned to tools—not to replace creativity, but to protect it.

I started running “edits” before committing:

  • Testing furniture placement before buying

  • Validating scale and proportion

  • Exploring finish combinations

  • Mapping out projects so they wouldn’t stall halfway through

It began with small experiments—a powder room, a few layout decisions, landscaping ideas. But after my first big project (my home office), it clicked: I wasn’t just decorating. I was building a repeatable system—one that turned inspiration into a plan, and a plan into a finished room.

That system became the AI Design Edit™.

It’s my backup plan for creativity: a way to keep the vision while reducing the regret.

What “Thrifter” means here

ARThrifter doesn’t mean everything must be secondhand.

It means value-conscious. It means strategic. It means you can score a great deal anywhere—vintage, resale, big box, boutique, online, or already in your own home. Sometimes the best “find” is something you already own, placed the right way.

The method stays the same:
Start with what you have—or one piece you love—then buy only what the plan proves you need.

Why Arkansas is in the name

I’m Arkansas through and through—born and raised in the Arkansas River Valley. The name ARThrifter is also a nod to the story and song of The Arkansas Traveler: something that begins simply, then becomes complete through back-and-forth iteration.

That’s how design works when it’s done well. You don’t need to know everything at the beginning. You start with a melody—an anchor, a feeling, a piece you love—and you build through edits until the space feels finished.

What you’ll find here

ARThrifter is where I document the method in real life:

  • Room plans and project progress in our current home

  • AI Design Edits that validate decisions before spending

  • High-low design: where to save, where to invest, what actually moves the room

  • Practical rules for scale, cohesion, and finishing details

  • Arkansas field notes—local inspiration, shops, and stories rooted in place

If you’re a brand or an Arkansas business

I collaborate with global home and interiors brands and Arkansas-based businesses through:

  • Sponsored content (posted on my channels)

  • UGC packages (content your brand can use on your channels and in paid media, with agreed usage terms)

If that’s you, visit Work With ARThrifter or submit a Partnership Inquiry.

Welcome

If you’ve ever felt stuck between inspiration and execution—if you’ve ever had a cart full of “maybes,” a room full of half-started projects, or a home that never feels ready—this is for you.

Design before you Do.

-Lan