How does one person run a successful bed & breakfast, a gift shop, a notable design blog, and accumulate over 4 million followers on Pinterest and still make time for himself? We caught up with Michael Wurm, Jr., blogger behind Inspired By Charm to learn how he manages it all and what he does to relax and recharge. And lucky for us, he's shared beautiful photos of how he has styled the stunning 1917 colonial he calls home, making this a house tour we had to share.
For the last five years, Wurm has owned and managed Old Charm in his hometown of Saint Mary's, PA, after leaving his job in Philadelphia at a major hospitality chain to pursue his dream of opening a B&B and blogging about crafting, decorating and entertaining in his free time. And he has done just that, except his free time has become harder to come by these days. On a typical morning he starts by preparing a gourmet breakfast for his guests, refreshing their rooms, checking new patrons in, all while trying to get his latest crafts and recipes photographed for the blog while there is still natural light.
Wurm originally got the idea to blog after following Posie Gets Cozy and was instantly inspired. And although he lives in a small town, he feels that his online community keeps him connected to the bigger world, and attributes this platform for the opportunity to meet so many inspirational people. Although he admits that his iPhone and laptop are his lifelines throughout the day, he says it's "not a good thing how connected we are" and makes sure to take some time away from the internet. "I'm a huge fan of Sundays!" he told us, and uses this day to unplug, "veg out" and catch up on Law & Order. But he's also a huge proponent of getting offline to go out and see new things because although there are many beautiful and inspiring images on the computer, you need to step away to come up with new ideas that haven't been done before.
Right now, he's got a lot on his plate, and is looking to focus on what's most important to him -- his blogging, decorating and photography. And Wurm's design philosophy should be taken to heart. He says your home doesn't have to be picture-perfect; just use what you have and what you love and whatever makes you smile. Click through our slideshow below for a sneak peek of his enchanting space and head over to Inspired By Charm for craft ideas, recipes, giveaways and more.
Inspired By Charm House Tour
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