diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e47268952..51a56205f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,6 +33,36 @@ Like spacemacs, but for vim.
 - [init.vim](./init.vim) - Sources `config/main.vim`
 - [vimrc](./vimrc) - Sources `config/main.vim`
 
+## Modular configuration
+
+SpaceVim will load custom configuration from `./.local.vim`, here is an example:
+```viml
+" here are some basic customizations, please refer to the top of the vimrc file for all possible options
+let g:settings.default_indent = 3
+let g:settings.max_column     = 80
+let g:settings.colorscheme    = 'my_awesome_colorscheme'
+let g:settings.plugin_manager = 'dein'  " neobundle or dein or vim-plug
+
+" change the default directory where all miscellaneous persistent files go
+let g:settings.cache_dir = "/some/place/else"
+
+" by default, language specific plugins are not loaded.  this can be changed with the following:
+let g:settings.plugin_groups_exclude = ['ruby', 'python']
+
+" if there are groups you want always loaded, you can use this:
+let g:settings.plugin_groups_include = ['go']
+
+" alternatively, you can set this variable to load exactly what you want
+let g:settings.plugin_groups = ['core', 'web']
+
+" if there is a particular plugin you don't like, you can define this variable to disable them entirely
+let g:settings.disabled_plugins=['vim-foo', 'vim-bar']
+
+" anything defined here are simply overrides
+set wildignore+=\*/node_modules/\*
+set guifont=Wingdings:h10
+```
+
 ## Plugin Highlights
 
 - Package management with caching enabled and lazy loading
diff --git a/autoload/SpaceVim.vim b/autoload/SpaceVim.vim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9be753983
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autoload/SpaceVim.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+function! SpaceVim#init() abort
+    
+endfunction
+
+function! SpaceVim#loadCustomConfig() abort
+    let custom_confs = globpath(getcwd(), '.local.vim', 1,1)
+    if !empty(custom_confs)
+        exe 'source ' . custom_confs[0]
+    endif
+endfunction
+
+function! SpaceVim#Layer(layer, opt) abort
+    
+endfunction
+
+function! SpaceVim#end() abort
+    
+endfunction
diff --git a/config/main.vim b/config/main.vim
index 37beeda3a..6fddd5042 100644
--- a/config/main.vim
+++ b/config/main.vim
@@ -2,15 +2,18 @@ let g:Config_Main_Home = fnamemodify(expand('<sfile>'), ':p:h:gs?\\?'.((has('win
 try
     call zvim#util#source_rc('functions.vim')
 catch
-    execute "set rtp +=" . fnamemodify(g:Config_Main_Home, ':p:h:h')
+    execute 'set rtp +=' . fnamemodify(g:Config_Main_Home, ':p:h:h')
     call zvim#util#source_rc('functions.vim')
 endtry
 
+call SpaceVim#init()
+
 call zvim#util#source_rc('init.vim')
 
-scriptencoding utf-8
 
-call zvim#util#source_rc('local.vim')
+call SpaceVim#loadCustomConfig()
+
+call SpaceVim#end()
 
 call zvim#util#source_rc('plugins.vim')