Make Life Beautiful with Arvin Olano

Arvin Olano knows a thing or two about what it means to make life beautiful.

After spring-boarding from his Fashion Marketing and Luxury Fashion background, Arvin took his passion for creating and styling to YouTube in 2020 to share his Interior Design journey with an audience.

You may recognize Arvin from his fast-growing social channels, where he shares everything from product roundups to trend reports. With a knack for sourcing the best home finds across both high and low price points, Arvin has created a happy slice of the internet for his community, and we’re big admirers of his taste and approachable take on all things design and fashion.

We’re so excited to introduce Arvin as our latest guest for our Make Life Beautiful Series and share more about his career and perspective. Learn more about Arvin and his journey into the interior design space below, and be sure to check out our Instagram highlight for more.

What was your very first job — ever?

In a shoe store called Wild Pair. It was my first entry into retail and fashion. I was drawn to the fashion industry and took the first job I could to begin my journey. It was not glamorous at all, and there was little opportunity for client interaction, but it was the first step, and I’m grateful for it.

Arvin in his beautiful bedroom.

Tell us about your journey into the creative industry; when did you realize that you could turn your passion into a career?

I have always had a creative spirit, and luckily discovered a form of expression which allowed my creativity to blossom, and this field was Dance. It was my first foray into transforming an idea into beautiful lines and flow that I was able to express and share with others. When I transitioned into the world of fashion, I worked to create my practical yet elegant look in a gender-neutral style.

In 2020 I started my YouTube channel to share my interior design journey with an audience because I didn’t see a channel by someone who looked like me and felt relatable. As the channel grew in the middle of the pandemic, fashion and home decor brands started offering to pay me to create content! Suddenly I had to choose between a comfortable career with an established retail fashion brand or take a risk and pursue my YouTube channel. We all know by now what I chose.

A shot we love from Arvin’s office space.

If you could go back in time and give your young creator self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Be yourself. Don’t be afraid to show the real you! I think we gravitate to people who are authentic in who they are. The moment I let loose on camera and showed the real me, I found my audience.

Where do you find the most inspiration for your work?

I get inspiration from everywhere – everything I see and hear. Sometimes there’s a bit of sensory overload. And travel… We’ve recently started traveling quite a bit. I personally love the small markets we find when exploring around Paris. Occasional trips back to the Philippines also enrich me. I have an affinity for vintage Italian design, and soon we’ll be going to Italy, exploring Venice to Naples, so I know that I’ll come back energized and overflowing with new ideas.

And… My personal fashion sense informs all. It’s a cornerstone in my life, and I continue to take inspiration from my own wardrobe and weave that look and feel into my home.

A beautiful vignette Arvin’s home. 

What does your creative process look like?

I see a room or an outfit like a pile of puzzle pieces. I begin with taking one of those pieces and then adding a second, then a third, etc., and see how it’s starting to look. I continue to edit, add, delete until I get that perfect feeling. I go with the flow.

We’ve loved watching how your own space and style have evolved over the years. What advice would you give to someone who wants to make their home better reflect their aesthetic?

Don’t be afraid to have fun! Look at what you already own and see what you have a lot of. Take a step back and look around your space. What accessories do you own (vintage, rustic, nautical)? What colors do you gravitate towards? If you have pieces that don’t inspire an emotional connection, eliminate them. Knowing what you like and don’t will really help inform your design decisions.

A moment from Arvin’s office.

What was the most significant business or creative challenge that you have encountered and grown from?

My biggest challenge was to learn how to best convey and show my perspective in design to my audience. We are learning together when I film my videos. My goal is to always share a learning moment while still having fun.

My personal creative challenge was to be true to my style while still being approachable to my followers. Also, Interiors and fashion are derivative, meaning that we all draw from our universal experiences. There can be a great commonality to that. For example, what you observe when you travel, or maybe what you see in various publications, many of us also see. I have to make sure that I reference what I like- use it as a launching pad – interpreted through my vision – but that it’s not just a copy of the original, that I always bring something fresh to the table.

What has been your most significant achievement? When was the last time you thought, “wow, I can’t believe I just accomplished that!”

When I finished redesigning my office for the second time, I felt the need for a very specific table to suit the space. So, I designed a coffee table which I named The Architect – and to jump ahead – is now available for purchase on our site: arvinolano.com. I learned so much when I was sourcing for my office. Once the table arrived and was assembled, I just couldn’t ‘believe that what started as a concept in my head was now real and sitting right before me. This was so empowering and reinforced that I can indeed do this and that I have a clear and unique design voice.

Arvin’s artistic bedroom setting

Which upcoming project or endeavor are you most excited for?

Andrew and I are designing and finalizing our first home decor collection called Ritual. Everything about this project has been a learning experience for us, but so much fun. It’s involved lots of late-night brainstorming sessions and logistics issues to resolve. We’ve put so much love and thought into this collection. We plan to launch it this year, so expect to see it on our website in the near future!

Via @arvinolano

To keep up with Arvin and his work, check out his website, YouTube channel and Instagram page.