If interior design (especially on a budget) is your muse, head on over to YouTube and give Arvin Olano a watch. The Filipino YouTuber and self-proclaimed “HomeGoods queen” has a channel full of insightful design tips, affordable shopping hauls, and fashion must haves that’ll inspire you to redo your whole home (and grab a few new trendy blazers while you’re at it). His vibrant personality paired with — as Olano describes it — his “soft minimalist-with-a-hint-of-electric tendencies” design style is enough to assure you he’s the real deal.
But as professional and clean-cut as Olano’s YouTube is, you may be surprised to find he’s only been on the platform since January 2020. “I have always watched YouTube. I followed many creators, some good, some bad, and I felt that I had a point of view that was not presented,” Olano told POPSUGAR. “After some discussion and support from my partner Andrew, we started to film. I knew that growth wouldn’t be an overnight success, so I had to keep my day job until I could make YouTube my primary focus.”
One year and almost 200 thousand followers later, Olano’s YouTube channel is now his full-time job. His success, though, comes as no surprise, as he’s always had an interest in decor and style. “Fashion was a passion of mine since I was extremely young. I loved watching designers break new ground with silhouette, color, and blending, so that has been in my blood all along,” Olano continued. “I purchased my first house six months before I decided to start my YouTube channel, and it was a natural organic growth into interior design from fashion design.”
With more than a year now spent from home, stumbling upon Olano’s YouTube has helped change the look and feel of my own space for the better. From his super-informative HomeGoods hauls (Olano claims the key to shopping there is to “get to know the employees because they will tip you off as to when the trucks get in”) to his helpful Stop Doing This! segments that discuss decor mistakes you should stop doing in your home, Olano’s YouTube is a safe bet when looking for high-end home decor inspiration on a budget. “I am naturally drawn to high-end designers, so I work to understand their design styles and intent to re-create it in an affordable and accessible way [for] my followers.”
As for the future, Olano has a few plans: “Down the line, I see myself creating lifestyle and fashion content as my channel continues to grow. I can also see myself starting my own brand of home decor and lifestyle products.” How exciting! Until then, Olano is just happy for the success he’s had thus far, and hope’s he’s made a positive impact. “As a gay Filipino content creator, I live my truth on and off camera, and if that can inspire those who are following me, then that’s the positive impact I want to create.”