Arianna Vargas & Little Foot’s Pet Friendly Home Tour

Serena Faber Nelson Founder & Pet Lifestyle Writer

Pet lifestyle expert Serena Faber-Nelson is the founder of Pretty Fluffy. A contributor to Everyday with Rachael Ray, Modern Dog Magazine, Cesars Way and more; her modern, stylized take on DIY dog treats has seen her recipes viewed millions of times over.

Serena is the author of the go-to dog mom bible, Dog Mama, and the popular dog treat recipe book, Healthy Homemade Dog Treats.

The name Arianna Vargas is synonymous with style and sophistication.

A simple Google search will bring up countless lifestyle features all including one thing – luxury pillows from her namesake label Arianna Belle adorning the homes of style savvy decoristas across the globe. It’s no doubt that the gorgeous beauty behind the bespoke brand has an equally stunning home.

Residing in sunny California, Arianna shares her abode with her husband and adorable rescue pup, Little Foot. Let’s take a peek inside…

AT HOME WITH ARIANNA VARGAS

Name: Arianna Vargas
Title & Company: Owner of Arianna Belle
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Tell us about your home & Little Foot… 

My home is a 1 bedroom condo in Los Angeles that I share with my husband. We purchased it about 6 years ago, and have lived here on and off for a total of about 3 years. This was Little Foot’s first home.

Little Foot is a 5 year old maltipoo who has been part of our family since he was a 8 week old puppy.

Being a dog owner was never something I planned, but sometimes the best things in life happen unexpectedly. Growing up I didn’t have a dog and was never really around dogs, so when my husband mentioned the idea of adopting one, I was really hesitant. At the time, I didn’t realise the benefits of living with a pet and so I focused more on the fact that it’d be an expense and a big responsibility that I wasn’t sure I wanted to take on.

I warmed up a bit to the idea when he showed me some King Cavalier puppies on Pet Finder. I had always thought Charlotte’s dog on the TV show Sex and the City was really cute and I recognized that the puppies my husband was showing me were the same breed. I agreed to go to the shelter to just check them out.

After checking out the sweet King Cavaliers and heading out towards the exit of the shelter, we spotted a crate full of puppy maltipoos. We stopped to look at them and were in awe at how tiny and adorable they were. I became fully on board about adopting either one of the King Cavaliers or the maltipoos. Their sweet faces were just too hard to resist. We decided to take a day to think things over and do a bit of research on the different breeds.

That night we decided on adopting one of the maltipoos so we returned to the shelter the next day. When they asked which of the maltipoos we wanted to take home, my husband let me decide and my eyes were immediately drawn to Little Foot. He was sitting at the back of the crate and stood out to me because of his unique coloring (at the time he was completely dark haired). The people at the shelter took him out of the crate and my husband held him in his hands. We immediately fell in love and finalised the decision.

Your blog focuses on stylish storage, organised spaces and interior decor…What led you to creating this fabulous online space?

At the time I started the blog I was working a very left brain corporate job and was looking for a creative outlet for my interior design passion. I had recently discovered a few design blogs and they inspired me to give blogging a go. I registered for a Blogger account, played around with Photoshop and HTML to create a decent looking blog design, and just started posting.

I had absolutely no expectations of anyone reading it or it becoming anything more than a fun hobby. It’s been a labor of love and truly wonderful way to explore and refine my design aesthetic, become part of a community of people with similar interests, meet kindred spirits, open myself up to fun opportunities, and discover new possibilities.

Your gorgeous shop Arianna Belle is known for your stunning range of luxury decorative pillows. Tell us about the evolution of your brand from the initial idea to where you are today.

The idea for the shop came during a time when I was feeling unsatisfied with my career. I had explored a few different paths and was determined not to settle until I found what I felt in my gut was right for me. As I brainstormed, I thought about how I always wanted to have my own product based business, I just didn’t know exactly what the product would be.

My blog actually played an important part in figuring that out because as I immersed myself in everything decor related and developed a love for beautiful designer fabric, I realised I wanted to create a career for myself in which I would get to work with and be surrounded by that beauty everyday. When I started to connect the dots, that’s when the a-ha happened. A product-based decor related business involving beautiful fabrics….hmm…..pillows!

Having a mother who had previously worked from home as a professional seamstress for many years, I actually already had access to all the right equipment, so it was a perfect fit! It also felt like a natural extension of and complement to the blog. I used what little money I had available at the time and started out very small to test out the waters. Though I didn’t know what to expect, I accepted the uncertainty and felt a background peaceful optimism. Orders started to trickle in and I used the profits to reinvest in the business and slowly but surely grow it organically.

I have learned a lot over the past 3 years as a business owner and with the help and support of my family, friends, entrepreneurial peers, and of course wonderful customers who have have chosen to bring Arianna Belle pillows into their homes and/or incorporate them into a design project, my little shop that once had just 6 styles, now offers over 100 different styles.

How would you describe your style at home?

Cozy, inviting and fresh.

How have you made your home pet friendly?

Little Foot loves the sun, so we keep a dog bed near the window so he can enjoy the morning light.

For his treats, we have a blue jar that’s pretty enough to leave out on our kitchen countertop.

We’re easygoing about allowing him to come up on the the bed and have benches at the foot to make it easier for him to jump and down from it.

In the living room, dog toys are stored in a magazine holder which we keep next to the sofa for easy access during evening playtime.

Describe your personal style in three words…

comfortable, elegant, feminine

And if you had to sum up Little Foot in three words?

resilient, cuddly, loved

What’s your #1 piece of advice for dog owners who want to keep their homes looking good?

When it comes to items that will regularly be out in plain sight, like bowls, beds, etc., choose them in colors and styles that will coordinate and blend in with your decor whenever possible.

What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced in having a pet in a stylish home?

When he was puppy and wasn’t fully house trained, Little Foot would have accidents around the house. For a while we couldn’t have rugs in the house because he thought they were pee spots. Eventually he learned to only do his business outside and since then, we’ve been able to incorporate rugs into our home once again.

Overall, it’s been pretty easy to keep the house looking good. He doesn’t get into things he’s not supposed to, doesn’t chew or destroy things, and as a maltipoo, he doesn’t really shed. Our sofa has removable covers which has made it easy to clean the few times he’s gotten sick on it. Whenever he’s been outside and is coming back in we try to make sure to always wipe his paws at the front door.

What do you look for in a good pet brand or product?

When it comes to things that will go in or on his body (food, treats, grooming products, etc) it is important to me that they be safe. I look for products that are natural, organic and holistic. I want him to live a long and healthy life!

What is the one brand/product that you and your dog just can’t live without?

Little Foot loves his food from Dr Harvey’s. We mix it with flax oil and an organic protein that we rotate every couple of days.

What’s in store for Arianna Belle, the blog and shop? 

We’re planning on adding several new styles and launching a new and improved website which I’m very excited about.

I love all the pillows in the shop but if I had to pick current favorites I’d probably say the Pyne Hollyhock and the Solid with Grosgrain Ribbon.

STEAL THEIR STYLE

Bedhead – Lauren Full Headboard from Joss and Main

Bed Decorative Pillows – Pyne Hollyhock and Riad Ivory by Arianna Belle

Bedroom Ottomans – Vintage from Rose Bowl Flea Market and reupholstered by Arianna.

Lounge – Crate and Barrel

Lounge Decorative pillows – Betwixt Indigo Blue, Solid White with Grosgrain Ribbon, Marine Blue Velvet, and La Fiorentina Bark by Arianna Belle

Coffee Table Ottoman – Target – Similar Here

White Tray – West Elm

Dog Treat Jar – Home Goods

Memory Photo Box – Semikolon

Lamps – Overstock

Office Desk – Ikea

Inspiration Board – DIY by Arianna. Get the DIY tutorial here.

Magazine Holder (Used as Dog Toy Box) – Shiraleah Harper Ivory Magazine Holder (Currently Unavailable)

Dog Collar – Fillmore Collar by Blueblood

Dining Table – Ikea Docksta

Dining Chairs – Ikea Tobias

FOLLOW ARIANNA VARGAS

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