Your Life. Your Space. Inspired.

Aravela & Co. is a full-service interior design studio and fine art space in St. Petersburg, FL. 

We view design as an art form and we use color, texture, light, scale, contrast, pattern and movement as our medium. 

Leveraging a lifetime of world travel and exposure to multitudes of cultures, we bring more than 20 years of experience in the design industry to the table, to craft spaces which inspire and empower the people who live in them in the Tampa Bay Area and beyond. 

We are driven by integrity and beauty in everything we do.

We pride ourselves on our hands-on experience in every facet of the creative design process, from inception to completion and every step in between.

Our clients come to us for our talent, experience, creativity and dependability. Our combined skillset and offerings range from residential and light commercial interior design, remodeling + construction management services, staging to sell, Airbnb outfitting and co-hosting, as well as set design, live music, handmade jewelry, custom, functional and fine art.

We work with our clients to bring to life environments which support their authentic expression, both at home and in their work.

Our passion for design is fueled by the belief that beauty has the power to save the world.

We created Arthaus, the fine art space of Aravela, to showcase and support artists in our community and foster partnerships within the creative domain.

If you are a local artist, artisan or craftsman and would like to share your portfolio, please click here. 

We are a women-owned family business.

ARAVELA: * ARA (latin) constellation named after the altar used by Zeus and the other Olympian gods on which they vowed their allegiance before the battle to overthrow the Titans * VELA (latin) constellation named after the sails of the ship Argo in Greek mythology. Argo was built with the help of the goddess Athena and sailed by Jason and the Argonauts in their search of the Golden Fleece.

Milena

Principal

Milena is the principal designer of Aravela, and has been dwelling in the world of space, form  and beauty for over 20 years. Open-hearted globe-trotter who views the world through Gestalt* lenses, she finds joy in transforming environments devoid of function and aesthetics  into inspiring and empowering spaces, tailored to their users' needs and wants. Her expertise in spatial relationships and human processes is grounded in a multidisciplinary approach and  hands-on knowledge of the build environment. Milena seeks to devise an emotional connection  within the spaces she co-creates with her clients, hence each endeavor tells the story of their owner. 

  • Her signature design system stems from the elements and principles of design, problem  seeking-problem solving, foresight, core competency strengths in systems and conceptual  thinking, and EI skills, supported by a practical intuition and a focused drive. She is equally  versed in construction, project management, logistics, hand-holding and cheerleading. Milena has served in leadership positions for non-profit organizations (SoEI, RESA), and  designed and facilitated a number of workshops and courses, as well as leadership classes.  She has landed coverage in print in design magazines, as well as radio and TV features.  She holds a BFA in Interior Design and MAIO in Organizational Design, and multiple industry  designations: ASID, IDCEC, NARI, NARI, IAHSP Luxury and Vacation Rental Design Expert. When in recess, Milena spends time with her four-legged family. 

    *Gestalt: the whole is more than the sum of its parts

Geri

Chief Operating Officer

Geri has been with Aravela & Co. since the beginning, honing her skill set and passion for  design over the years. Geri’s favorite part of the design process is bringing the dream into reality on installation days, and delivering the best possible experience to each client. She is  responsible for daily operations from design concept, selections and working one on one with  the client, to site visits, managing our trades and communicating with our vendors. When  working with Geri you can expect meticulous attention to detail at every stage of the process,  ensuring every task is executed with precision. As COO, Geri’s commitment to her craft and  willingness to always go above and beyond makes her an integral part of our strategic problem  solving process. 

  • Outside of design, Geri is an accomplished singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and artist,  spending most of her spare time cooking, working on her jewelry line Mended Hearts, a  plethora of art projects, writing songs and performing. She loves soup.

Marina

Art Director

Marina joined Aravela & Co. in 2018, and she filled the big shoes of back of the house  operations: she relishes in all types of administrative procedures, from the creation of  agreements and addendums to Lookbooks for clients and our graphic design needs. She is the  holder of notes and schedules. She also keeps the lifeline with our trade reps, and is hands-on  shipping and receiving schedules. 

Marina's Art major background and BA in Anthropology are instrumental in her role as Art  Director, where she is responsible for all things Arthaus: like liaising with artists, ensuring  exhibitions go off without a hitch, as well as developing Aravela's Surface Design division. She  brings attention to detail and a strong sense of integrity to all that she does. In her spare time, she loves drawing, reading about ancient history, watching Star Trek, baking,  and spending time with her loved ones and her chiweenie Sunshine.