The pet-friendly design seems to be a trend that isn’t going anywhere–and since furry and feathered friends are often considered part of the family, why should it? Thankfully, you don’t have to sacrifice your style to make your pet (or pets) feel loved. The key is choosing the right materials that will accommodate your animals’ needs. Decorating your home with your pet in mind can make it a space you can enjoy as much as they can.
Groom Your Pet Regularly
A good way to keep your home clean longer is to keep your four-legged friends bathed and groomed regularly. Good grooming minimizes loose hairs, which can end up on furniture, pillows, and curtains. A nail trim will help keep things from getting scratched up. Starting with something as simple as this is an easy way to maintain a cleaner home.
Use Stain-Resistant and Washable Fabrics
Luxurious fabrics like silk and velvet are lovely, but they can easily attract animal hair. Save those fabrics for more formal rooms and stick with fabrics like cotton, cotton blends, leather or microfiber fabrics. These are durable and easy to clean. Your local fabric supplier will be able to help you choose just what you need to keep up with your furry friends.
When it comes to your bed, cover your mattress with a protector pad, use cotton sheets, and consider getting a duvet cover. If your pet sleeps with you, there will be accidents. Having the ability to wash all of your bedding quickly at home will be a lifesaver.
Consider Hard Floors Over Carpet
If you already have carpet, you’re probably already used to cleaning it frequently. Carpet is like a sponge–soaking up stains, absorbing odors, and trapping pet hair–so if you don’t have it, lean toward wood floors, painted concrete, terrazzo, brick or tile, which are extremely durable and much more resistant to stains (and toenails). If you still prefer carpet, a low pile version will be easier to keep clean if there is an accident. Continuous loop carpet can also be problematic since a pet toenail can snag and unravel it, so try to avoid using it if possible.
But you may be thinking that your furry friend prefers a softer spot to take a nap or that your pet slides around too much on slick surfaces. This is where a good area rug comes into play. A good rule of thumb is to find a good low-pile indoor-outdoor rug. These types of rugs are incredibly fashionable these days, making them much more suitable for the inside of your home. Sisal or seagrass rugs are both good choices because they will go with any décor. They’re also cheap enough to toss if they get torn up. There are several other indoor-outdoor rugs to choose from as well that are both durable and affordable. To minimize the appearance of dirt, opt for a rug that has small patterns and is dark in color.
Tip: To keep wood floors and rugs looking their best for as long as possible, trim your pet’s nails regularly and keep toys, which encourage activity, in another area of the house.
Let Your Pet Inspire Your Color Palette
Matching colors around the house to your pet’s fur can be very practical. For example, you wouldn’t want to put a very light flooring down if you own a black lab. Instead, you’d want to go for a darker shade of brown or gray, which would help camouflage some of the fur. If you have a golden-colored pet, a microfiber in the shade of honey will make sense. You don’t have to do this, but it will help.
Avoid Decorating with Breakables
Animals and fragile items aren’t a good combination. One bat of a tail can easily send your favorite collectibles straight across the room. To avoid this from happening, consider displaying your breakables in a cabinet with glass-panel doors. You get to see them, but your pet can’t break them.
Keep Your Pet’s Lifestyle in Mind
If your pet goes outside frequently, consider having an area near the door designated for them. Have shelving or a cabinet for their leash, food, and towels to wipe them down before they enter the house. If you crate your animal during the day, consider camouflaging a crate within a side table or chest at the end of your bed. Click here to check out some of pet-projects that are easy and creative.
Opt for Tidier, More Attractive Treats and Toys
While dogs love to chew on treats like pig’s ears and rawhide bones, they aren’t the best for your pet or your home. Not only these treats smelly; they’re coated in nitrates that can easily leave greasy stains on your floors and furniture. To prevent this from happening, opt for toys made of durable rubber, or something soft, like a squeaky toy. For cats, make sure they have a scratching post or climbing tree of some kind. Online stores such as Wayfair and Hayneedle have nice selections of window perches, cat trees, and even cat shelves that are both colorful and stylish.
Looking for a fabric store near you in Houston? Come by our Interior Fabrics showroom in Houston, TX, for the best deals on discount designer fabrics for drapery, upholstery and more! Don’t know where to start?  Our team has oodles of experience and can help guide you every step of the way.
