How To Have A Pet-Friendly Home That’s Also Chic And Stylish

A lot of homeowners that are also pet owners tend to assume from the start that a stylish home and pets don’t do well together. But an open mind is the key to a successful interior décor that makes everyone happy. You don’t need to sacrifice style or the comfort of your animal companion in order to have a home that you can be proud of. But you do need to make the right choices. For example:

Choose hard surface floors

Dog leatherchair

Opt for hardwood floors or tiles. They’re simple to clean and they can either hide scratches or dodge them altogether. Hardwood floors also have a warm glow. Stay away from porous materials such as marble or natural stones in general as they can get stained easily.

Avoid wall-to-wall carpet

Dog leatherchair

Carpets are your enemy. They absorb odors, trap pet hair and soak up stains. They’re difficult to clean and not at all practical. Bare floors are the way to go and, if you really want something warm and cozy under your feet, opt for modular carpet tiles or for small rugs that are cheaper and easier to replace.

Don’t waste money on expensive rugs

Dog leatherchair

It’s ok to have rugs in your home even if you have pets but don’t invest in expensive ones or you’ll have a hard time getting rod of them when they get ruined and you’ll end up blaming your pet for no good reason. There are plenty of inexpensive rugs that also look chic.

Use stain-resistant fabrics

Dog leatherchair

You’ll love yourself for choosing stain-resistant fabrics when your cute little dog comes home with muddy paws and jumps on the sofa. There are plenty of options to choose from. Leather can be a good choice unless you have cats. Their sharp claws can ruin a leather sofa in an instant even if it’s not intentional. A much better choice is ultrasuede or crypton, a synthetic fabric that’s resistant to stains, smells, bacteria and muddy paws.

Opt for machine-washables

Dog leatherchair

Use machine-washable duvet covers, shams, pillows, comforters and fabrics in general and you’ll save a lot of effort. They’re great even if you don’t have any pets. Many don’t require ironing and they’re super easy to clean.

Match colors to your pet

Dog leatherchair

If you have a pet, use it as inspiration when designing your home. For example, if you have a white cat, get white covers for the sofa and chairs. They’ll hide the hairs really well and, even if you forget to groom your pet one day, you won’t see the difference on your furniture. You should also match the rugs to your pet’s fur color. Plus, matching the décor to your pet can also be really fun, not just practical.

Get some pet furniture

Dog leatherchair

To avoid getting scratches on your sofa or having your fragile collectibles knocked over by your pets, you should get them some furniture of their own. For example, cat scratchers are really wonderful and so are cat trees. Get a cute little bed for your dog so he/she doesn’t feel the need to sleep in the same bed as you.

Plan the entryway with your pet in mind

Dog leatherchair

This is something to keep in mind if you have a dog or other pets can go in and out of the house regularly. Set up a large utilitarian space where your pets can clean their paws. A mudroom would be perfect for that but so can a laundry room, garage or a bathroom. It’s important to consider your pet’s lifestyle when planning the layout of your home.

Use semigloss wall paint

Dog leatherchair

Flat-finish paint is very difficult to clean even if you don’t have a pet. Semigloss is a much better choice. Your dog will drool all over the house, even onto the walls and bird pets fling all sorts of dirt out of the cage and onto the walls so you want these surfaces to be easy to wipe clean.

Keep breakables out of reach

Dog leatherchair

We’re not saying you can’t have lovely things in your home if you have a pet. You just need to keep all the fragile and breakable items out of their reach. Put your figurine collection on a high shelf and display other such valuables in cabinets with glass doors. Hang wall art higher so your pets can’t reach it, etc.