You love your furry little and not so little pets, but you don’t like what they do to your favorite chair. Here are some idea on how to decorate your space to make it pet friendly.
Safety
- As with children safety comes as first priority. Items that can be chewed on should be moved higher or placed behind closed doors.
- Similarly with electronics; bundle and hide cords.
- Switch the long table cloth on your dining table to a shorter table runner. This will prevent Fluffy from pulling at the table cloth and your centerpiece.
Decor
Try to avoid glass coffee tables and glass doors on the lower half of furniture, as these will end up covered in nose prints.
Flooring
Now that Pooch is safe, are your floors? The simplest option is to remove all area rugs leaving the bare floor (ceramic tile or hardwood) this is both sleek and modern. The advantages to this are that accidents are easier to see and clean up. The main disadvantage is a larger dog can scratch the finish on your hardwood.
- An option is a laminate hardwood, which has a more durable finish…We just go with the flow and appreciate the natural wearing hardwood in our office and in Manuela’s home. Thanks Sheamus.
- A patterned area rug will hide any stains. Persian or Turkish rugs work best. As is a good wool rug. Polypropylene rugs may be less expensive but they don’t hold up as well. Go for it though, if you don’t mind changing your look more often.
- A good alternate is the natural, woven seagrass. This look is modern but unlike a sisal option, seagrass doesn’t hold odors and resists water a few seconds longer.
Upholstery
Fluffy jumps on your favorite chair, gets fur all over it then starts to chew on the seat! Your first thought is slipcovers then you remember your grandmother’s sofa. Not to worry, the floppy slipcovers of the 50s are in the past.
- There are slipcovers available now that give a tailored look. Try using a cotton blend or linen, these fabrics are easy to wash. Also go for medium colours or pattern to help hide stains, stay away from a light slipcover.
- The other option is to upholster in a synthetic fabric that is easy to clean and is harder for Fluffy to destroy- like faux suede/ultra suede. Ultrasuede is soft, supple and sensuous to the touch; yet it's also resistant to stains and discoloration and can be run over with a lint brush.
- Leather and vinyl are easy to wipe down with a damp cloth but pet’s claws tear into these textiles much easier than other fabrics.
- Polyester fabrics or fabric content combinations, e.g. cotton/polyester or polyester/viscose with a rub count of over 20,000 are durable and pet friendly especially if they are classified as “water and stain repellant”.
- Fabrics such as chenilles, corduroy or velvets of any kind should be avoided. Regardless of the fabric content be sure to use fabrics that do not have weaves or threads than can be pulled by claws.
As with carpets, 100% wool or wool combination fabrics are great choices but more expensive.
Bedrooms
If you allow your pet on your bed, duvet covers should be made of a washable fabric. Fabric content can be cotton, linen or polyester blends but even a washable fabric can act as a magnet for pet hair so try and test the fabric before final purchase. A fabric that is both washable and does not absorb a stain is best. Custom made duvets give you a much larger selection of fabrics to choose from.
Consider a throw for the bed in a coordinating fabric or color which is much easier to wash or dry clean. Stay away from your off-the-shelf throws that are warm and fuzzy but not pet friendly.
