Just because you have pets doesn’t mean your house can’t showcase a fashionable aesthetic and a clean and neat appearance. There are several great—and surprisingly easy—ways to dress up every room in your home, whether you have kitties that share your abode and need litter boxes or you prefer the company of canines who like to have quick access to their favorite toys. Just check out the interior design tips for pet owners below to get started.
Give Your Pets What They Need, but Keep It Cute
After bringing home your adopted cat or dog from a charity like the Humane Society of the United States, it’s time to fill your home with everything that your furry friend will need to feel happy and safe. But you don’t have to settle for the sometimes unattractive accessories that you find at large pet stores. Instead, you could search for some of the many fashionable pet care products that are made by a wide range of brands from around the world.
You could, for example, choose chic cat and dog beds that will blend in perfectly with the rest of your color scheme. Or, you could buy a fashionable cabinet that will hide your kitty’s litter box so that no one will even know that you have one when they walk into the room. And, rather than getting a standard cat scratching post, you could find scratching posts that will sit perfectly flush again the front of your sofa, thereby deterring your cat from tearing up your furniture without sacrificing style. Plus, when shopping for other pet accessories, such as your pet’s food and water bowls, your dog’s leash and collar, and your pet’s blankets, you could find designers who have created some amazing looking products that are high-end and surprisingly elegant.
Avoid Carpeting
Pets have accidents; that’s an unfortunate reality. Your cat might leave a hairball for you to pick up when you get home from work or your puppy might have an accident because he can’t hold it until you’re able to get him outside to go to the bathroom. For these reasons, it might be a good idea to avoid carpeting as your flooring option, particularly in rooms where your pets spend the majority of their time. After all, carpets could trap hair, absorb odors, and become stained over time. Therefore, better choices would include stone, cork, marble, laminate, ceramic, vinyl, and properly sealed hardwood such as mahogany or oak. These flooring options will be easier to clean, as well as more durable, so when pet messes happen, you won’t have to stress.
Do you really want carpet in your home? Then opt for a low pile option. This will generally be easier to keep clean. Or, as an alternative, you could even try affordable modular carpet tiles that you can pull up and clean or replace with ease. It’s best to avoid continuous-loop carpeting that could even get caught in your pet’s claws, ruining the carpeting and putting your pet at risk.
Stick with the Right Fabrics
In addition to your flooring, you also need to consider the fabric of your furnishings, as your pets could do quite a bit of damage and cause quite a few unsightly stains. Ultrasuede is one great option because it is a microfiber material that is machine washable, and it looks and feels like true suede. On top of that, it remains cool when you and your pets lie down on it, so it is perfect for your sofa. If that doesn’t suit your fancy, though, another good choice would be what is known as Crypton fabric. These are synthetic fabrics that were created specifically with pet parents in mind, and they are super durable, as well as resistant to bacteria, odors, and stains.
Here’s an extra tip: when choosing fabrics, use your pet’s coat color as inspiration. In this way, when pet hair is inevitably left behind on furnishings, it won’t be so obvious.
Keep Cute Pet Toys on Display
Yes, you read that correctly: you could keep your pet’s toys on display, provided that you choose the right ones. Sure, those rubber toys that squeak might be fun for a bit, but they could be unattractive and annoying after a while. So consider buying adorable pet toys that are made of fabrics that are natural, such as hemp, felt, linen, wool, and cotton. These are not only easy to clean, as they are often machine washable, but they could also be attractive enough to leave out on your pet’s bed or even on your couch.
Store Food and Treats in Fashionable Containers
Are you storing your pet’s dry food in a big clear plastic bin, or maybe even just leaving the bag of dog food in the corner of a room? A better way to clean up your space and make it look more attractive would be to store your pet’s food in a decorative canister. Not only will it look better, but this type of arrangement could even help keep your pet’s food fresher for longer. And when it comes to treats, you could also use fashionable canisters so you can keep the treats within reach in your kitchen and no one will know the difference.
Keep Things Neat and Clean
Finally, maintaining a tidy home could make a big difference when you have pets. Putting pet toys away when they’re not being used, vacuuming upholstery and flooring, and maybe even investing in a robotic vacuum to pick up pet hair and debris from your floors while you’re busy are just a few of the many ways that you can keep your house looking fabulous. After all, just because you share your home with cats and/or dogs doesn’t mean that it has to be unkempt.
It’s clear to see that there is no reason why pet owners need to ignore high-end interior design. Instead, you really can have the best of both worlds by designing your home in a way that is inviting to humans and comforting to your furry companions.
