Dogs and cats are important members of our families, but they can wreak havoc on home décor, making us think twice about installing new carpet or buying a white sofa. However, with a few design tweaks, it is possible to create a beautiful home and safe environment for our four-legged friends. Here are three tips to make sure your decorating scheme doesn’t go to the dogs.
1. Beautify With Built-Ins and Customization
Your cat or dog may be adorable but their pet gear is probably less attractive. What’s the answer to unsightly crates, food bowls, and litter boxes that clash with décor? Built-ins and customized spaces are a great way to accommodate pet needs without sacrificing style.
For example, a feeding station built into a kitchen island integrates pet food bowls into your overall design. Cat litter boxes, something that should be kept out of sight, can be placed under a stairway (an often underutilized space) and made accessible through a pet door.
If you have a dog, customize a mudroom or entryway with your pet in mind. This space is the perfect place for hooks and cubbies to hang leashes, corral toys, store towels for wet days, and keep pet care supplies close at hand.
It’s also a great spot to install a dedicated pet bathing area, either a utility or deep farmhouse sink for small pets, or a tiled half-shower for washing dirt off of bigger dogs.
2. Ditch the Carpet
If you’ve recently adopted a puppy or kitten, or are a longtime pet owner, you know that animals and carpet just don’t mix. Keeping carpet clean can be a nightmare with an indoor pet – it stubbornly holds onto odors and is a magnet for animal hair.
Pet owners should consider ditching carpet altogether, opting instead to install floors made from concrete, porcelain tile, and hardwood. These hard surfaces are resistant to stains and are easy to clean.
Tile and concrete, in particular, are good choices because they are hard to scratch and will hold up to your pet’s nails. Have your heart set on hardwood? Consider stone and tile options that replicate the look of hardwood floors, but are more durable. Concrete is another smart choice and can be painted any color or pattern, and can even be treated to look like marble.
3. Invest in Custom Window Coverings
Custom window coverings or drapery can help pull the design of a room together; however, the wrong window treatments can be a hazard for pets. Cats, for example, love to climb and may scale the heights of full-length drapery – putting them in danger and potentially ruining beautiful fabric.
Hunter Douglas Pirouette shades are available with a pet-friendly cordless option
Window blinds and shades with cords can also be problematic for pets. Cats like to play with anything that dangles and even dogs can get tangled up in cords.
Hunter Douglas has a number of pet-safe cordless blinds, shades, and shutters
To keep pets safe, homeowners should consider investing in custom cordless window coverings like traditional hardwood shutters or modern roman shades. These window treatments come in a variety of colors and styles to match every decorating scheme.
Cover Image Credit: Buckenmeyer Architecture | Houzz
