Pets have become a renewed source of comfort, friendship, and affection during the loneliness and isolation that comes with COVID-19 and quarantining. As a result, adoptions of pets have increased dramatically in recent months, with many individuals welcoming furry friends into their Pet-Friendly homes and lives.
However, a new pet can cause interior design issues. For example, if your darling kitty chews up all your furniture or your new puppy chews everything in sight, all the stress they helped relieve may come pouring back.
When choosing pet-friendly furniture, keep in mind that durability, both in terms of fabric/material and construction, is one of the most significant considerations. This is crucial if you have a large dog or numerous dogs that sleep on your sofa. You’ll want something that won’t sink in and a sturdy frame that won’t warp in this scenario. Even if your pets are small, you’ll want one with a frame that can withstand jumping on and off repeatedly, as well as material that won’t wear down from paws and claws. Here are some design tips for creating a pet-friendly homes.
1. Have a separate storage area for your pet.
Pet toys and accessories, like children’s toys, have a habit of bursting all over the house. So, having a dedicated space to store all of your pet’s toys and accessories appeals to us. Baskets are an excellent option because the open top allows your pet to “self-serve” in obtaining toys while blending in with the rest of your decor with pet-friendly homes. Just make sure your basket’s height is proportional to your pet’s size and that they can easily reach inside.
You might also put a basket in your foyer to hold your dog’s leash, harness, waste bags, and any frisbees or balls you want to take to the dog park.
2. Consider having leather upholstery.
Because of the way leather matures, naturally tanned leather is a terrific pet-friendly furniture upholstery option. It is especially great for folks who enjoy antiques and pieces that tell a story. But, unfortunately, this is not a good solution for type-A personalities who want everything to be in perfect condition.
With pets, a leather sofa will inevitably show signs of wear and tear. However, if you invest in a high-quality leather sofa, it will age gracefully and develop a lovely patina. As with a beautiful pair of old leather boots, the inevitable scratches and scuffs just add to the piece’s charm and personality, whether it’s a sofa or an accent chair. Bonus: Because leather is so easy to clean and vacuum, getting rid of dog hair is a breeze.
3. You can use color to hide pet hair and stains.
If leather isn’t your style, there are many other upholstery alternatives to consider when looking for pet-friendly furniture. Dark fabrics and rugs are generally the secrets to disguising dirt and spills. Still, dark upholstery can showcase some stains. Plus, an entire room of black furniture would visually shrink your area. However, you should avoid ultra-light colors unless they’re slipcovers that can be bleached. There’s nothing worse than a muddy paw print on a white or tan sofa that doesn’t have washable cushions.
So, while looking for the finest couches for dogs, look for easy-to-clean performance fabrics that are, ideally, machine washable. Grays is a great color choice because they keep the room feeling light without being stain magnets.
Instead of using dark hues to hide potential spills, go for a multi-color patterned rug for rugs. The pattern and color combination can assist in disguising any stains you can’t remove while also bringing vitality to your decor. If you’re more concerned about pet hair than stains, you may match the color of your rug or sofa to the color of your pet’s fur to hide hair.
4. Vacuum frequently.
Even the most elegantly designed environment might feel gloomy and unclean due to pet hair and dust bunnies. You should frequently be vacuuming if you have a pet. Consider purchasing one heavy-duty vacuum for weekly vacuuming and a smaller handheld vacuum for weekly vacuuming and spot-cleaning furnishings. Making vacuuming a part of your daily routine will help keep your home feeling fresh and clean all the time.
5. Reduce the amount of chewable furniture in your home.
Do you have a dog who loves to chew on whatever he can get his hands on? Suppose you have a small puppy or an older dog who is adjusting to their new environment. In that case, you may have to deal with a chewing stage in addition to housetraining. Furniture with metal framing and legs, rather than wooden legs, will help to reduce your dog’s tendency to gnaw. This is because wooden furniture legs can resemble a stick a little too much.
6. Make it easier for them to leap.
You’ll want to invest in solutions that make hopping on the sofa and bed a little simpler for pets who have trouble jumping as they become older. That is if you let your pets sit on the furniture. While using pet stairs is always an option, they can be an eyesore. Instead, place an ottoman next to your sofa or bed to provide a lower surface to jump on. Rugs can also provide the traction that senior dogs require to accomplish the leap and protect hardwood floors from damage.
7. Covering it up.
You can also cover your furniture if you’re concerned about your pet prematurely aging it. Covering is not about wrapping your furniture with a plastic cover like what people did back in the day or using a drop cloth while it’s not in use. Instead, have a few machine washable throw blankets available to toss on your sofa or bed before your dog gets on it. This will keep most of their hair and oils contained within the blanket, which you can wash anytime it needs to be freshened up.