Yes, you can have a stylish home that is dog friendly! Often times, we use the excuse “Oh, I can’t have this light colored sofa or gorgeous rug because my dog would ruin it.” However, with today’s fabrics and technology you can absolutely have that light colored sofa or fabulous rug. You just have to pay attention to the fabric content and finishing. Here are some of my top tips on making an interior dog friendly while still keeping it stylish!
- Steer towards furniture with hard surfaces for legs, and not skirts which pets can pull on.
- Use baskets to contain the dog toys and the thousands of balls you’ll find yourself with. It’s nice to use low height, open top baskets. We use the one linked below and Butters is always nosing through looking for his balls to throw at me.
- https://www.westelm.com/products/modern-weave-underbed-storage-d115/?cm_src=baskets-and-storage||NoFacet--NoFacet-–_-&isx=0.0.2716
- For tile floors, go with ceramic tile which is easy to clean and stain resistant. Avoid marble and natural stone flooring which are porous and can be easily stained by the acid in dog spit up or urine.
- If you have hardwood floors, try to include some area rugs to add traction and make the floor less slippery for your dog. Area rugs can also help absorb sound for larger paws. Looks for rugs with a low pile as fuzzy rugs with a looped or hooked construction can get snagged. Avoid rugs with glued on backs as dog messes can soak through and smell, and possibly damage the rug. Rugs with busier patterns are great for hiding stains. Some rug materials that are dog friendly are:
- Nylon or polypropylene indoor/outdoor rugs which can be hosed off and are scrubbable and sometimes bleachable.
- Hide rugs
- Nylon carpet tiles, which allow you to swap out a small square of carpet if it gets stained
- Wool/jute rugs which can be more easily cleaned.
- Keep lint brushes handy to remove fur/hair.
- Select your upholstery material carefully! Look for tight weaves to prevent fur/hair from getting embedded in the fabric and darker colors or texture to hide dirt and hair. Some upholstery fabrics that can be used for dog friendly interiors are:
- Leathers in distressed finishes. Scratches add to the patina and you can easily vacuum off hair and fur. Leather upholstery is also resistant to odors and can be kept clean using leather cleaners. Check if the leather has been treated with any wax or oils to resist stains.
- Synthetic microfibers such as microfiber suede which don’t rip or scratch easily due to the tight weave and can be easily cleaned.
- Indoor/outdoor fabrics such as Sunbrella. These are usually stain and odor treated to repel moisture and bacteria. Any accidents or spills should bead up and be easier to clean.
- Fabrics which are treated to resist stains and bacteria
- Denim or canvas which are great for slipcovers as they are easily washable and are very durable and tear resistant.
- Avoid fabrics such silk and linen which are easily stained and hard to clean. Also avoid fabrics with looser weaves as they allow hair to be wedged into the fibers and can have odors over time. Fabrics such as velvet are also not as pet friendly as the pile can be ruined in trying to remove stains.
- Look for cushions with zippers so that the covers can be removed and cleaned.
- Check the label for any upholstery or fabrics for the cleaning codes. Fabrics with W cleaning codes work best for pets as you can use water based cleaners with these fabrics. S cleaning codes meant fabrics can be cleaned with solvents or dry cleaned.
Hopefully with all the options out there, you can create your perfect interior that is also pet friendly. If you need any help, feel free to reach out to me!
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