Pet-friendly Interiors – Are There Any?
If you are proud pet owner, then you have probably experienced that your interior design ideas have been doused in the past. With pets, you can say goodbye to white, upholstered chairs; you are restricted from using wool and other expensive materials; and you feel that your choices in furniture are limited to leather and tightly-woven fabrics!
If you have a pet, plush furnishings, hardwood pieces and expensive vases are a no-no. Yet do not be discouraged, there is a plethora of design options even for pet owners. This means that you do not have to limit the movement of your canine companion any longer.
The Stylish Sofa Dilemma
Many have defined that furniture is not supposed to sit a dog (or a cat or any clawed creature). If you were able to teach your dog to keep off the plush sofa, then you are one of the blessed few. Most of the pet owners out there suffer from clawed out cushions and torn fabrics.
Yet gone are those days when worn sofas are frayed by your pet. The newest advances in sofa design now allow pet owners some style and comfort.
Have you heard of the synthetic fabrics that are virtually indestructible? Crypton is one of these. It is resistant to stains and is purrrrfect for those muddy paws and grimy fur. There are many other less expensive varieties, such as the microfiber ultra suede option. This is also smooth to the touch and you can easily clean stains by just using a soft cloth (or even a simple brushing away with your hands!).
The Fashionable Floor, Problem Solved!
When you are a pet owner, carpeting may not be the best option to dress up your floor. Carpeting can get dirty while hardwood boards can get easily scratched. Flooring options for pet owners include stone slabs which can be cut into precise shapes for the rooms in your home.
If you are really bent on having carpets in your home, then just invest in carpet tiles. They are easy to clean and when your dog ever soils any of the square pieces, all you have to do is to pull it up and have it washed.
Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions for the carpet tiles. After washing, allow them to dry then just install them again onto your floor.
If you love hardwood flooring, then stick to the hardest types such as cherry, oak, elm, hickory, sycamore and balsa. Steer clear of cedar, pine, birch, fir, redwood and larch as these can easily scratch.
Laminated surfaces for hardwood are also usable. Just keep in mind that dogs have a hard time walking on laminate flooring, though, so the best solution to stylize your floor is to stick to stained concrete, slate or tiles. Just mix and match such surfaces with varieties of carpet tiles and then you won’t have to worry about scratched or soiled surfaces again.
The Chic Furnishings
You do not need to compromise anymore. These days, there are a lot of metal and glass furniture pieces to choose from. When choosing furniture or accessories for your pet-friendly home, it is best to veer away from wooden furniture. Dogs, especially pups, love to gnaw on wood so you simply have to eliminate wood from your options.
Buy some chew toys for your dog so that you can now invest on those stylish furniture pieces that you have seen in a local shop. Again, choose form among the metal and glass options for your living room, bathroom and kitchen furniture needs.
Doggie interior design is all about function and practicality. You simply need to seamlessly blend in your environment to that of your canine friend’s, nothing more.
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