If it seems like everyone you know has a dog or a cat, you’re not wrong. According to the 2019-2020 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA), 67 percent of U.S. households, which represents nearly 85 million families, share their home with pets. Though pets can be sweet and cute, they can also be messy.
We asked Alessandra Wood, vice president of styles for Modsy, an online interior design service, for tips about how to decorate when a pet is part of your household.
“When you have a pet, you’ll want to be a bit more thoughtful about the materials that you select for furniture and decor,” Wood wrote in an email.
Share this articleShareHere are some of her suggestions:
- For upholstered pieces of furniture, such as sofas and accent chairs, opt for fabrics that are deemed “high performance” by retailers. These fabrics meet higher cleaning and durability standards and can take a lot more daily wear and tear. One of the most common high-performance fabrics is microfiber, a 100 percent polyester fabric that is fade-proof and stain-resistant, making it a great choice for homes with pets and kids. If you’re not a fan of microfiber, look for pieces upholstered with Perennials or Sunbrella fabric — these two brands create indoor-outdoor fabrics that have a natural fiber look but are treated to weather the outdoor elements, making them a perfect choice to combat muddy paws. They also come in a wide variety of trendy colors and prints, which means that your pet-friendly sofa doesn’t actually have to look pet-friendly.
- One of my favorite options for pet-friendly upholstery is naturally tanned leather. This choice is best for those who prefer a relaxed, more eclectic feel to their space, as the leather will wear and age over time. If you’re a Type A perfectionist who cringes at a scratch on your leather handbag, this option is not for you. Naturally tanned leather sofas, however, are great for those who love art and objects with a history and patina, as your sofa will have scratches and blemishes, but in the most beautiful way. It’s also super easy to vacuum up dog and cat hair from leather as it doesn’t get trapped in the fabric.
- Be sure to avoid nubby fabrics such as boucle and tweed as these are easily pulled and shredded by cats and dog claws. Avoid delicate fabric such as silk, which is easily stained. You can get the look of these specialty fabrics in high-performance synthetic look-alikes.
- For rugs, material is an important consideration as well. You’ll want to choose something that is easy to clean, as rugs seem to have a gravitational pull whenever pets have stomach issues. There are certain rugs, such as 100 percent cotton ones or the Ruggable brand, that are totally washable, which are great for ease of cleaning. Another option is to purchase an indoor-outdoor rug. Oftentimes you can’t even tell that these are made to withstand the exterior elements, and the best part is that you can take them outside or in the shower and hose them off. Wool can also be a great option for homes with pets with the caveat that you need to regularly clean and care for wool rugs. But they’re made to last many lifetimes and with proper care and cleaning can withstand all your pets’ accidents.
- When you’re choosing furniture and rugs, don’t fall into the trap of picking out dark pieces to try to mask or hide stains. In fact, solid, dark furniture and rugs can sometimes make stains even more apparent. For upholstered pieces, if you’re set on having a white sofa, buy one with a bleachable, washable slipcover so it’s always crisp. Gray is also a great option for color as it’s not so light that it will show every speck of dirt of dust. You can try to match your sofa to your pet’s hair color. For example, if you have a tan-colored dog, opt for a tan sofa, and if you have a black dog, get a black sofa.
- For rugs, the best thing you can do is buy something with a multicolored pattern. The changes in color and pattern will help mask any hard-to-remove stains that would be very easily visible on a solid-color rug. This is also a great trick for upholstered pieces if you’re a bolder type who loves print and color.
Read more:
What you can do now to plan and manage a home renovation once conditions are right
Smart moves for home sellers in the market now or on the sidelines during the pandemic
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