Pet lovers know a cat or dog is a member of the family. We want our pets to be comfortable, happy and feel safe. So the question is, can you still have a beautiful home as a pet owner, or is everything covered in fur and pet proof ugly? Good news fellow animal lovers, when considering your home décor, you no longer need to sacrifice your personal style to accommodate Fido and Fluffy! Everyone can be happy and you can be proud of your home too! This post is all about design ideas and pet friendly furniture.
Pet Friendly Design Ideas
Pets are beloved members of many households, and as such, it’s important to consider their needs when designing and decorating our homes. Here are some pet-friendly design ideas to consider:
Durable Flooring
Pets can be hard on flooring, so it’s important to choose a durable option that can withstand scratches and accidents. Options like hardwood, tile, and vinyl are great choices.
Stain-Resistant Fabrics
Similarly, pets can be tough on upholstery and fabrics. Consider choosing stain-resistant fabrics like microfiber or leather, or opt for easy-to-clean slipcovers.
Pet Friendly Furniture
As much as we love our pets, they can be hard on furniture.
We’ve compiled a list of the best pet-friendly furniture options to keep your home looking great and your pets happy.
First up, let’s talk about leather. A leather sofa may seem like a nightmare for pet owners, but fear not! A dog-proof leather sofa is possible with the suitable materials. Look for leather treated with a protective coating to prevent scratches and stains. This type of leather is easy to clean and durable, making it an excellent option for pet owners.
If you’re looking for outdoor furniture that can withstand your pet’s playful nature, consider dog-proof outdoor furniture. Look for materials like resin wicker or metal that can hold up against rough play and won’t be easily damaged by your pet’s claws.
For cat owners, a cat-safe recliner is a must-have. Look for recliners with no exposed springs or wires that could potentially hurt your cat. Additionally, consider cat-proof sofa fabric that won’t snag or tear easily. Microfiber or leather are good options.
Built-In Feeding Stations
Make mealtime a breeze by incorporating a built-in feeding station into your kitchen or mudroom. This can be as simple as a designated corner with a mat and food bowl, or a custom-built solution with integrated drawers and storage.
Cat Friendly Living Room Furniture
If you’re looking to create a cat-friendly living room, consider furniture with rounded edges to prevent injury in case your cat decides to climb or jump on it. Additionally, a cat-proof office chair is a great investment for those who work from home and want to keep their furry friends safe while they work.
Pet Safe Wood Stain
When it comes to wood furniture, make sure to choose a pet-safe wood stain to prevent any harmful chemicals from seeping into your pet’s skin or fur. You can also opt for furniture made from reclaimed wood or bamboo, which is eco-friendly and safe for your pets.
Hidden Litter Boxes
For cat owners, litter boxes can be an eyesore. Consider hiding them in a cabinet or under a bench, or opt for a stylish litter box enclosure that doubles as a piece of furniture.
Pet furniture furniture is a real possibility and doesn’t have to sacrifice style for functionality. With dog-proof leather sofas, cat-safe recliners, and pet-friendly wood stains, you can keep both your pets and your home life happy.
Pet-Friendly Landscaping
If you have a yard or outdoor space, consider incorporating pet-friendly landscaping features such as a designated potty area, a dog run, or a shaded spot for pets to relax.
Finally, don’t forget to incorporate pet-friendly decor into your home. Consider adding pet-themed artwork, throw pillows with paw prints, or a gallery wall featuring photos of your furry friends.
I love the smell of the litter box – said no cat owner ever!
Fresh Smell
One of the biggest challenges pet owners face is the smell of their cats and dogs. Litter boxes, wet dogs and piddle accidents can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare.
It is super important to clean up your pet’s mess as soon as it happens if at all possible. This can be super tricky if an accident happened when you are at work, or even sleeping. How many times a cat owner wakes up to step in a lovely mound of hairball vomit. Sometimes you might not even realize your new puppy peed behind a piece of furniture until you are up close to it and catch a whiff. These things do happen and of course we forgive our little fur babies. But whenever possible, getting to the compound in a timely fashion is ideal.
Cat Furniture Your Feline Friendly Home Can’t Do Without
Once you have identified the disaster zone and assessed the immediate damage, you’ll want to get to work.
One of the absolute best non-toxic pet specific cleaners on the market is Rocco and Roxie. This product will leave your home smelling fresh while eliminating stains. Trust me, you will love this product.
Slip Covers
If you must have high-end furniture, consider slipcovers as a way to protect your couch. A great tip for decorating with pets is to use a similar color on your couch that is your pet’s fur. If you have a grey tabby cat, consider a nice deep charcoal grey slipcover to camouflage the fur left behind after a catnap. Use bright throw pillows to add a pop of color to your room.
RELEVANT: How Do I Make My Room Dog Friendly?
There are even covers for furniture made especially for cats and dogs now. They come in a variety of colors and styles, and are all of course machine washable. Having a pet furniture cover can be easier than an entire slip cover and your pet will understand that his her place to lounge. If you are extremely concerned about your sofa being stained, scratched, torn or overly covered in pet hair, you can use a slipcover and then also put a pet furniture cover on top of the slip cover. That should add a nice layer for your couch to be completely safe.
Pets are so popular that it is not surprising they have their own line of stylish products!
Your cat or dog will love these aesthetically pleasing pieces, all while keeping a sense of your own personal style. Try accenting your home with these wool pet beds. Made specifically so your pet will feel safe and snugly, the shapes and colors are ideal for any home décor!
Use cat shelving that is specifically kitty friendly and looks great too! Felines love to climb, stretch and relax all in the same space. They prefer being up above their keepers so they can stare you down, literally.
Instead of climbing up an outdoor tree and risking getting hurt outside or stuck in the limbs, kitty cat wall furniture is now available in the most luxe styles.
Some of the cat shelves come with sisal rope for your kitty’s added scratching services. And some have hammocks to lounge around in. The best part about wall furniture is the valuable real estate you free up on the floor. No more stepping over cat scratchers and cat trees. You can literally put them on the wall!
Invest in stainless steel pet dishes to keep your kitchen looking upgraded. With that, elevated dish holders can add a nice touch while removing dishes from the floor and minimizing food spill.
In additional to being aesthetically pleasing, elevated pet meal bowls can assist your pet in proper stature while inhaling their favorite grub. By using an elevating dish, your cat and dog won’t have to hunch over and risk injuring their back from long term strains.
Functional Pet Friendly Carpet
When choosing carpet, go with colors that will help mask your pet’s fur. Always get carpet that is easy to vacuum and clean. Keep your pet’s nails trimmed to avoid pulls in your carpet from the claws. Only use pet friendly, non-toxic rug cleaners for deeper cleaning and odor elimination.
When picking out carpets, consider one that is made of nylon fiber material. They tend to be really sturdy and durable, holding up against the challenges that come with high traffic areas and pets, including the messes the sometimes make. Triexta is a popular material for carpets among pet owners because it is softer, but still very durable.
Adding throw rugs that are machine washable to your hardwood floors can be a great way to save your floors from stain and also cut down on noise. Cats and dogs love to run around but sometimes even a few small kittens can sound like a group of elephants running around! Rugs and carpets can help absorb some of that and act as a little noise barrier.
A new trend for pets and the people who love them is furniture that is made for both to share.
Ottomans in the shape of animals, used by cats and people are the cutest new thing to hit the pet furniture arena. Available at Amazon, you can pick out from a variety of critters and colors. The world needs more cats, riding an elephant, through the living room, where you can also put your feet up and stash your remote control.
A great place to browse for pet friendly home decorating ideas is Pinterest. If you are moving or re-decorating your entire home, it can be fun to start a decorating board. Either print out photos from Pinterest and catalogues and add them to a board, or start an electronic decorating board using the app Canva. Using a design board or creating a vision board can help you get organized and arrange your thoughts. I love to map out goals and scratch them off my list as I go; accomplished!
Don’t forget to accent your living room coffee table with a few design books. We have noticed, if your books have adorable images of cats and dogs on the cover, people won’t be able to resist picking up the book and paging through the content.
A few candles that are shaped like kitty cats can be a nice accent to your home. Dog figurines are also fun, especially if you can find accent decor that looks like your pet!
If you have rambunctious dogs or curious kitty cats, it is a good idea to get flameless candles. I received these as a gift for Christmas, and have never gone back to using normal candles since. They are so much safer than having a flame lit and risking a candle being tipped over. Furniture can be destroyed from the wax and if you have ever had that happen, you understand the relief of a fire not catching, mixed with devastation your favorite couch was now stained with melted wax.
The happier your pet is, the happier you will be and visa versa. Having a stylish home you and your fur family love can be great fun to create, and so comfortable to enjoy!
