Designing pet-friendly interiors

Here are some practical ways to incorporate your pet’s needs into your home without sacrificing your design aesthetic.

We loveour pets- even when they get mud on the newlypainted walls, scratch up the curtains and leave alayer of fur allover the new couch. There aresome practical and fun waysyou can incorporateyour pet’s needs into your home, whilestill protectingyour design investments, and without sacrificingyour design aesthetic- so everybody’s happy! Createa play and sleep space Dogsparticularly need a dedicated place, or two,where they know their bed is,and where they can find theirfavourite toys. It’s the place you can send themtowhenyou needthemto not be racing through the entire house.

Catswilltendtofind their own spots, but you can tryluring themtowhere youwant them witha cosyblanketina patch of sun- or a food bowl.

For dogs,keep their dedicated area big enough that they have someroomtoplay, and put it nexttoa doorfor easy accessoutside. It should be away from main traffic thoroughfare areas, orworking areas like the kitchen withoutbeing isolated. Make sure it hasa comfy bed, and theirtoys tidied away ina basket that’s still accessiblefor your dog.

You know your dog best,soyou’llknow what’s goingtoworkto getthemtohang out in their area.

Dedicated storage Just like youmightdowithyour kids, having a storagebox or cupboard forall our pet paraphernaliacan helpkeepyour home looking ordered and tidy.

Takeover alaundry cupboard or build a storage boxin the shedoranother out-of-theway area,for items likesurplus food, medicines, spare leads, oldtowels andeven pet outfits!

Another idea for dogowners is to build a mudroom,orattheveryleast amud cupboard, near theexterior dooryou most usewhen taking the dogfor awalk. If possible make sure it hasa place to hangleads,bags and an oldtowel. Add ina place to sit where youcan change muddy shoes and dry your dog down when needed, and add plenty of hooksfor wet coats, and placesfor muddy shoes.

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Of course, having a pet-friendly interior design is not just about decorating to suit your pets; it’s also about decorating safely and neatly with pets in your house.

Protect the furniture Ifyou’ve finishedyour new decorwitha beautiful statementcouch, you’reprobablynot going to want itcovered with pethair or claw pulls.

Whenyou’reshoppingfor furniture,talk totheretailer or maker about how different fabricsattract or repel animal hair. You might alsowanttoconsider denserweave fabrics that won’t pull ortear easily. Leatherand synthetic fibres are often harderwearing andeasyto clean.Velvetsand chenille may needcovering with throws to protectthem from animalwear andtear.

Froma visual perspective,a simple trick isto match thecolour ofyourcouchtoyour pet's fur, but just keep inmind not everyitem of clothing someonewears to sit onyourcouch will match your pet’s fur.

Be mindful of natural finishes such aswood, wicker, cane, sisal orrattan. They canall be veryappealingtobite andtosharpen claws on.A bit of training may berequiredfor your furry friends, orkeep those finishestoareas that areout ofreach or out of boundsfor your pets. Alternatively, lookfor metal and chrome finishes that won’t make suchgood chew toys or scratching posts.

Protect thewalls Heavilytexturedwallpapers or fabricscan also bea magnet for animal hair, particularly around high traffic areas like doors or feedingzones.

Evenverymatte finishpaints willattract dirt and fur fromyour animals (andyour humans!) so lookfor aslightly higher sheen finish that is more likelytorepel dirt andcan be wiped down.For durable surfaces that areeasyto clean, try painting withResene SpaceCote Low Sheen or below the dado line witha waterborne enamel such asResene Enamacryl gloss, and ReseneLustacryl semi-gloss. Keep windows clear Most petswillalso be drawntowindows and ranch sliders or French doors because they’re sources of warmth and light- and because they like to know what’s going onoutside.Keep windows free of heavy curtains ifyou don’twant themtobecome dirty andworn. Either pull them back withcords,orsubstitute with blinds.

Consider minimalism Havinga declutter whenyou’reconsidering a pet, particularlya larger dog, ora kitty who likestoclamber, is nota bad idea.

You don’t needto gofor astrictly minimalist look withevery surface completely clear as thoughyou areliving ina show home. But think about where your precious mementos and art are placed. Are they out of theway of rogue waggingtails, or jumpingcats?

Would they be better placed ina different room? Ormoved behind glass or placed up higher?

Keepyourcolour scheme in mind Ifyou have carefully curated your colour schemetobe dramatic withwalls inResene Brown Brambletodrawattentiontoyour new leather sofa framedbya feature panel inResene Whiskey, havinga redand greentartan dog bed isgoingtoruin the effect somewhat.Ifyou don’tcare, that’s fine. Ifyou want peopleto notice theroom and not the dog bed, try for one ina neutralcolour.

Instead of that dramatic all -white interior you mightwantto gofor awarmer, more beige-toned neutralcolour on thewalls such as Resene HalfTea or Resene Cloud that areless likelytoshow everymark.

Dining instyle Findinga place to feedyour petsinside that doesn’t become an immediateeye-sore is tricky. Youcouldgoall out and adda catdoor into a storagecupboard, laundry or pantry so bowls are accessibletopetsbut not being constantly trippedover by everyone else.

Ifyour pet doesn’t need accesstothefood bowls all day, youcouldremovea kickboard fromyour kitchencabinetry and slide them out of sight when not inuse. Or transforma bottom drawer into a feedstation that can be closed whenyour pet’s notaround.

Tips forpainting with pets Ofcourse, havinga pet-friendly interior design is not just about decoratingtosuityour pets; it’s also about decorating safely and neatlywith pets inyour house. There’s nothing quiteas upsetting asa nice setofpaw prints inyourfavourite colour allover therestof the furnitureand floor.

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