Pets’ Point of View

THE PET PERSPECTIVE

Home decoration with furry friends in mind

BY HALEY SHAPLEY

PETS ARE A PART OF THE FAMILY, SO IT ONLY

makes sense that they get a little love when it comes to the look and feel of your home. We talked to Los Angeles–based interior designer Jen Dallas—whose line of lifestyle products, Maple Jude & Co., includes organic cotton dog beds—to get decorating ideas worthy of a tail wag.

Friendly Fabrics

Not all fabrics are created equal—and some aren’t made to withstand animal wear-and-tear (think silk) or conceal pet hair (think velvet). Fortunately, exterior-grade performance fabrics have come a long way, to the point where you’d be hard-pressed to even recognize them as such. “These fabrics make it simple and easy to wipe messy dog paw prints off and still keep your house pretty,” says Dallas, who’s found that her own seagrass area rugs are surprisingly cleanable.

Such Great Heights

Cats are built to climb, which makes vertical shelving a fun way to explore. For inspiration on how to implement this and other feline-friendly ideas in your home, visit a local cat cafe—they’re full of clever catwalks, window hammocks, and hiding spots that make cats feel safe and stimulated.

Wash and Go

If you’re building a new home or remodeling, consider a dog-washing station with a handheld showerhead in the mudroom or laundry room. This makes it easy to get your pup sparkling clean before he begins roaming through the rest of the house.

Beat the Box Blues

It’s tough to make a litter box cute, but you can make it less obtrusive. “Cat litter gets everywhere, so it’s nice to have a designated part of your house for a cat box,” Dallas says. If you have the space, she suggests a small area with a touch-latch door that has an opening for cats to walk in and out of. That way, they can easily access their box and you can get in for cleaning. “I’ve even done it where you have fans and odor-treating things within a hidden wall,” she adds. If you’re not able to purpose-build something like this, there are many decorative pieces of furniture now, such as benches, end tables, and credenzas, that double as deluxe cat bathroom hideaways.

Dinner Is Served

To integrate a feeding station into your kitchen, try building a low drawer with bowls into the base of an island. You can pull out the drawer when it’s feeding time, and push it back when breakfast is over. The bowls can also be in a recessed section of the island, complete with a convenient water spout if your pets free-feed throughout the day.

What a Pet Wants

Just as you think about your own preferences when making design decisions, consider your pet’s too. “My dog loves to be in the front window,” Dallas says, “so I made sure there was a bench there where she can sit and look out and bark and have the time of her life when I’m not home.”

JUST AS YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN PREFERENCES WHEN MAKING DESIGN DECISIONS, CONSIDER YOUR PET’S TOO.