Top Tips For Dog-Friendly Interior Design

For as long as anyone can remember, the dog has been known as man’s best friend. While there’s no denying the bond between a human and their canine companion, one can’t deny that a dog has the potential to wreak havoc with a home’s interior.  Between muddy paws, slobber and dog hair, maintaining a spectacular home may become somewhat daunting. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to strike a  balance between a stunning home and your dedication to your pets.

Thanks to luxurious, stain-resistant fabrics, it is becoming easier than ever before to share a beautiful home with canine companions.  While velvet, chenille and silk are not exactly pet-friendly fabrics, there are a number of textiles that are resistant to not only smells and stains, but bacteria and grubby paws as well.

Leather is a timeless textile and is, for the most part, durable and easy to clean. Ultrasuede, a machine-washable microfiber that looks and feels a lot like real suede, is a firm favorite among pet owners and is a superb choice for chair and sofa coverings. Smooth tapestries and durable linens in the season’s hottest colors are always good choices – both for your own furniture and accessories, and for your  beloved dog’s own bed.

The best type of flooring for a gorgeous, pet-friendly home is undoubtedly bare floors such as concrete, terrazzo and brick, which are both functional and visually appealing. Hardwood floors are also easy to clean, and can add a welcome touch of warmth to an otherwise clinical room. Ceramic tiles in all their wonderful forms remain some of the most popular floor coverings, and with very good reason.

Not only can ceramic tiles completely transform a room and make it look elegant and sleek, but they are also resistant to just about  any stain a dog can dish up. If you can’t bring yourself to part with your lush, beautiful carpets, be sure to invest in a carpet cleaner that will get rid of pet hair and dander with ease. Check that you choose a cleaner with a  system designed to remove pet stains and odours, and there’s no reason you can’t have both a dog and a carpet.

While shades of gray were the most popular choices in wall colors during 2019, beige is set to make a huge comeback in 2020, alongside old favorites such as hunter green and navy blue. Even vibrant yellow and orange hues are expected to trend, together with blush pink and black – both of which are now considered to be ‘neutrals’. As a dog owner, you can still enjoy all the latest color trends in your home – as long as you choose the right type of paint. Flat-finish paints are extremely difficult to clean, while a high-gloss paint may be easy to wipe clean of slobber and paw prints, but will call attention to even the tiniest speck of dirt. The best paint choice for stylish, dog-friendly walls is one with an eggshell or satin finish that is both easy to clean and easy on the eye.

Being a dog owner is a big responsibility – especially if you want to maintain a beautiful home as well. Thankfully, it is possible to do both by simply following the guidelines above, which will leave your dog happy and your home blemish-free.