According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 45.5% of Americans own dogs, while 32.1% own cats.
Even well-behaved pets can cause a lot of wear and tear on a home over time. Thankfully, there are ways to protect your furnishings and disguise pet clutter without compromising on style.
Buy heavy-duty fabrics
Any pet owner knows that keeping dogs and cats off furniture can be a losing battle. That’s why it’s important to choose durable fabrics, especially in the rooms your pet spends the most time in. Examples of high-performance fabrics include Sunbrella, Krypton, microsuede, microfiber, canvas, and indoor/outdoor fabrics. Another option is scratch-and-stain-resistant leather.
If you own cats, stay away from anything with an open weave that they can get their claws in. Performance velvet is a good choice that often deters scratching.
Hide pet items in plain sight
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Litter boxes and small dog crates can be discretely hidden inside modified cabinets. Search online for “litter box enclosures” or “dog crate furniture” for ideas. Large dog crates can be hidden under a tabletop with a tablecloth. Some homeowners build floor-level nooks into their kitchen islands for storing pet dishes.
Nowadays, you can find cat trees or scratching posts that are designed to look like art pieces. Wall-mounted cat beds or cat shelves can also give your cat a cozy perch to survey the room, without using up floor space.
Keep collectibles out of reach
There’s no need to leave your shelves bare if you have pets. Just take precautionary measures to make sure no accidents (or intentional sabotages) happen. For starters, keep any accessories up and out of range of your dogs’ tails. If you have cats, try securing decorative objects with earthquake putty, or choose bottom-heavy pieces. For example, a vase can be filled with aquarium gravel to make it harder to move. Especially delicate or valuable items should always be kept in a glass display case.
Some of my favorite published projects have been for clients who owned dogs. Just because you live with pets doesn’t mean you have to settle for less. By choosing your fabrics wisely, and finding clever ways to disguise pet paraphernalia, you can keep your dream home looking beautiful for years to come.
Margaret Chambers, a registered interior designer (RID) and American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) member, leads Chambers Interiors and Associates. Her colleague Caitlin Crowley helped edit this column. Visit chambersinteriors.com/blog for more design advice.
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