Much like how new parents baby-proof their homes for their unborn child, those who are interested in welcoming a new pet in their space would similarly have to make a few adjustments. Don’t worry—there are a lot of design ideas you should take into consideration so you and your new furry friend will have a well-designed living space.
- Coordinate with your pet’s fur color
Are you looking to bring home a white Persian cat, or perhaps a chocolate brown Labrador? You have to be mindful about the color of your existing furniture. If you have a lot of black rugs and throw pillow covers in your living room, your cat’s white fur might become a sight for sore eyes. Opt for lighter shades of fabric that can easily mask the color of your pet’s fur so that you don’t always have to bust out your vacuum cleaner or lint roller to get rid of the hair they shed.
- Know what kinds of decor to avoid
While there’s no sure way of knowing what kind of temperament your new pet will have, researching about the most common behavior of the breed or species you’re getting is essential. If you want to have big dogs inside the house, and they’re the type that gets so energetic, it might be best to lay off buying vases or glass decorations they can easily bump and break.
- Choose your flooring carefully
Your pets will leave scratches on your floor, causing unwanted marks that can destroy the aesthetics of your space. If you have the budget to adjust your flooring to ceramic tiles, then all the better! Hardwood floors are difficult to maintain with a four-legged friend frequently running around, while laminated flooring can bloat and crack when soaked with water for long periods (your pet’s urine or water bowl spilling).
- Camouflage pet toys as decor
This technique is more commonly seen in cat owners’ homes, but you can very much adapt it to whatever pet you have. Cats need scratching posts to sharpen their nails, as well as multiple elevated areas in the home to sleep or exercise on. You can have custom shelves created to achieve this, and have rattan cover specific areas of your house as a makeshift scratch post. Remember, your home will be your pet’s home, too, so it’s nice to give them areas of your house that they can genuinely call theirs.
- Invest in slipcovers for furniture
Your dog or cat would want to sit and hang out wherever you are, and if that means sitting beside you on the couch while you’re watching television, they’ll do that. They can’t help it that their paws are dirty sometimes, so it’s likely that they could damage the sofa. Worse, their nails could get stuck on the fabric and cause a tear. You can invest in slipcovers that you can place over your couch to protect it from such cases. You can even have one custom made in different patters to suit your personal style!
A Beautiful Home for a Wonderful Pet
Part of ensuring that your pet will be comfortable in your home is providing them with space to just be and enjoy their company with you. If you have restrictive interiors and keep reprimanding them from certain areas of the house, it will be a very stressful experience for both you and your furry friend. That’s why it’s important to adjust your surroundings for your pet while also maintaining your home’s unique charm and style identity. At the end of the day, what’s important is that you and your pet are both satisfied. Try the tips above and see what works!
