Top Three Tips For Decorating when you have Pets
I love pets and can’t remember the time I didn’t own a dog. And they’ve always been part of the family and allowed inside. So with that in mind there are three main things to consider when decorating your home if you also have pets.
Flooring – all animals have accidents from time to time so steer away from thick rugs or light coloured carpet. Of course hard surfaces are easier to clean and less likely to stain but we don’t always want hard surfaces. When accidents happen, treat stains straight away and where necessary call in the professional cleaners.
Window Coverings – If you have curtains, then I would not recommend you have them “puddling”. That is when they sit in a little puddle on the floor. Your pets will LOVE sitting on this soft spot and could cause damage to the fabric. Or they may decide this is a new game and try to climb them. There is also the risk of pulling the entire curtains and rod down if they are getting frisky and playing with the fabric on the floor. Try to have your curtains “kissing” the floor instead where they sit about 1cm above floor level. Silk and sheer curtain fabrics can be magnets to cats and will rip very easily with sharp claws climbing on it. Choose a non woven, flat fabric instead.
Upholstery – Fabric choice is paramount here if your pets are allowed on the furniture. Darker colours are better to hide any marks although if you have an animal that sheds then perhaps it would be easier to choose a fabric the same colour as the pet. Leather can be wiped clean and there are ample indoor/outdoor fabrics that look and feel great having the added benefits of being strong and stain resistant. Upholstery can be treated too, to repel stains. So if you want to keep the furniture in tip top condition, I would recommend treating before you allow the pets in. Again, if accidents happen clean up as soon as possible.
I don’t believe a home is a home without a pet so sometimes you just have to embrace the pitfalls and as Kathryn Ireland says, put them down to “the patina of life”.