In the U.S., 68 percent of households own a pet, from lizards to Labrador Retrievers. In Dallas alone, there are over 600,000 dogs and cats making themselves at home. With fish, dogs, and cats topping the list of most popular Pets, don’t forget to keep them in mind during a home remodel. Making your home pet-friendly can create unique, stylish, and functional spaces for all who live there, including four-legged friends.
Create an Dedicated Pet Space
For those who have indoor/outdoor pets, you know the difficulty of keeping paw prints from the floors and furniture. To keep this from occurring, consider creating a separate entryway, close to the backyard entrance. You can either keep it gated and separate from your mudroom or integrate into one large gated mudroom for the whole family.
Another way keep your pets in that room is to install a doggie door. You might also consider adding a bath or shower, so your pets can be cleaned and dried before they are allowed into the rest of the home. Many homes are beginning to utilize this idea, even adding a niche or cabinet for supplies like towels, shampoos, and brushes, other grooming products. Built-in food and water bowl stations are another great idea.
Choose Pet-friendly Flooring
For the mudroom or gated enclosure the choice is easy: a tile or other hard surface makes the most sense. Be on-trend with cement tile and add some flair to the design.
For the rest of the home, hardwood floors are a timeless option. Maple and oak are quite hard and durable, whereas pine and cherry are softer and will scratch easily from pet traffic. Decorative rugs on top of the hardwoods will counteract their natural slipperiness and give your pet a cozier spot to rest.
If you prefer carpet, choose something that is stain resistant. You’ll want to vacuum it regularly and steam clean seasonally to remove pet hair and odors. Carpet tiles allow the option to create the look of wall-to-wall carpet, and individual tiles can be replaced if soiled or stained.
Furniture, Decor, and More
If your pets roam freely around the house, buy furniture that is durable and stain resistant. If you’re keeping the furniture you already have, consider reupholstering with something that fits that description. Avoid velvet, silk, or chenille, because they attract pet hair or are easily damaged.
High-performance fabrics offer the best of all worlds — we love Sunbrella Fabrics, as well as Crypton Home Fabric. We use a lot of Crypton as it can be bleached without harming the fabric at all. Best of all, it is soft as can be, making for a pet-friendly space that works beautifully for children and families, too!
If the pets are getting their own furniture or beds, the pieces need to be either machine washable or easily spot cleaned. No need to stray from your color palette — it’s easy to find custom options online.
Now, a word about fish. Their tanks are a special situation and need to be placed away from windows or electrical outlets as a safety consideration. They are beautiful, but big tanks should be out of the flow of traffic. Built-in tanks are a home remodel option that accommodates all these concerns.
What do you think of our tips for a pet-friendly home remodel? Leave a comment below or on Facebook or Twitter.
We’ve got years of experience creating inspired, gorgeous homes — contact the team at Barbara Gilbert Interiors today at 214-641-7897 or via the website contact form. We offer DFW interior design services in Dallas, Plano, Allen, Frisco, McKinney, and many more parts of North Texas — please see the list of the areas we serve.
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