Pets are pure creatures that shower human beings with unconditional love.
Photo by Altaf Shah: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-shot-of-a-white-tabby-cat-6054848/
Several studies link keeping pets to health benefits like decreased cholesterol levels, managing blood pressure, and reducing anxiety and loneliness, among others. Pet owners also exercise more while playing with the fur family members.
According to a 2021-2022 report conducted by the APPA (American Pet Products Association), about 90.5 million families in the US own a pet. While many people love pets, most homes are not pet-friendly.
Homeowners strive to make their spaces conducive with beautiful interiors and smart appliances like an automated AC unit. If your AC is consistently breaking down or older than 10 years, look for companies near you that offer HVAC installations to replace your old AC with a modern one. While these are great for human beings, you will need more effort to accommodate the four-legged family members. If you are planning to join the many fur families, consider the following pet-friendly design ideas for your home.
Play Space
Pets love to play, and while watching them do it is exciting, they can easily ruin your décor when playing indoors. Having a designated play area just for your furry friend to have fun will save both of you from distress and unnecessary breakages.
Find a place that does not have much furniture that your pet will know is its play space. Consider having a cute dog bed, beanbag, or woven basket to give your pet a sense of their area. Also, keep the toys well tucked out of view but easy to access. You can bring fun bits, but ensure that it enhances your décor.
Spotless Kitchen
A pet-friendly interior is about tidy and clean spaces. To achieve this, you will want to keep the pets away from the kitchen area. Having a pet is not an excuse to lower the cleanliness bar. If anything, you will need to put more effort.
Most fur parents leave food containers on the kitchen floor for the four-legged friends to eat or drink when they feel like it. Your kitchen should not have an unsightly kitty or doggy bowls smudging the stunning kitchen.
Set eating time where you bring out the food and keep a water dish around the corner for your pet family to quench their thirst. If it is not feeding time, slide the bowls under your kitchen cabinetry.
Fur Free Upholstery
Pets like bunnies, cats, dogs, or hamsters are often shed. Cleaning the pet’s hair from couches, carpets, and other surfaces is tedious. When considering a pet-friendly interior, consider how likely the fabrics you choose for upholstering will gather fur.
Avoid fabrics like mohair, corduroy, chenille, velour, or velvet magnets for pet hair. Also, keep off delicate materials like silk that are easily damaged. Smooth tapestries, synthetic fibers, and leather are a great choice that can withstand the claws, will not harbor fur, and are super easy to clean.
Avoid Wooden Furniture as Much as Possible
Puppies are inclined to chew things, whether toys, clothes, or edges of wooden furniture. When planning to bring in pets, change your wooden furniture to those with metal finishes. Since your pet cannot crunch on metal, they won’t chew it! Ensure there are no exposed rattan and wicker as they are easy to chew and even scratch.
Window Treatment
All pets love to gaze out of the windows, whether basking in the sun or watching their owners come home. Thick curtains will not only deprive you of generous sunshine but will rob your pets the joy.
Get lightweight sheer curtains to allow them to enjoy your view. Pull up blinds, so your fur children do not bring them down accidentally.
Go for Minimum Décor
While minimalism is not for everyone, pet parents have no option but to keep their spaces with minimal décor. Think of how many accidents can happen around clumsy paws, bushy tails, and jumpy kittens. A table that sits too low with glasses, candles, and other breakables is not a pet-friendly environment.
Since pets aren’t always aware of their surroundings and do not mean to cause trouble, consider how you can avoid unnecessary accidents.
Conclusion
Creating a cozy place that is also charming for your pet is a win. Work on keeping your floors squeaky clean, especially if you have a kitten or puppy still toilet training. Consider flooring that is easy to clean, like ceramic tiles, stone, and laminate flooring.