Colleen Paige's Pet Home Design | Taming the Animal House | Pet Friendly Interior Design Articles

Animal house: New products make your home pet-friendly
By Sheba R. Wheeler, New York Times

The world looks different when you're 2 feet high.

Decorating with a furry companion in mind means stooping to the animal's level. Some decor changes make pet ownership easier, but they may not benefit our four-legged friends.

"If you have pets that are your family, there's no problem having a beautiful home," says Colleen Paige, a Seattle animal behaviorist.

Couches needn't be covered in plastic slipcovers to avoid pet wear and tear. More pet-friendly materials and furnishings, along with clever interior designers, are available to help forge homes that both pets and humans can appreciate.

Paige, who often helps clients shop for new homes, can pinpoint potential pet problem areas and suggest ways a home can be modified to better suit its animal inhabitants. One of her first questions for clients: "Is it pet-friendly for you, or for your dog or cat?"

Experts suggest starting any pet-friendly decorating with the area in which pets spend the most time -- the floor.

Many designers warn pet-loving clients against carpeting in favor of stain-resistant ceramic tile or hardwood, which can be mopped or vacuumed. In general, stains are harder to remove from carpet, which also can harbor lingering odor, fleas, pet hair and dander.

Continuous-loop carpeting is a special no-no because it snags and unravels easily.

But Paige approves of carpeting. She says dogs especially benefit from having traction to keep them from slipping around and hurting themselves. Most of the floors in her home are carpeted. The rest are covered with throw rugs. Paige's Chihuahua, Tinkerbell, still slips on the wood flooring between the throw rugs, often bumping her shoulders and head.

Clip dogs' nails regularly to give them better footing in the house, and cover hard floors with plenty of inexpensive throw rugs with rubber backing. Sisal or seagrass mats are good options because they stand up to traffic.

Pet owners also should vacuum regularly -- daily during shedding season -- and match the color of any new carpeting to the hue of their pets' fur.

Persian rugs? Not the best choice for floors in pet-friendly homes. Consider hanging them up like a tapestry -- or hold your temper. On the floor, expensive rugs will inevitably get torn or stained by a pet.