Ideas for Decorating a Home with a Dog
Moving house with a dog isn’t easy, but designing a stylish, pet-friendly home is even harder. Not only can pesky pups wreak havoc on furniture and upholstery, certain pet essentials, like dog bowls and crates, tend to be real eyesores.
Fortunately, though, with a little imagination and planning, you can design a pup-proof space without sacrificing any style. To give you some inspiration for decorating a home with a dog, we have compiled our top ideas. From doggy wash stations to designated drawers - here’s everything you need to create a stylish pet-sanctuary.
1. Built-in feeding drawers
Food, water biscuits - chances are you have a whole lot of dog bowls to contend with. To avoid cluttering your home with pet dishes, try integrating them into the design of your home with custom built-ins.
For example, you could incorporate a low-level drawer with built-in food bowls that your dogs can easily access. The great thing about a small DIY project like this is that it doesn’t require you to remodel a full room - you can get it done for a reasonable fee and very little inconvenience.
2. Create a distinct pet station
Any dog owner knows the chaos of bath time. After muddy walks, puddle-jumping or pond-dipping, doggy bath time can get very messy. To avoid unnecessary clean up when giving your pooch a bath, why not convert an area of your home into a designated washing station for your dogs?
Whether it’s a spare room, part of your utility room or a back entrance, cornering off an area just for puppy washes will save you a whole lot of time and cleaning. But, if you don’t have the space to go all out, don’t worry. A few key accessories in your bathroom or utility room can help you cope with home-grooming in style.
3. Use pet-friendly fabrics
It’s no secret that pets can be tough on upholstery. That’s why we suggest investing in easy-to-clean, pet-friendly fabrics, such as microfiber and microsuede, when decorating highly-used areas of your home.
Pet-friendly fabrics ensure you don’t have to worry about dirty paws or dog messes staining your furniture. Stain-, fade- and scratch-resistant leathers are also good options for dog-owners.
4. Buy dog beds with washable covers
Many dog owners instinctively opt for the comfiest-looking beds to keep their pups cosy and off the furniture. However, these can often get covered in allergy-inducing dog hair and dirt pretty quickly.
That’s why we recommend buying pet beds with removable covers that can easily be cleaned on a regular basis. This way, your pampered pooch will be as comfortable as on the sofa but your home will stay looking clean and stylish.
5. Install durable flooring
Whether you’re a carpet fan or a wooden floor lover, it’s important to make sure your home’s floor can withstand the constant beating of your dogs.
Unfortunately, dogs and carpeted floors are not a happy combination. Dog hair and dander quickly accumulate in the fibres, and no matter how often you vacuum, you just can’t get it all out.
So, when decorating for dogs, non-carpeted surfaces are best. While hardwood floors are great when it comes to aesthetics, they might not stand up to larger dogs. Instead, you could consider durable laminate that will give you the look of wood but last for years.
Fortunately, though, with a little imagination and planning, you can design a pup-proof space without sacrificing any style. To give you some inspiration for decorating a home with a dog, we have compiled our top ideas. From doggy wash stations to designated drawers - here’s everything you need to create a stylish pet-sanctuary.
1. Built-in feeding drawers
Food, water biscuits - chances are you have a whole lot of dog bowls to contend with. To avoid cluttering your home with pet dishes, try integrating them into the design of your home with custom built-ins.
For example, you could incorporate a low-level drawer with built-in food bowls that your dogs can easily access. The great thing about a small DIY project like this is that it doesn’t require you to remodel a full room - you can get it done for a reasonable fee and very little inconvenience.
2. Create a distinct pet station
Any dog owner knows the chaos of bath time. After muddy walks, puddle-jumping or pond-dipping, doggy bath time can get very messy. To avoid unnecessary clean up when giving your pooch a bath, why not convert an area of your home into a designated washing station for your dogs?
Whether it’s a spare room, part of your utility room or a back entrance, cornering off an area just for puppy washes will save you a whole lot of time and cleaning. But, if you don’t have the space to go all out, don’t worry. A few key accessories in your bathroom or utility room can help you cope with home-grooming in style.
3. Use pet-friendly fabrics
It’s no secret that pets can be tough on upholstery. That’s why we suggest investing in easy-to-clean, pet-friendly fabrics, such as microfiber and microsuede, when decorating highly-used areas of your home.
Pet-friendly fabrics ensure you don’t have to worry about dirty paws or dog messes staining your furniture. Stain-, fade- and scratch-resistant leathers are also good options for dog-owners.
4. Buy dog beds with washable covers
Many dog owners instinctively opt for the comfiest-looking beds to keep their pups cosy and off the furniture. However, these can often get covered in allergy-inducing dog hair and dirt pretty quickly.
That’s why we recommend buying pet beds with removable covers that can easily be cleaned on a regular basis. This way, your pampered pooch will be as comfortable as on the sofa but your home will stay looking clean and stylish.
5. Install durable flooring
Whether you’re a carpet fan or a wooden floor lover, it’s important to make sure your home’s floor can withstand the constant beating of your dogs.
Unfortunately, dogs and carpeted floors are not a happy combination. Dog hair and dander quickly accumulate in the fibres, and no matter how often you vacuum, you just can’t get it all out.
So, when decorating for dogs, non-carpeted surfaces are best. While hardwood floors are great when it comes to aesthetics, they might not stand up to larger dogs. Instead, you could consider durable laminate that will give you the look of wood but last for years.
