We get it, pups are messy...but that shouldn't stop you from having the home of your dreams! The following tips are some of the best ways to spice up your home while keeping it perfectly functional for your furry friends!
1. Choose a Colour Scheme
To get started with a colour scheme, take a look at the main pieces in any given room. If your vibe is monochromatic, choose black and white pet accessories that match. A fan of greys? Look for blush accented dog bowls to add the perfect accent colour.
By general rule, a room’s colour palette should have one main colour (i.e. walls), one secondary colour (large furnishings, rugs etc) and a few accent colours and textures and bring them all together. One expert tip is to start with a piece you love – be it an artwork, rug or wallpaper – and draw your colour palette from there.
Whatever pieces you choose, extending your colour scheme to your pet supplies allows them to integrate seamlessly into your home as another gorgeous piece.
2. The Bed is Everything
Just like us, dogs need a good bed to sleep in, relax, and have their own personal space to call their very own. And because even the smallest dog beds aren’t small, they unwittingly become a major piece of a room whether you like it or not.
Invest in a dog bed that has classic lines, durable materials and a sophisticated palette (step away from the paw prints!) Look for hypoallergenic foam fillings, and washable exteriors that make for comfy dozing and easy cleaning.
3. Quality Materials
The materials you choose for your pet supplies will literally make or break your quest for a stylish pet friendly home. Poorly made beds, collars and bowls will just cost you time and money in the long run as they will easily tear, wear and disintegrate with use.
What you want to look for is durable, practical, yet stylish finishes. Heavy duty cotton, leather, and brass finishings all offer a luxe feel while putting up with everything your dog throws at them (be that slobber, dirt and multiple attempts to rip apart!)
4. Dine in Style
For this step, you need to be practical – think, does your dog eat and drink inside or outside? Do they need multiple sets of bowls? Do they need a raised feeder? Do they have a tendency to knock over their water bowls?
A beautiful yet totally functional go-to option are ceramic bowls. Weighted on the bottom, they’re too heavy to knock over or move around (No spills! No mess!) Plus the glazed finish gives a luxe, timeless quality other bowls just don’t have.
5. Have a Dedicated Pet Station
One of the easiest ways to keep your home looking beautiful is to have dedicated storage area for your pet’s things.
Grooming products, lint rollers and apparel can all be stored neatly in a dedicated shelf or basket. Choose a spot tucked away out of sight, but easily accessible. That way you no longer have random pet products cluttering up your living space.
Woven baskets make great hidden-in-plain-sight toy storage, whereas beautifully crafted collars and leads can hang proudly on display. Got a stunning, handmade leather leash? Hang that baby in plain sight and let people see how lovely it is!
6. Make Throws your Friend
Pop them on your lounge, on the foot of your bed, on the floor…a well placed throw (matching the colour scheme you’ve chosen, of course) hides a multitude of sins, protects your furniture AND adds a stylish textural element to any room.
7. Grooming is Key
By now, you should have a magazine worthy home, with all your pet goodies blending seamlessly into their surrounds (and the not so seamless ones tucked away in their own space!) But to keep it that way you need one final step: grooming. Because who wants a gorgeous home that on close inspection leaves everyone covered in fur and smelling like whatever the dog just rolled in?
A quick brush every day keeps dog hair at bay, while a fur freshener will keep your home smelling luxe too. That’s it – less than five minutes and your home is good to go.
The only thing left to do is get your paws on some new outfits for your pup!
