You may not have given designing a pet-friendly home much thought in the past, but for it to be a pleasure to live in, your home must serve the requirements of the entire household, whether they are human or not.
Are you seeking ways to create a pet-friendly house since you are a proud pet owner? In that case, you’ve found the right location. According to a recent survey of dog and cat owners in the UK, 49% of pet owners said their animal companions are the head of their households. If this statement applies to you, our house design ideas that are focused on coexisting peacefully with animals are perfect. In this article, we have compiled some of the greatest tips for making a pet-friendly home so that all members of the family—four-legged and two-legged—can coexist in pawfect harmony.
What Constitutes a Pet-Friendly Home?
Even though having pets gives a lot of happiness and joy, most pet owners would attest that things are not always perfect and easy. Many people who have four-legged companions consider our dogs to be an extension of our families, and we happily make room in our homes for them. Our interiors may frequently suffer as a result of this.
The secret to building a pet-friendly home is to carefully consider the demands and quirks of the animals you share your space with, while also utilizing materials and finishes that are fashionable and representative of other family members.
So how can you achieve the goal of optimizing your home for a perfect balance of meeting your pet’s and your own interests? Here are some pointers to help you make this vision come true!
Choose Optimal Flooring Materials
The flooring you choose can be one of the most crucial aspects of constructing a pet-proof home. In other words, you need a floor that is highly durable against dirt and claws, simple to clean, and low maintenance. Remember that choosing something non-slip can make things easier for your dogs as well.
When designing your pet’s hideout, the flooring is a crucial component to take into account. For those who have pets, laminated flooring is usually a fantastic selection because it is simple to maintain, clean, and conceals scratches nicely. Hard flooring is typically preferred; good options include wood, tile, vinyl, laminate, and poured concrete. Although solid wood flooring can be sanded and polished more frequently than engineered flooring, both engineered and solid timber floors are safe for use in homes with dogs. However, when exposed to moisture from wet dogs, engineered timber flooring tends to be a little more structurally stable.
For people who have pets, wood flooring is a great option because of how beautiful it appears. The best approach to clean it is with a standard mop, a soapy wood floor cleanser, and little water because dirt can accumulate quickly. When it comes to keeping your floors in a presentable way that doesn’t look weathered or dirty, it is essential to add a decent finish because prevention is always preferable to treatment. An oil- and wax-based matte finish that penetrates the wood without creating a thick surface hides dust, debris, and minor pet scratches.
Don’t Cower Away From Carpets
While you might adore the way carpet looks and feels under your feet, pet owners may find it to be a source of great sadness. The fabric of a loop pile wool carpet is susceptible to snagging by claws, which can be problematic. Due to its difficulty in cleaning, sisal is quite unforgiving to pets. You can take precautions to keep it safe, but this isn’t a long-term fix. When covered in filth and moisture, a more formal cut pile carpet design is also rather challenging to clean.
For households with pets, polypropylene carpets work best since they offer good dirt resistance. This is constructed of woven vinyl and polyamide, making it entirely washable and quite durable, but it is designed to look just like natural flooring kinds such as seagrass, wool, and jute.
Look Into Applying Washable Finishes
Animals may be unruly housemates, let’s face it. They slobber occasionally, shed, tremble, and have no patience with doormats. By choosing surfaces and finishes that are stain- and easily-wiped-clean, you can lessen the tension this may create.
A wide variety of washable paints are now readily accessible and may be cleaned of mud splatters and other messes without fading or looking worse for wear. Additionally, you will be happy to know that there are numerous paint firms out there offering formulas with this in mind if you have pets who are prone to chewing skirting or licking walls.
Utility Room Is A Must
Never undervalue the life-saving impact that a utility room with the right amenities may have on pet proofing your house. Having a sizable extra sink in your home will come in handy for cleaning off muddy dog-walking boots, leads, and collars, pet bowls, bedding, and even certain-sized dogs.
Storage in utility rooms should be specifically designed to meet your demands that come from having a pet around. Include high cabinets as well as a variety of shelves, hooks, and pegs. Consider how much room you’ll need for pet food and all of their accouterments, as well as whether you’ll need to make room for pet beds that they may use to dry off after a long, soggy walk. The best place to hang damp clothes is on a heated towel rail.
Install Built-In Pet Beds To Save Space
Integrating your pet’s bed inside built-in furniture not only gives them a cozy den to curl up in when they want some peace and quiet, but it also frees up room on the floor. So what are the finest techniques for building a bed into a wall?
First, the size of the four-legged friend in question is important to make a final decision on what should be incorporated. As a result, you must make sure your place has enough room for your buddy to feel at home. Drawing or measuring the area surrounding your pet when they are lying down will give you the needed surface area for your hideout. This is an easy way to determine how much space your pet needs.
The area you choose for your pet’s hideout will depend on how much room you have. Using recycled furniture may be necessary in some households, but pet owners prefer to store their belongings in cabinets beneath the stairs, for example.
Plan For Separate Washing Space For Your Pet
It’s likely that you will occasionally need to give your dog a good wash unless you really hit the lottery when choosing your pet and magically ended up with one who avoids mud and puddles at all costs. It can be so much simpler to live with a dedicated dog shower or built-in dog bath in your utility or boot room. It can also prevent damage to your lovely bathtub.
For our customers, we are now adding a lot more dog showers inside boot rooms. After a long country stroll, this useful accessory will shield your property from muddy paws. Why not use the shower to rinse off your wellies as well? It isn’t only for your pets.
Consider Installing Sturdy Doors
A split or stable door might be exactly what you need if you have a pet who must always be aware of what is happening and cannot stand to be kept out of the action. Although stable-style doors are typically associated with external doors, installing them inside can be a suitable compromise for pet owners who want to erect some sort of barrier to keep pets out of specific rooms at particular times of day but still want to be able to monitor them.
Those might be general ideas and principles of how to make your home more pet-friendly so that both you and your animal partners can coexist in mutual comfort and functional efficiency. Hopefully, this list inspires you to be more considerate of the needs of every member of your household, whether human or not.
