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LL Style Story: Pet-Friendly Style from Nancy Fire

Floors are one of the most important elements to consider when designing a home around pets, because that is where animals spend most of their time. In today’s flooring world there are many choices that are made from natural materials and easy to clean. You’ll also find water-resistant flooring, like AquaSeal.

3 min read
Published on May 17, 2020

These days, more people have adopted pets and are rethinking their interiors to be…well, a bit more pet-friendly. I, too, adopted a puppy from a rescue facility near our Long Island farmhouse and I wanted to share some interior design tips with you.

First and foremost, depending on your pet’s personality, it’s best to train them from the beginning about what is off-limits in your home.

 

Girl and dog run into living room with wood vinyl flooring
This living room with River's Edge Oak vinyl plank flooring is ready for pup life - with rich brown colors and waterproof ruggedness.

 

Since our home was decorated prior to owning pets, we are mindful that our fabrics are NOT pet-friendly, so our puppy, Stella, knows not to jump on the furniture. I would suggest more pet-friendly outdoor fabrics and performance fabrics that repel moisture and even fend off bacteria because they are stain and odor-resistant. Slipcovers are an easy solution, too.

Whatever your design fabric aesthetic may be, a general rule for choosing pet-friendly fabrics is finding a material with a tight weave. Patterns and textures help hide pet hair and dirt until you have a chance to clean them. Along with outdoor fabrics, denim, leather, canvas and microfiber are great pet-friendly choices because they are all more rugged and durable.

Living in an 1890 farmhouse with many of its original hardwood floors, I find them easier to keep clean verses carpeting or rugs. Floors are one of the most important elements to consider when designing a home around pets, because that is where animals spend most of their time.

In today’s flooring world there are many choices that are made from natural materials and easy to clean. You’ll also find water-resistant flooring, like AquaSeal. It is available in laminate, engineered hardwood and engineered bamboo flooring. AquaSeal flooring offers protection against common spills for up to 24 or 72 hours! Now that’s a pet plus, especially during those potty-training days. Installation is easy and upkeep is a breeze with an occasional wet mop.

 

Dog lies on water resistant laminate flooring
AquaSeal's Draper Parquet is a an attractive water-resistant laminate flooring that is easy enough to maintain for this canine.

 

If your flooring interest lies in patterned and textured selections, CoreLuxe waterproof vinyl plank flooring offers a multitude of styles. Both options from LL Flooring offer so many choices that I am sure you can hide your pet hair by coordinating your pet’s fur color to your floor color.

One of the newest trends in pet-friendly interior design are custom made pet beds and dog crates that are built into homes, creating a unique design aesthetic. Many of these designs are inconspicuous and also pair nicely with custom flooring to give you ample choices regarding texture and style. Paris Blue Pine Vinyl Plank, for example, can help elevate your personal style by offering an on-trend color that will coordinate nicely with your interior paint choices…and it’s waterproof!

 

Coreluxe Paris Blue Pine Rigid Vinyl Plank Flooring with Pad
Coreluxe Paris Blue Pine Rigid Vinyl Plank Flooring with Pad

 

Stella loves to play, after all she is a puppy, so we like to keep her toys accessible both indoors, as well as outside. One of my favorite tips for toy storage is using something that coordinates nicely with your interiors.

Since we live in an updated farmhouse, I use an oversized carved wooden bowl that looks amazing next to our furniture. Outdoors I use a similar idea, but instead of wood I use a sustainable woven basket that Stella can choose her toys from! As an advocate for sustainability in the home furnishing industry and a member of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, I try and limit Stella’s plastic toys, or choose toys made from recyclable material from companies like Harry Barker and West Paws.

We love our Stella; she is a happy and content pup and has acclimated well to her new life with us! I am sure that as she gets older we will keep redefining our interior space for and with her. Pet-friendly design is about making the right decisions for you and your pet. Remember, floors are one of the most important elements to consider when designing a home around pets because that is where they spend most of their time.

Best to know that your flooring is stain and water-resistant, and easy to clean so they can remain beautiful and stand up to anything your furry friend can dish out.

-Nancy Fire, Designer

nancyfire.com

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