Pets are like cute little babies that are adorable, need special care & even housing requirements. In the absence of all this, they can become untamed monsters, ready to wreak havoc in your sweet homes. To avoid that unpleasant scenario, special considerations need to be made while designing a pet-friendly home.
Now to save you the trouble of looking on various websites for how to design such homes, gathering information and opting for trial & error methods, we thought it is better to list our top recommendations on how you can design one. Let’s skip the wait, here we go.
1. Pet-Friendly Upholstery
Source: Gharpedia
It is a no-brainer, that if you are having a pet, those leathery or cushioned sofa sets and other upholsteries are bound to be eaten, chewed and torn in almost all cases by your dear ones. They love to play on them & in the process, upholstery will be destroyed.
Materials like cotton, silk, and velvet can be easily damaged, in such cases the use of materials like Crypton is a nice option. A safer bet would be to put an additional layer of protection in form of a sofa cover, or slipcover to help guard against such damage.
2. Durable Rugs & Floors
Source: K9 Of Mine
Next up on the recommendation list for a pet-friendly home is sturdy, rough & tough floors that are able to withstand the scratching of nails and paws. Materials that are slippery like tiles are bad options for such flooring, as pets might slip & get hurt. Also, they are stain magnets & may get easily spoiled.
As for rugs, they are better than their carpet counterparts due to their pet hair trapping mechanism, are easy to pick up, and have a clean & replace system. These rugs come in a variety of colours, make sure you choose one which fits the bill and is long-lasting.
3. Play Area for Pets
Source: Renton Reporter
Well undoubtedly, this is one of the most important points. A dedicated play area for pets is a must. It’s a play yard for pets where they can do whatever they want. Chew, tear, scratch, roam around or just wag the tail, who cares, it’s their exclusive playground. And yes, we mean exclusive, especially in cases of dogs, who are too possessive about their stuff. If you dare touch it, you pay heavily.
To be serious, a playground is a much-needed area where pets enjoy time with toys, accessories or in their cosy bed. It gives them a relaxation space, where they feel there is no threat to them.
4. Safety Precautions
This has to be the most important point hands down. Absolutely, no one wants their adorable friend to get injured at any cost. They might accidentally slip, trip or put their feet in any hazardous area & get injured.
Special care needs to be taken in case of cats, who might try to climb railings and fall down, to prevent such instances fences or safety nets on balconies, and open areas around the house are an option. If you are one who panics a lot about their dear pet, a GPS device tied to a collar may be the way to go to trace & get them back to safety in untoward cases.
5. Neat & Clean Surroundings
Let’s be frank, bringing a pet to the house & maintaining it requires extra effort & attention & is not an easy task. Their hair, feathers, litter, or fur will be spreading all across the home & it requires deep cleaning. An unclean environment is a danger to pets as well as the owners as it increases the chances of allergies, diseases like asthma or other health hazards. Also, it makes the house look shabby & dirty, often driving the visitors away.
Not to forget, these things are extra harmful for babies in particular who have no clue as to what these are about. Proper cleaning, washing and regular maintenance of houses which have pets are essential.
6. Pet-friendly Decor
Source: Decoratorist
Too many serious pointers above, let’s lighten the mood with a small but useful point. Having pet-friendly home decor is pivotal to having a great ambience in the house. What better options could be there, than having digital pet portraits hung on the walls. The priceless artistic work is sure to catch the attention of visitors & provide great aesthetics.
It is worth mentioning that pets too, can see these portraits and feel the sense of attachment & it strengthens the bond you share. The digital pet portraits can be designed from existing photos or you can get one clicked by professionals. The result would speak for itself, we promise.
7. Green Surroundings
Pets, like us humans, love to connect with nature. After all, they too are social & are born & brought up in the wild in most cases. Nature is something they love & adore, the green grass, the flowers and the clear blue sky provide them with the comfort of being in their space, they feel at home. Having an outdoor area with such things, or a terrace would indeed be beneficial for them.
If natural grass is not possible, look out for artificial ones & placing them in your home or backyard. The connection with the green surroundings is sure to bring a 440Watt smile to their charming faces.
The Takeaways:
Well, there you go, we have listed our top 7 recommendations to make a safe, secure, pet-friendly house, that they can call their sweet home. From having a dedicated play area, and a clean environment to upholstery choices, the options cover the most important aspects of designing such houses.
We are sure, with the proper implementation of these points, you and your loved friend will have quality time together for many years to come. So, don’t wait, implement these pointers & relax, enjoy the comfort of having a pet-friendly home.
