13 Tips for a Stylish and Pet-Friendly Space

From designer dog bowls to schnauzer-sized sofas, here are 13 tips for creating a stylish home that's also comfy for man's best friend.

By: Brian Patrick Flynn

Related To:

Shop This Look

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Splurge a bit for pet beds that both complement your room's design and provide a comfy place for dogs to rest their heads. Check out Etsy store Iron and Thread for custom beds and cushions.

Doggie Up the Front Door

While plastic retractable leashes can be considered eyesores, graphic traditional leashes are more decorative. Stash them near the door for a pop of pattern and to inspire you to head outdoors with your best friend.

Doggie Desserts

If human desserts look just as good as they taste, why shouldn't pet treats? Spoil your four-footed friend with treats from online bakeries like Two Tails Dog Bakery. Since the long-lasting goods don't usually require refrigeration, you can keep them out so they're easy to grab when your best friend needs a nibble.

Make a Statement With Mats

Instead of basic rubber mats designed only to protect the floor from splashes, opt for indoor/outdoor 2x3 patterned rugs. Many styles are made from recycled materials which breathe and are easy to clean with just a garden hose.

Couches for Canines

Sofas for dogs? Yep! For decades, furniture manufacturers have been offering everyday furniture scaled down to toddler scale, a size which is also ideal for small and medium breeds. So hit your local thrift store or consignment shop for an inexpensive, secondhand kids' sofa then have it reupholstered with pooch-friendly fabric.

Indoor-Outdoor Upholstery

When it comes to pet-proofing in style, indoor-outdoor products are always your best bet. This kid-sized sofa was reupholstered using a Trina Turk indoor-outdoor fabric from Schumacher. Made to resist moisture, UV rays and most stains, this sophisticated fabric turned a juvenile piece of furniture into a showstopping conversation-starter.

Pet-Proofed Fabric

Can't find an indoor-outdoor fabric that fits your style? No problem! Most cities have Teflon-treating facilities which coat lightweight or delicate fabrics with Teflon, a stain-repellant chemical. Shop around for the best deal; the average cost of the treatment is $8 per yard.

Go Zen for Your Best Friend

Buck traditional dog bowls for something more on-trend. Many pet supply manufacturers have created high-end lines for every type of product from blankets and bowls to collars and coats. Zen-inspired feeding bowls with simple, Asian lines are both sculptural and utilitarian. Sites like Pet Squared offer modern Zen and Asian styles sure to please both man's best friend and their master.

Same Old Food, New Tricks

Interior designers often choose furniture with metal legs for homes with teething puppies or scratch-obsessed kittens, but the same principle can also apply to their feeding station. Industrial dog bowls mix materials like natural wood with durable steel, aluminum and other metals -- all certain to stand up to even the most chewy of teething pets.

Squeaking With Style

Rubber squeaky toys are 100 percent fun for pets, but 50 percent eyesore and 50 percent annoying racket for pet owners. Instead, opt for fabric pet toys, made from natural materials like cotton, wool, linen, felt or hemp. They're machine washable and cute enough to hang out on the sofa instead of being hidden away in the toy box. Etsy favorite Wags and Wiggles is a great online source for affordable fabric pet toys.

Canine Canisters

Most everyday dog treats aren't much to look at. Instead of storing them in clear jars or stashing them away in boxes, store them in graphic ceramic canisters featuring colors and styles which complement your kitchen. The Newport Collection from Unleashed Life is an online favorite.

Banish the Bags

Banish those dog food bags from the home completely. Not only are dog food bags big, bulky and attractive to pests, dogs are likely to try to break into them if left within reach. Check out wag.com for oversized tin canisters for storing your dog's food in style.

Outdoor Toys Head Indoors

While Frisbees aren't exactly something you and your pet typically play with indoors, knit versions may change that. Many pet boutiques carry knit Frisbees for doggie roughhousing that won't break a window -- or the bank. These can be found online affordably through Pocket Disc, or learn how to make them yourself at Worth A Knit's blog.

13 Tips for a Stylish and Pet-Friendly Space

Related To:

Shop This Look

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Doggie Up the Front Door

Doggie Desserts

Make a Statement With Mats

Couches for Canines

Indoor-Outdoor Upholstery

Pet-Proofed Fabric

Go Zen for Your Best Friend

Same Old Food, New Tricks

Squeaking With Style

Canine Canisters

Banish the Bags

Outdoor Toys Head Indoors

More from:

Posh Pets

9 Tips for a Chic, Pet-Friendly Home

3 Don'ts for Living Stylishly With a Pet

10 Ways to Love Your Pet and the Planet, Too 10 Photos

13 Must-Know Cleaning Tips for Pet Parents 13 Photos

9 Smart Kid- and Pet-Friendly Fabric Tips 10 Photos

Pet Adoption Tips

Related Pages