How Pet-Loving Home Decor Pros Really Keep Their Place Photo-Ready
It’s National Pet Day! While we love our pets to an obsessive degree, anyone with a furry roommate knows that there’s a certain level of compromise involved in decorating your space. There are dog toys everywhere. Stray kibbles. Ugly but pet-stain-proof furniture. And the dog hair. Oh, the never-ending dog hair. Yet we see so many bloggers and home stylists who seem to have achieved an impossibly stylish, serene lifestyle and have equally enviable dogs. (Who, by the way, never munch on their Monsteras). How do they do it? What do they know that we don’t know? We had to ask the pros. The good news: It is possible to have a clean, stylish home and a sweet doggo at the same time. Here’s how two style experts do it.
1. Think outside the dog bed. “Instead of purchasing regular old dog beds, try using floor poufs,” suggests blogger and stylist Liz Kamarul. “They’re great for humans too! We have one (or two) in every room of the house.” Everyone wins: You get to incorporate the colors, patterns, and shapes you love in your space; your pup stays cozy. (Photo via Liz Kamarul)
2. Don’t be afraid of white. (It’s surprisingly easy to clean!) “This one may be a little controversial, but I’m in the camp of white bedding when it comes to pet ownership,” says Jacquelyn Clark of Lark & Linen. While your impulse might be to go for darker shades to hide the dirt, that can be problematic. “I love that if our bedding does get dirty I’m able to spot it — and clean it — immediately. And for serious messes, bleach is your very best friend,” she says. “We try not to let Sage in our bed most days, but that of course flies out the window when she’s looking extra cuddly.” (Photo via Heidi Lau)
3. Let your pet be as stylish as you are. “As an interior designer, I’m of the firm belief that there isn’t a thing that you should bring into your home that isn’t beautiful, or serves a purpose. And this same sentiment should be applied to your dog products,” Clark told us. “From pretty dog beds to beautiful bowls, there’s no shortage of lovely things to be unearthed.” Some of her favorites? Waggo and Mungo & Maud. (Photo via Snapful Photography)
4. Your furry friend deserves her own storage solutions. “A cute basket is your very best friend,” says Clark. “We keep one in our living room to corral all of our pup’s toys. Much like a child, by the end of the day her toys are often sprinkled throughout the entirety of our home, which I secretly find adorable.” Kamarul seconds that suggestion: “We throw all of the dog toys into a decorative basket to keep them out of sight but easily accessible.” And with so many cool baskets to choose from these days, there’s no reason your pet’s toy storage needs to be an eyesore. (Photo via Liz Kamarul)
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