4 Pet-Friendly Fixes for Your Home

Submitted by Capstone Homes on Mon, 10/01/2018 - 10:43am
Capstone Custom Homes- Wooster Ohio- Pet Friendly

They may be man’s best friend, but the furry four-footed members of the family can wreak havoc on a home’s interior. Flooring especially takes the brunt of all that can be tracked inside during wet springs and snowy winters. These design strategies can help prevent some of the challenges pets can bring to maintaining the beauty of a newly-built home. Remember, some design selections that seem insignificant during the planning process can make all the difference in the long run. So, it’s best to sweat the small stuff when planning a home for you and your pets. When it comes to your animals, their daily habits and the routine care they need can add up to years of stress. Mopping up paw prints on your kitchen floors is not exactly difficult--the first one hundred times. Whatever can make your day-to-day life with pets more manageable will create a happier and healthier home.

Pet-Friendly Floors

Hard-surfaced floors are ideal for pet owners, so consider keeping carpeting to a minimum. Hardwood, vinyl, and tile are versatile and come in a variety of styles and price points. Of course, even some of these choices can show wear-and-tear more than others. Darker floors with monochromatic color schemes will show dirt more quickly. Instead, consider lighter hues in real or synthetic plank floors or patterned tiles to help hide the scratches or paw prints. And although hardwood is durable, it does scratch and dent more easily than synthetic flooring. Remember, on floors with a shinier surface dogs will be more likely to slip and injure themselves and leave scratches.

Area rugs are easier to clean than installed carpeting, and slip-proof rugs throughout the home can make navigating those slippery surfaces easier for Fido. (Check out these machine washable area rugs here!) For the areas of your home where you want the comfort of carpet, most brands offer options with pet protection. Home Depot carries a PetProof line, and Stainmaster has recently introduced a line of breathable moisture barrier padding that can protect your floors from pet stains and any other spills. It is important to consider breathability of the moisture barrier, as some “moisture barrier” padding can actually make wetness problems worse, especially if not installed properly.

Durable Furniture

If your pets will spend time on the furniture, consider durable, easy to clean fabrics, like leather, and avoid delicate fabrics like velvet. Of course, leather is not indestructible and will certainly show scratches. As with flooring, keep patterns and color schemes in mind. Choosing fabrics that more closely resemble your pets’ fur will hide pet hair; patterned materials will camouflage any scratches, stains, and snags.

Wipeable Walls

Like kids, pets can leave messes on walls, particularly near food dishes, exterior doors, and pet beds. Satin and semi-gloss paints are great choices that wipe down easily (like Behr’s highly-rated Premium Plus Ultra interior satin enamel, found here).

Built-In Pet Feeding Station

If you’re planning a pet-friendly home for years to come, consider a built-in area for food and water dishes and a well-organized area for other pet-care supplies. This keeps clutter to a minimum and can make the pet’s area seem more like a part of the home so you can incorporate it into your design selections. Get inspired with these pictures of feeding cubbies featured on Houzz.

 

Pet-friendly, functional, stylish -- whatever your home design goals, Capstone can bring them to life. Call or visit our showroom today.

 

We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch:

Ruby Grau, Sales
Capstone Custom Homes
Phone: 419-368-8108

1904 State Route 89
(Corner of S.R. 89 & U.S. 30)
Jeromesville, OH 44840
 

Resources:
https://ruggable.com/
https://www.stainmaster.com/carpet/padding
https://www.behr.com/consumer/products/interior-paint-and-primer/behr-p…
https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/102920872/list/kibble-time-clever-cubbi…