Having a pet doesn't mean you can't have a beautiful and comfortable house. Instead of banishing your pets in the yard, you can design your home so that it would be pet friendly.
"You can have a beautiful house and a pet, in the same time. The secret is chosing the right materials and to pay attention to your pet's needs. If a house is not suitable for a dog, it's not ok neither for kids or guests", says Julia Syabo, a New York Post editor and the writer of "Animal House Style: Designing A Home To Share With Your Pets".
First, take care of your pet's hygiene and clean your house...a lot. So, vacuum regularly and bathe and groom your pet as much as possible.
How to design a pet friendly house:
1. Use stain-resistent fabrics, like leather and Crypton
2. Use fabrics that can be washed a lot, like cotton
3. Don't use carpets, but if you really want to cover your floor, you can choose rugs, especially the ones that can be cleaned a lot
4. Choose hard surface floors: the best are the ceramic tiles, but you can choose hardwood, too, or even painted concrete, terrazzo and bricks
5. Offer your pet a lot of toys, so that he/she would chew them, and not the furniture or the accesories
6. Match your house colours to your pet's fur... the hair they leave behind won't be as visible any more
7. Match your pet's sleeping and relaxation place, as their beds, pillows and scratching posts, to your home design
