Pet-Proofing Your Home

Pets tend to limit your options when it comes to home design. You can't choose based on looks and price alone; you have to consider how it will hold up against the daily wear and tear wreaked by your furry friends. But that doesn't mean you have to settle for a bland, sparsely decorated home just to accommodate them. These days, there are lots of pet-friendly options that don't necessarily give up style. More often than not, it's just a matter of knowing where to look.

Your flooring should be your main concern when designing a pet-friendly home. Carpet and hardwood are pretty much out of the question; both require heavy maintenance and can start showing signs of abuse in a few months. Look for durable, low-maintenance materials such as ceramic tile, linoleum, or if your budget allows, stone slabs. If you want the look of hardwood, try using laminate-just make sure it comes with a good warranty.

Most pets like to climb up to the furniture. Even if they're well-trained, they can still shed on them, stain them, or on those active days, even scratch them. Again, wood isn't the most practical choice here, unless you don't mind touching up the coating every other day. Choose soft furniture with a sturdy fabric upholstery instead of leather, as the latter scratches quite easily. You can also use slipcovers to protect your existing upholstery.

For your walls, the best choice would be a baseboard or wainscoting. These are planks of wood that go about halfway up the walls. This will protect the wall itself from stains. With a good finish, the wood should be pretty safe from scratches. Wallpaper should obviously be avoided; they're hard enough to install on their own, and the risk of scratches makes it a poor investment for pet owners.

Finally, keep small items away from high surfaces where they could get knocked to the floor. Antiques figurines, and wall hangings are some of the most common victims. Make sure your wall décor is firmly secured. If possible, place any shelves against the wall to brace them against falls. Try to keep an open floor in the middle to keep your pet away from the furniture.