In February of last year we brought home our amazing Italian Greyhound, Warren. He’s such a ball of joy and we literally don’t remember the last time we were bored. I think it’s pretty obvious to most that getting a dog is a lot of work. AKA we are no longer bored because we are BUSY with this child! Now, I think the “peeing happens outdoors”, “shoes are not toys” and “dirt is not food” challenges are well-known. But, what about decorating with pets? That’s a design-enthusiasts toughest hurdle to getting a dog, right?! When we got Warren, we wanted to accommodate his needs in a way that blended with our decor. The last thing we wanted was a lumpy bed, torn-up toys and a dirty blanket stashed in some corner. No I, of course, wanted a posh puppy in a posh corner with some posh dog decor.
Are your eyes rolling yet? Well, based on that silly demand of mine, I’ve pulled together a few tips for decorating with pets along with some products that I think are genius for the pet lover and interior design enthusiasts alike! What secrets or products have you used to achieve pure and posh puppy bliss? Share them in the comments below!
They Might Be Color Blind but Their Humans Aren’t
One of the easiest ways to stylishly incorporate a pets’ needs into your home is with color. I think this rule is most useful when it comes to your furry friend’s bed(s). That’s a pretty large and stationary piece of your pets paraphernalia that’s bound to stand out. Now, Warren has three beds at this point. Over kill? Maybe. But, for his first bed, I found a simple dark blue bed that pulled from the color of the area rug in our living room. We then have a tan stripped pet bed that matches the rug in the office and another stunning vintage kilim rug bed in our kitchen area.
TIP: Look for solid-printed pet beds or beds in fabrics or prints that are already in your home for one that will make as much of a statement as an accent pillow. Don’t limit this decorating with Petes rule to just pet beds (that would be silly…) – it’s also a great rule of thumb for blankets and even toys!
Make a Statement at the Watering Hole
In the decorating with pets world, statement bowls are the new statement necklace. So, call me crazy on this one but, you just might be surprised at how beautiful some of the pet bowls out there are. Warren has a raised, live edge, water bowl (I know, crazy bougie!) that we found at Homegoods. Not only do we love it’s look but, the raised nature of the bowl is actually better dogs and can help precent some health issues like bloat.
TIP: Don’t limit yourself to just bowls made for animals. Fun bowls for humans are just as fun for your furry friend as they are for you!
The Toys Will Be Aflowin’
Now, you might not think it at first but, you will definitely be buying your furry friend more toys than you could ever plan on housing. I think that almost every Chewy.com food order that we place we add on some sort of toy for Warren. This may seem like no problem but it definitely makes for a decorating with pets kind of challenge because, where are you supposed to put all of the dang things?! Have no fear because there are actually some pretty cool crates and baskets out there that make great toy boxes. I think one of my favorite things to witness is Warren rummaging through his toy box. He’s gotta find just the right one.
TIP: Look for a box or basket that has a lot of surface area but is low enough for your dog to stick his head into and dig. You want them to be able to peruse, right?!
A New Leash on Life
Another thing we underestimated when we got Warren? The number of times we would be taking him out per day. Now he’s on a pretty good schedule but he still goes out between four and six times per day. That means you want to have their leash by the door and ready to go. Sometimes there’s just no time to lose! Make things fun and easy with a wall hook for your leash that fits in with your decor and adds a pop of fun. We went with this bunny from Anthropologie. It almost makes me excited to go out there!
TIP: If you are going to draw attention to your leash by putting it on your wall, you may want to consider how the actual leash looks as well. We went with a plain waxed brown leather leash that is clean looking but pulls in some leather from the furniture from our home. It really depends on how much thought you want to put into it. I know, I’m crazy.
Decorating with pets can certainly be a challenge but using some of the above tips can certainly help to make it more seamless. Regardless of you you choose to pamper your pets, they are so fun to have around. Even when they are down right stinking poop faces, there is nothing like being greeted by them at the end of a long day. Happy pet decorating!
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