By Bronia Suszczenia
“You can’t design a room around a cat” is probably the only note worthy output from a second rate interior design TV programme called Top Design aired early in 2007 by Bravo TV.
But since nearly 50% of homes have either a cat or a dog such a sweeping shibboleth needs to be challenged.
Unless you have a pure white Persian cat, like Ernst Stavro Blofeld did in the James Bond movies, you might have problems with a pure white minimalist interior.
At Art from the Start we have seen many homes where the pets have taken over and all attempts at maintaining any form of interior style have fallen by the way-side. This is sad and a wasted opportunity. However all is not lost if you want to make Sam, Sooty, Max, Spot or Tigger an integral part of your stylish and beautiful home.
Here are some ideas that will help your canine or feline co-exist with your beautiful interiors:
If your pet has access to the big wide world then dirt will be a problem. Likewise if your pet is not house-trained your expensive Chinese silk rug may suffer irrevocably.
There are two schools of thought:
Camouflage – get soft furnishings that will hide dirt & moulting hairs. In other words colour coordinate fabrics with fur!
Expose – make sure dirt & hair is visible so you are forced to vacuum and clean.
Personally I’d chose the latter as I would not expect my human house-guests to sit on dirty furniture and find pet hairs all over their clothing.
Assuming you have pets in moderation (it is impossible to consider interior design if you have a free range menagerie in your home) there are some practical tips that will help.
* Where the pet enters the home ensure you have hard wipe down floor surfaces inside & out. Place dirt grabbing mats inside and out and wash these regularly. Turtle Mats sells (on-line) a range of mats especially for this purpose. If you choose a hard floor surface make sure it is smooth wipe down rather than textured or creviced stone or tile.
* Select an interior design that is inherently compatible with pets, for example, ceramic or wood flooring with under-floor heating. Venetian or other window blinds rather than full-length curtains pooling on the floor. Metal and glass furniture rather than expensive French polished wooden legs which rapidly become scratch posts.
* Install inexpensive protective loose covers for expensive furniture. Use a fabric that is easy to regularly clean. To avoid problems with fabric shrinkage choose a shrink free material or wash your selected fabric a few times before you have it made to measure.
* Have an emergency cleaner kit on hand to cope with the unexpected (but inevitable) stains that your pets will leave behind them. Quick treatment of stains before they soak in or dry out is the best tactic.
* Make part of your home off limits to animals – most home owners find this hard to do but it gives the animal a clear territory and minimises the potential for dirt and damage in (for example) a formal lounge or dining room.
* Put dedicated pet zones (e.g. feeding, litter trays and bedding) in an area away from dirt sensitive furniture. Ideally place in a utility area with easy to clean hard flooring.
* Get professional upholstery cleaners in twice a year to clean rugs, carpets and upholstery. This is crucial to getting maximum life out your furnishings. The deeper dirt sinks in to fabric the harder it becomes to remove.
* Suppress animal smells, by regular cleaning, and moderate use of air freshener. You will adapt to the smell but house-guests (of the human variety) will notice the odour instantly they walk in to your home.
* Finally remember to wash & groom your cat or dog regularly, especially if they are moulting. This will keep your home fresher and cleaner than almost anything else.
Now both you and your pets can safely say that your house is home.
P.S. One last thing to remember is that when you come to sell your home, you must clean it and deodorise it thoroughly before you start showing prospective buyers around. Even if they are pet lovers they will not want your second hand dirt or smells.
Bronia Suszczenia is co-founder and Creative Director of York interior design company Art from the Start Ltd based in England. She designs projects ranging from dressing a single window, designing interiors for new homes, right through to refurbishing whole hotels.
Visit http://www.art-from-the-start.co.uk to see more FREE design tips, to see the design portfolio and to learn about the unique Room-in-a-Box interior design service.
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