A lot of stylish people are letting their houses go to the dogs. And the cats. And the birds.
Instead of banishing their animals to the yard, many pet owners are inviting their four-legged family members to join them in their homes. This doesn't mean they're throwing bed sheets over the sofa or arranging the end tables to cover rug stains. People are decorating and remodeling their living spaces with their animal's needs in mind, turning pet-friendly decorating into a full-blown trend.
Pet-friendly decorating is about putting easy-to-clean ceramic tile on your floor, upholstering your furniture with hairball-resistant fabric and matching wall colors to your parrot's feathers so he'll feel more at home. Considering U.S. pet owners spent $36 billion last year on their animals, it's no surprise they're adapting their homes to better suit their beloved creatures.
"You can have a beautiful house and a pet, too," says Julia Szabo, pet columnist for the New York Post and author of Animal House Style: Designing A Home To Share With Your Pets (Bullfinch, 176 pages, $19.95, animalhousestyle.com). "The key is choosing the right materials and accommodating your animals' needs."
Szabo, who shares her digs with a dozen rescued dogs and cats, says an animal-friendly house is more comfortable for humans, too. "If a house doesn't work with dogs, it won't work with children or guests, either."
Read on for pointers on making your home a showplace fit for a pet.
