Have a dog or going to have one? You need to get prepared as it’s not as simple as it seems. You will need to dedicate some spaces and design others right for your dog, that will raise the level of their living and help you.
Tips For Your Home
Resilient Flooring
Floor is very important in a home of a dog’s owner. It should be easy to clean and non-porous, for example: concrete and tiles, hardwood and bamboo. Radiant heat flooring is a boon all around–energy-efficient and a dog favorite. Carpeting isn’t recommended but if your dog has problems with its joints, you should have rugs, in fact a whole path of rugs through each room. Rugs will soften walking and will keep your dogs’ joints safer.
Choosing right fabrics for upholstery and blankets will let your lounge with your dogs on the furniture.
These comfy blankets are easy to wash, and the upholstery is pet-proofed.
These cushions and pillows feature cotton covers that are easy to take off and wash.
Pet-Proofed Furniture
Whether you allow your dogs on the furniture or not, they can sometimes spend time there, so it would be great to use slipcovers in washable fabrics. Alternatively, cotton painter’s drop cloths are a fast, affordable strategy.
Good hardwood floors will withstand the claws much better than other types of flooring.
Necessary Zones For Dogs
An Entrance
Get your entrance space ready: attach some hooks for leashes and towels for dirty paws, which will be essential if the washing space isn’t here. While styling this space, skip impractical and difficult to wash materials.
This is a well-organized feeding station with a stand for bowls with storage, a sign and a dog food stand.
Make a leash storage unit somewhere at the entrance to have them at hand.
This is a board with leashes of all kinds, a whole collection of various colors to have at hand.
All the doggie stuff is stored and organized at the entranceL clothes, leashes and collars.
The small washing nook matches the style of the space and looks cool.
Hang dog leashes at the entrance to use them upon leaving the house.
The dog crate at the entrance is a cool idea to keep the pup peaceful after the walking. (via onekindesign).
This wall storage unit organizes all the stuff for dogs, hang one on the wall at the entrance.
A Dog Shower
If you can, build a dog bath, it will ease your life, especially if you have several dogs. If not, which is also ok, a laundry sink can act as that bath, it’s great for medium-sized and small dogs. Besides, a sink is easier to clean than a tub. No laundry? Use your regular bathtub or shower.
This elegant dog shower perfectly matches the room with its colors and tiles.
Add color to the laundry making a bright dog shower, it will raise your mood. (via goodhousekeeping).
The laundry sink can be used for washing paws as it's faster to wash a sink than a bathtub.
Small dogs can be easily washed in bathroom or laundry sinks.
Place a dog shower right at the entrance to avoid dirty paws in your home.
The laundry includes a lovely dog shower clad with neutral tiles.
This is a dog shower and a sink in the space, and they perfectly match the style of the mudroom.
This mini bath is ultimately cute, I love the colored tiles used.
This stylish modern dog shower is clad with tiles and done with concrete, it perfectly matches the space.
A Feeding Area
Build in a convenient place for the food and water bowls to live, so it will be easier to clean and keep everything in order.
This fun eating space is done with neon, a drink fountain and food bowls for slow eating.
This cozy feeding space includes a silhoutte artwork, bowls and a bucket with dog food.
A feeding drawer is always a good idea to avoid cluttering the space.
If you have several dogs, you can build in several drawers for feeding.
Build in a dining space for your dog right inside your furniture, and it won't prevent you from walking.
This cute feeding station is done with a corner shelf with decor, a mini gallery wall and bowls on tree slices.
This feeding station includes not only stands with bowls but also a gallery wall with leashes and photos of the dogs.
This built-in feeding station consists of a marble stand with bowls and a faucet.
This tiny eating space is located in the furniture, so it won't stand in your way.
The feeding station is built into the kitchen island to integrate it seamlessly. (via laurenlouisedesign).
The feeding is located in the mudroom, and the food is hidden here, too. (via stylebyemilyhenderson).
Make a double dog feeding station in drawers, this is a very smart idea.
Feeding can be organized in your mudroom if the dog spills water and throws food around.
This stone slab feeder with bowls is built inside a kitchen island.
A Comfy Spot To Nap
Every dog needs a retreat to sleep soundly, and that should be a quiet and cozy place close to the action. Instead of allowing them to clutter your rooms, consider creating cozy built-in niches under shelves, islands, and stairs. More than that, you can also make stylish dog crates that will double as credenzas and will be a stylish part of your interior.
This stylish built-in bed doesn't spoil the interior and takes space under the stairs.
Build in a crate for your puppies that matches the style and colors of the room.
A built-in crate is always a good idea not to spoil the interior.
This large dog crate doubles as a console table and matches the space.
This built-in dog crate is used as a console table, which is a cool idea.
This elegant stained crate matches the style of the room and the top of it is used as a side table.
This small crate is used as a side or console table, functional furniture is always the best.
This large rustic crate with cushions and blankets perfectly matches the living room and doubles as a table.
This built-in dog kennel is a cool solution to give your pet a spot and get a furniture piece at the same time. (via designertrapped).
This dog space is built into a cozy nook, and lots of pillows and curtains make it welcoming.