Whether you are a dog person or a cat person or dare to live dangerously with both, life with animals is always better! Maybe except for the whole nice house thingy! We have spent the bulk of our married life with the hairiest dogs known to man, Siberian Huskies. The adage, Hair Happens, is an understatement with those rascals!

When our last Siberian sadly passed away, Scott and I decided to downsize to a mini, an Alaskan Klee Kai. She “talks” to us like our big huskies, she has one blue eye and one brown eye characteristic of huskies, and she gets away with murder like our huskies did because they are so darn cute! But she weighs 19 pounds soaking wet and, even though she has seasons where she sheds more than others, she's one-quarter as much hair to deal with at any one time as our big guys ever were.

Hair is one thing. Then there are the toenails. It's hilarious to watch when one of our dogs gets a "wild hair" and dashes down the carpeted stairs, then hits the wood floor at the bottom and skates across the entryway. Hilarious until you see the scratch marks that are left!

Our big dogs were very well-behaved when it came to the furniture, though, at least once they grew out of the chewing stage! It took too much energy to jump up on the couch. And there were all these wonderful dog beds within easy curling-up distance in every room, so why bother?

In contrast, the little girls we have now are of the idea the furniture is all for them. We tried to keep them off the sofas and only let them cuddle with us on our leather recliners, but our couch-protecting fortitude eventually wore out.

Am I hitting any nerves here?

If you're a pet owner, you may have muttered to yourself, "why bother?" when it comes to even cleaning the house, let alone trying to decorate one. But I'm here to tell you there are 3 strategies you can take that will make cohabitating with your furry friends in a stylish and beautiful home possible!

Tip #1: Pick Performance Fabrics Whenever Possible

When selecting seating, especially in public spaces, choose upholstery that is made with performance fabrics such as Sunbrella or Crypton. Performance fabric stands up to the wear and tear of both kids and pets. It is also stain- and water-resistant and, believe it or not, resists odors (wet dog on the couch, anyone?). It's also easy to clean.

If you don't want to be slavishly vacuuming the sofa, you might consider matching the coloration of the upholstery to your pet's coat! (Unless you're like Scott and me. One dog is white, the other is black. Sort of a jump ball for us really.)

Tip #2: Select Smart Flooring for Every Room

As for those toenails, hardwoods may not be your best bet when choosing a floor covering. If you are really dreaming of a beautiful wood floor, why not try LVP (Luxury Vinyl Plank) instead? Don't think of your mother's yellowing linoleum - this product is far from it! LVP's are made to look like wood (very authentic in representation, by the way), but are extremely durable and hardwearing. Most are 100% waterproof, making them a great candidate for kitchens and baths. And maintenance is a breeze!

If you prefer the look of tile, you're in luck. LVT's are Luxury Vinyl Tiles with many of the same qualities as LVP's but with a look of either wood, stone, or tile. The top layer of LVT products is treated with a transparent, protective coating that acts as a powerful stain guard and resists scratching. Can you imagine a beautiful marble floor that is both hard-wearing and soft underfoot? Puppy paws aren't the only feet who will appreciate that!

Tip #3: Place Extra Protection on the Floors

While our Schnitzel and Noodle (cue My Favorite Things!) love scooting around on the wood floor, their favorite place to tear around in the house is on our area rugs. Indoor-outdoor area rugs are by nature high performance and can take spills, thrills, and wear while looking gorgeous! They are also a stylish extra layer of protection on high-traffic areas of your harder-surface flooring.

As I teach my students in my signature course, The Envied Nest Academy, area rugs are a wonderful way to ground a furniture grouping and make it feel like its own space in the room. They are also a great item from which key the room's color palette if you need inspiration!

Home to me is just not home without our dogs, and maybe you feel the same way about your fur babies. They make such great companions and add so much life, fun, and humor to our day-to-day. I can't imagine being without them.

Your pets are probably much more well-behaved than mine (spoiled ROTTEN!). But its good to know with a little strategy you can have both a stylish home and one that is complete with your very best friends!

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Warmly,

Joyce