If you’re of the persuasion that pets are family too, keep reading for seven cat-, dog-, and bunny rabbit-friendly ways to design and decorate your family room.  

 

Bare Flooring 

Pet ownership 101: don’t get too attached to your floors. As tiny as they are, pet claws can do irreparable damage to many types of floors. This is why it’s important to select flooring with your fur babies in mind. Think laminate, stone, tile, or concrete.  

 

Area Rugs  

If you’ve already got flooring installed, an inexpensive area rug or two can provide a buffer between your pets and the floor. Consider rugs made out of an organic material; for instance, sisal or seagrass. These materials are generally inexpensive, so you won’t have to feel bad about throwing them out once they get damaged and/or filthy beyond reproach.  

 

Go Fur-Toned 

Pay homage to your pet by using their fur color as decorative inspiration. This goes for everything from your upholstery to your throw pillows to your carpet. Opting for fur-tones is a resourceful way to work with your pet’s natural shedding process rather than against it.  

 

Patterns All the Way 

It’s no secret that patterns hide stains better than their flat colored counterparts. The same goes for texture-heavy materials. Patterned, textured materials will be more forgiving of stains, meaning less scrubbing in the long run.

 

Skip the Knick-Knacks 

If you have small children, you may have already done away with the choking-hazards and fragile knick-knacks that used to adorn your shelves and side tables. The same process should be observed if you have pets. If you happen to be an avid knick-knack collector, keep your fragile items high up and out of reach.  

 

Semi-Gloss Paint 

With flat-finish paint on your walls, smudges are simply inevitable. If you want to skip the tedious de-smudging process, semi-glass, satin, or eggshell finishes are most forgiving of dirtiness.

 

Give Them a Space of Their Own 

Much like the two-legged members of your family, your pets need their own space too. Designate a space for them in your family room and stock it full of their favorite things including toys, beds, and scratching posts. This way, they can join in on your family movie and game nights for years to come!

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Canadian Home Trends magazine gives you a personal tour of the most stunning homes and condos across Canada. You'll be inspired by a selection of accessible home décor products, trend reports, simple yet stylish DIY projects, and much more. In each issue, you are given the tools to recreate designer spaces you've always dreamt of having at home, in-depth renovation and design advice, colour palette and furniture pairings, and Canada's best places to shop.

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