Pet-Friendly Interior Design: How to Create a Stylish Home for Dogs and Cats

How do you create a stylish home that is durable, easy to clean, and comfortable for both you and your pets?

As pet parents, we know the joy that animals bring into our lives. My partner Dan and I have experienced this firsthand: during the 10 years we’ve lived in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, we’ve rescued and found loving homes for 38 cats, two dogs, and even a parakeet.

Life without pets is unimaginable to us. But living with that many animals has also taught us something about interior design: a beautiful home has to work in real life.

Pet-friendly interior design does not mean compromising on style. As a New York interior designer, I’ve worked with many clients who love their pets as much as we do. The goal is to choose materials, furniture, fabrics, and layouts that can handle fur, claws, spills, muddy paws, and everyday wear while still creating a home that feels thoughtful and sophisticated.

How do you design a stylish home when you have pets?

Start by accepting that your pets are part of the design brief.

That means considering how they actually use the home. Where do they sleep? Where do they eat? Do they spend the afternoon looking out a window? Does your dog come home with wet paws? Does your cat scratch furniture or climb onto shelves?

Once you know how your pets live, you can make design choices that accommodate them rather than constantly fighting their natural behavior.

Durable fabrics, easy-to-clean floors, washable surfaces, smart storage, and designated pet areas can make an enormous difference. The goal is not to turn your home into a kennel. It is to make practical choices that are integrated into the design.

 

What flooring is best for homes with dogs and cats?

For many pet owners, hard flooring is easier to maintain than wall-to-wall carpeting. Fur, dander, dirt, and accidents are much easier to deal with on surfaces that can be vacuumed, swept, or wiped clean.

Wood, tile, and many newer resilient flooring products can all work well depending on your home and your pets. If you already have wood floors, consider a durable protective finish, particularly in high-traffic areas.

One of my favorite practical investments is a robot vacuum. If you have animals that shed, it can dramatically reduce the amount of fur and dust that accumulates between regular cleanings.

The New York Times’ Wirecutter also maintains a useful guide to the best vacuums for pet hair.

Are rugs a bad idea if you have pets?

Not necessarily.

I would be cautious about delicate rugs in areas where pets eat, sleep, run, or come in from outside, but you do not have to eliminate rugs from your home entirely.

Indoor-outdoor rugs can be particularly useful. They are generally more resistant to stains and easier to clean, and they are now available in patterns and textures that do not look remotely like patio furniture.

Washable rugs are another option, especially in smaller spaces where putting an entire rug into a washing machine is realistic.

The point is to choose a rug based not only on how it looks on installation day, but on how it is going to look after a dog, a cat, or several years of real life.

What fabrics are best for pet-friendly furniture?

The best fabrics for homes with pets are durable, easy to clean, and forgiving.

Slipcovers can be fantastic because they can be removed and washed. Removable pillow and cushion covers are also worth considering, especially for furniture your pets regularly use.

Performance fabrics are another excellent option. Many are designed to resist staining, moisture, and heavy use while still feeling appropriate for a sophisticated interior.

I also use indoor-outdoor fabrics indoors. They have come an enormous distance from the stiff outdoor fabrics people may remember. You can now find versions with soft weaves, textured surfaces, velvet-like finishes, and an extraordinary range of colors and patterns.

In New York, where dirt, rain, small spaces, and pets are all part of real life, that durability can make enormous sense. Crypton is one example of how much performance fabrics have evolved.

What furniture is easiest to keep clean when you have pets?

Think about what is happening underneath the furniture as well as on top of it.

Sofa skirts and bed skirts can collect fur and dust and make vacuuming more difficult. Furniture with exposed legs or enough clearance underneath for a vacuum or robot vacuum is often much easier to maintain.

The same principle applies to furniture finishes. Highly delicate surfaces may not be ideal in homes where animals regularly jump onto furniture or brush against it. A well-sealed wood surface or forgiving finish can age much more gracefully.

And always think about scale and placement. A beautiful chair that blocks your dog’s favorite path to the window is probably going to lose that battle.

What window treatments work best in homes with pets?

Curtains add softness and can be beautiful, but they can also collect fur and dust, particularly if they reach the floor.

If that is a concern, wood or faux-wood blinds can be easier to maintain because they can be vacuumed or wiped down. Shades can also work well, depending on the room and the pet.

Think about your animal’s habits, too. If your cat or dog likes looking out the window, make sure the treatment allows easy access to that favorite spot.

A successful design should not require you to spend all day telling your pet not to do something it is obviously going to keep doing.

How do you create pet-friendly zones in a small home?

You do not necessarily need a dedicated pet room.

In a New York apartment, every square foot matters, so smaller integrated solutions often make more sense.

A pet-friendly zone might be:

• A built-in feeding station in the kitchen with a wipeable surface
• A washable mat under food and water bowls
• A basket or drawer for leashes, toys, brushes, and cleanup supplies
• A pet bed tucked into a quiet corner
• A cabinet designed to conceal a litter box
• A bench near the entry with storage for dog-walking supplies
• A built-in nook for a pet bed that becomes part of the furniture

These are small interventions, but they can eliminate a surprising amount of clutter.

How do you make a home safe for dogs and cats?

Pet-friendly design is not only about durability. It is also about safety.

Keep cords and cables organized if you have pets that chew. Secure unstable furniture when necessary. Store household chemicals and cleaning products where animals cannot reach them. Think carefully about breakable objects on low tables or shelves.

Plants also deserve attention. Some common houseplants can be harmful to dogs or cats, and certain lilies are particularly dangerous to cats.

The ASPCA maintains a very useful searchable database of toxic and non-toxic plants for pets.

It is worth checking before bringing a new plant into your home.

How do you make a pet-friendly living room still look sophisticated?

Do not think of “pet-friendly” as a style.

It is a set of practical decisions.

You can still have beautiful upholstery, good lighting, art, antiques, color, pattern, and carefully chosen furniture. You simply choose versions that can coexist with the way you live.

A living room with pets might include a performance-fabric sofa, washable cushion covers, an indoor-outdoor rug, tables with durable finishes, and storage that hides toys and pet supplies.

None of those things need to announce themselves as pet products.

The best solutions disappear into the room.

Should you create a separate pet room?

If you have enough space, a dedicated pet area can be wonderful, but it does not have to be an entire room.

A laundry room can incorporate a feeding station, storage, and even a dog-washing area. A cabinet can become a discreet litter-box enclosure. A corner can hold a built-in dog bed. Cats may appreciate shelves or climbing surfaces integrated into bookshelves or other millwork.

The important thing is to design these features as part of the home rather than adding them as an afterthought.

When they are planned properly, they can actually make the overall interior feel cleaner and more organized.

How do you design a pet-friendly New York City apartment?

New York adds another layer to the problem because our homes are often smaller and our pets may spend more time indoors.

Every choice therefore has to work a little harder.

Furniture may need to provide storage. Entryways may need to handle wet paws, leashes, bags, and shoes. Fabrics have to withstand heavier daily use. Floors need to be easy to maintain. A feeding station cannot simply take over half the kitchen.

As an NYC interior designer and longtime pet owner, I have found that the best pet-friendly homes do not separate style from practicality.

They embrace both.

Your dog does not care whether the sofa is beautiful. Your cat does not care whether the rug is expensive. But you do.

The goal is a home where you do not have to choose between the animals you love and the way you want to live.

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