Pet-Friendly Style That Doesn't Sacrifice Design

Discover how to blend pet necessities with your home's style. From chic pet beds and discreet feeding stations to stylish storage ideas, learn how to keep your space cohesive, functional, and beautiful while still meeting your furry friend's needs.

If you live with a pet, you know that their toys and furniture aren't very aesthetic. Cat towers in your minimalistic living room? Scratching posts that look like they've gone through war next to a sleek coffee table? Half-chewed toys lying on the expensive Persian rug?

If you have a pet, you have to accept a certain amount of mess and the fact that your home will never look like the one you've seen on Pinterest. It doesn't have to be that way, though. Pets are part of your family, and their stuff doesn't need to stick out like a sore thumb.

Read on to see how to blend the not-so-stylish pet supplies with your very stylish home.

How to Create Harmony Between Pet Necessities and Home Aesthetics

The reason why your pet's stuff looks so out of place is that you're thinking of it the wrong way. Their things aren't extra clutter you have to deal with, but a part of the overall aesthetics of your home. A dog bed or a feeding station doesn't have to look like it's there temporarily, and it doesn't need to stick out.

It makes a big difference if you match colors and textures, like a woven basket that picks up the tones of your rug. Or a pet bed that's upholstered in the fabric that's similar to what you have on your sofa or cushions. The same goes for materials.

For example, a stainless steel feeding stand works great in a modern, minimalist kitchen. A warm wooden frame for a cat bed, on the other hand, will naturally blend into a rustic or mid-century look.

If your lifestyle includes bigger animals, the same principle applies outdoors. Barn design has changed, and it's shifted towards spaces that are clean and functional.

Even if you're looking at horse stalls for sale because you want to fetch a great price, but you don't have any animals indoors, you should still keep the style in mind to make your property look more cohesive and intentional. Why?

You don't want the primary house looking one way, the guest house another, and then you build a stall or barn that has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the property in terms of design - it'd look like a mess.

Stylish Solutions for Every Room

Here's how to make your pet's necessities look like they were always part of the plan.

Pet Beds and Lounging Areas

Floppy mats that get shoved into a corner are not really ideal, neither for you nor for your pet.

Look at some newer options that are designed to look like actual furniture because there are wooden frames that resemble low-profile daybeds and woven baskets that are as decorative as they are functional. You can even find cushioned ottomans that have a sleeping nook inside.

If you want something more integrated, you can carve out a nook under the stairs or create a window seat with a pet cushion. Just be careful with your choice of fabric because you'll need something durable that you can wash over and over.

It should be able to withstand daily use and still look elegant, so it matches the rest of the room.

Feeding Stations

Nobody should have to trip over pet bowls in the kitchen, and if you put some thought into feeding stations, that won't happen.

Get elevated feeding stations in sleek stands and match them to your cabinetry or the tone of your flooring so it all feels intentional. If you don't like the look of feeding stations and want to hide them a bit, you can add pull-out drawers or concealed compartments in kitchen islands that slide open during mealtime.

Materials are important here, too.

Cheap plastic bowls aren't ideal, so go for ceramic or stainless steel. They look better and they're easier to maintain. Make sure to wash the bowls in a dishwasher, though, because it gets them much cleaner than handwashing.

Storage and Organization

The mountain of toys, leashes, brushes, and other things your furbaby needs can take over your home.

But it doesn't have to!

Don't pile everything into a corner and think about storage that fits your decor. Woven baskets are very 'in', and they can hold a lot of toys because of their size. Fabric bins are another useful piece of furniture, and you can match the fabric of the bins to the fabric that you use in the room.

In case you're remodeling, you could build cabinets that have sections just for pet gear.

For smaller knick-knacks, you can use wall-mounted hooks or discreet racks near the door to keep your house tidy and to make the stuff easy to grab when you need it.

Conclusion

Your pet couldn't care less if their bed matches the cushions or if their bowls look aesthetic. You, however, do, and that's perfectly fine. Luckily, there's no need to choose between looks and function because it's totally doable to have both. Your home can stay chic, and your pet doesn't have to sacrifice any of their toys to make it so.