Decorating Doggie Style
Decorating when you have pets can provide
unique opportunities to express your own personal style
and taste. Here are some tips I'd like to share:
1. Bare floors, without carpet or throw
rugs, can give a nice open feeling to a room. It can provide
a soothing balance when you have any art objects that reflect
your love of animals.
2. Paw prints and nose smudges on glass
doors and windows break up glare and soften the light in
a room.
3. Dog crates, when stacked three high,
can add height to a room and pull the eye up. If fastened
securely to the wall, the top can provide a safe and dramatic
place for exotic plants or statuary that otherwise might
be molested by your pets. An up light can make it a real
focal point. Cats love to inhabit the upper crates, leaving
the lower ones for the dogs.
4. Old towels and blankets thrown casually
on upholstered furniture can add a wonderful homey, country-quilt
look to an otherwise bland room.
5. Common smooth upholstery fabrics can
look almost velvety when lightly textured with pet hair.
6. Vari-kennels, placed end to end and topped
with plate glass can create an unusual coffee table, one
your friends will really remember.
7. Doggie beds, randomly placed around a
room, can add color and texture, much as throw pillows do.
8. Shredded or chewed books and magazines
send a message to guests that they are free to relax and
feel at home.
9. Dog crates can make versatile end tables,
and can be slip covered to match any room decor.
10. There is absolutely nothing that makes
a guest feel as welcome as three friendly dogs hopping in
his lap as soon as he sits down.
So throw away those videos by Martha and
others, and express your own unique tastes. Your home should
reflect what YOU like!
