How to Prep Your Home for a New Pet, According to an Interior Designer

So you’ve decided to welcome a new pup or kitty into the family—first, congratulations are in order. Next, the setup. Whether you’re a first-time pet parent or just need some advice on reigning in related messes, interior designer (and dog mom) Lisa Galano has some expert advice on the accessories and tactics to keep everyone in the home comfortable and happy.

Set Up Your Pet’s Home Base

"Create a space that’s just for your new pet as their home base—a pet bed is essential to doing so," says Lisa. "These well-designed beds create a comfortable place for your new buddy to rest while not compromising the aesthetics of your living room or bedroom."

Rethink Your Rugs

"Consider what floor coverings—area rugs, sheepskins, wall-to-wall carpeting, bath mats, etc.—you have down and how precious they are," says Lisa. "Pet messes happen, and maybe it’s best to roll up that vintage area rug until your pet is housebroken. Consider everything on the floor as fair game in the initial weeks of bringing your new pet home. Less is more for now."

Minimize Furniture Damage With Toys 

Says Lisa, "Have plenty of toys for your new pet to play with so they don’t go after your furniture legs or corners of upholstered furniture. I love all toys from Wild One: They’re creatively designed, stylistically attractive to both humans and dogs, and come in the best colors. It doesn't hurt they're also borderline indestructible!"

Find a Pet Bowl You’ll Want to Look At

"From a decor standpoint, your pet bowls will be a staple in your home, so make sure they’re gorgeous and a reflection of you, too, since you’ll be seeing a lot of them," says Lisa. "These are a few of my favorites."

Make Sure Your Plants are Nontoxic

"Look into your house plants online—not all are pet-friendly if consumed," says Lisa. "Anything that is toxic to your pet should be put out of reach. The Sill has a wonderful collection of pet-friendly plants, and even offers a subscription. You can keep the greenery in your home and rest assured it’s safe for your nibbling pup or kitten. My favorite feature of The Sill is the breadth of options for the plant vessels, and the extensive care information about each species. A must, if you ask me."

Go For Durable Furniture Upholstery

"If you’re purchasing new furniture, especially upholstered furniture, consider purchasing performance, commercial-grade, or solution-dyed nylon fabric options," says Lisa. "Personally and for my clients with pets at home, I’ve often sourced Whom furniture as they have fabric options I can rely on their durability and commercial grading for heavy use, spills, and pet life generally. Not to mention, their fabrics are all eco-friendly, something I strive to incorporate into all of my interiors. Can you believe this sofa has pet-friendly fabric on it?"

Get Organized

Lisa says, "A pet comes a lot of stuff. Food, treats, toys, grooming items, leashes, collars, wipes, etc. Coordinate a few bins or baskets to keep all the items in their place: a basket by the door, a few concealed in a cabinet to hold food and other not-as-cute items, and of course one for toys."

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