4 Simple & Stylish Ways to Make Your New Home Cozy for Pets

When moving into a new home their are so many things to consider! Which rug will go in which room? Do you have enough bookcases for all of your books? Where exactly will you hang all of your tour posters? It's not just humans that can use help decorating to make their house a home, but fur babies too. We all want our beloved pets to feel as comfy in our new digs as we do.

Each pet has its own way of dealing with a new environment. But there’s one outlier throughout: it’s the pet parents who can make the home a great place for the tail-wagging family members. Decorating your home is never an easy feat, but add a pet into the mix, and the task becomes even more challenging. To make your home welcoming for your new companion, we’ve put together a list of tips below:

1: Go for Shades of Blue and Yellow

Avoid red.  Cats and dogs don’t often see eye to eye, which is a bit ironic considering that both species are colorblind. In fact, they can only see blues and yellows, while red is just another shade of black to them. Therefore, it’s great if you can find toys, accessories, and even furniture or home décor that matches these colors and engages your pet’s visual sense. As for your own accessories, you can place them high up and use museum gel if your cat is a curious climber.

2: Provide Opportunities for Cuddling and Snuggling

Think cuddler beds, clamshell dog beds, or even a pet-friendly heating pad for when winter rolls around. Orthopedic or memory foam beds will last you even longer. And here’s a tip: keep their bed right next to yours for the first few weeks. Letting your pets sleep next to you will make them feel like they’re part of your pack, ready to give them warmth and security like their mom used to do with them and their siblings during infancy. Make extra arrangements for other times of the day when you’re spending time with your pet. For instance, get washable slipcovers for your couch so they can sit next to you while watching TV. Just get washable slipcovers for your couch and try to go for patterns with stripes or tweeds, as these are less likely to show signs of shedding. Now, just throw a fleece or sherpa blanket on your pet, and let the show begin!

Related: Cat Parents are Embracing 'Garbage Interior Design' Because Kitties Are Adorably Destructive

3:  Insert Elements of Barkitecture Into Your Home

Yes, you’ve read that right — barkitecture is an actual term, one which has evolved from describing the design of dog houses to pet-friendly interior design in general. That’s because many pet owners find themselves dedicating a space to their furry friends. Dogs, in particular, are getting their own rooms with stylish beds, toys, blankets and baskets to store some of these items.

As for felines, they might need extra adjustments to meet their needs. To catify your home — or make it more cat-friendly — you can add scratching posts (ideally one in each room) and make use of vertical space. Make a climbing area that’s part of the overall décor. Whether you clear out some bookcases, make a cat wall from scratch, or buy a cat tower online, you can bet that they’ll be over the moon.

Another good tip is to give them a destination that they can look forward to, like a window perch or a comfy bed up top. If you want to give them extra reassurance, place it close to your work desk so they can watch over you like the little gods they are.

4: Make Use of Storage Solutions

Who says baskets can be part of your home’s unique look? Woven, cotton rope, or patterned canvas baskets are all excellent options for storing your pet’s favorite toys, and you can choose them according to your home’s overall aesthetic. To keep things interesting, you can establish a weekly rotation of baskets with toys for your pet to play with so they’ll never get bored.

Speaking of storage, you can use elegant glass storage jars for their treats and low cabinets and sideboards to hide your cat’s litter tray. And if prepping the new place finds you running out of places to put those objects that need a new home to make room for your new pet paraphernalia, there’s always the option of self-storage. Self-storage is a great option if you’re looking for short or long-term places to keep seasonal items, furniture, as well as your pet’s travel crate, not to mention that there are climate-controlled storage units for your more delicate items. Just make sure you do not store any pet food in it, as most facilities don’t allow it.

Designing your home décor to also address your pet’s needs is a true case of designing on more than one level, as you want your home to be a haven for both you and your furry buddy. And while all the options we’ve listed work great for your furry friend, here’s a final tip that will save you some hassle: avoid getting breakable things, and maybe swap glass for plastic when it comes to picture frames.

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