Carpet One Floor & Home Partners Unveil Best-In-Show Canine-Inspired Interior Design Trends
Carpet One Floor & Home’s retailers have rounded up the best-in-show canine-inspired trends in interior design, in recognition of May being National Pet Month.
Pet Playrooms
With so many pet owners working-from-home, keeping pets occupied during Zoom calls has become a unique pandemic problem. To that end, some pet parents created “pet playrooms,” designated spaces in the house to be self-contained (with baby gates, in some cases) and stocked with their pup’s favorite toys so they can be entertained during work hours – specifically “enrichment” toys that focus on their instinctual needs of sniffing, chewing and foraging. In fact, Tik Tok viewership of “Dog Enrichment Toys” videos topped more than 200 million views last year.
As far as the best option for flooring for a pet playroom? Engineered hardwood floors are one the most popular flooring options out there. The best pet-friendly hardwood options include harder species like bamboo, oak and hickory. Look for hardwoods that are made from tougher woods so that they stand up better under the clickety clack of paws.
Napping Nooks
Dog owners are repurposing spaces under staircases, buying built-in benches and purchasing pop up teepees all in the name of giving their pets a cozy, safe place to snooze. Searches for “doggie nooks” on Pinterest turn up tens of thousands of results and ideas, cementing them as a best-in-show trend.
Cozy spaces are perfect places for carpet to warm up the décor. Look for a carpet with nylon fibers, as it’s the most durable and stain resistant carpet fiber on the market (especially when treated with stain protection). Ask about static, stain and soil resistant treatments when shopping for a carpet that will really stand up to high traffic from humans and animals.
Bath Mutts
Dog owners are adapting their own bathrooms by adding faucets and shower heads at dog-level; installing doggie doors in the shower for pets to easily access the wash station; adding steps to help them into tubs and more. Some are designing dog wash stations in laundry rooms as well.
Tile is a great flooring option for moisture-prone spaces like bathrooms or laundry rooms, but keep in mind it provides little traction for the pitter patter of paws – so keep an eye on your pet post-shower time and maybe throw down a bathmat for the slippery areas.
Built In Food Drawers
Dog cubbies and drawers are leading canine design, especially in kitchen cabinet design. Built in food drawers are the new “farmhouse sink” when it comes to kitchen must-haves for dog owners. Retailers like Etsy and Petco offer ready-made cabinets and built-in feeders, but tails are wagging for the pull-out drawers built into pantries and kitchen cabinets. Sized at the just-right height for dogs to dip into food and water, owners love that clean up is easy, and there’s less “clutter” on kitchen and laundry room floors.
For kitchen floors, homeowners should look for fashion and function that can withstand high traffic and moisture. Waterproof hardwood floors are an increasingly popular choice for kitchens that can withstand the occasional dribble of kibble or overzealous water bowl lapping.
For more information on pet-friendly floors, please visit Carpet One.