Customers regularly stroll through my store dreaming of the day they can put new furniture into their home. This is not unlike many of us, and there are lots of things that keep us dreaming and not taking the plunge… often, it is budget. BUT… when someone tells me they are waiting for Barney to die before they get new furniture, it’s great relief to me when they clarify that Barney is the cat! Or that Ronnie isn’t with us anymore, so we can start looking at nice things for the house… oh my! Whew! Ronnie was their shitzu! And of course, for many of us it’s the kids – they are sticky, messy, and can tend to be generally unaware of how much money we just spent on a nice new sofa!
We are all currently working to balance “live in the now” with our practical side! We struggle with the decision to either jump in with two feet and live like today is our last, or take the “safe route” by waiting or purchasing something that doesn’t completely fulfill the vision or dream we have built in our head. UNTIL NOW! More and more we are realizing the benefits of having animals in our lives and welcoming our furry friends into our families and homes. This trend is evident with many manufacturers and with the introductions of pet friendly, kid friendly, and stain resistant fabrics, now we don’t have to wait to have the soft, stylish furniture that we have dreamt of!
We are seeing furballs on the sofas and chairs in pictures all over the design world! The big companies are not using furry models just because they are cute; they are sending us the message that we can have beautiful things, spaces, and homes that are entirely pet friendly!
So what exactly are you looking for if you are planning to incorporate some new furniture to your full family?? Things to keep in mind are the texture and colour of fabrics that can actually hide the hair of your pet. It sounds crazy, but if you have a grey cat, get a grey sofa. Another thing to consider is that synthetic fabrics are the easiest to clean. Look for companies that offer Sunbrella fabrics, which are known to be very durable and stain resistant or go for the good old polyester. I always refer to my Baba’s fortrel pants when I explain polyester. She could wear those navy blue fortrel pants every day for a month. Baking bread, pinching perogies, going out and weeding the snapdragon and pansy patch, and you would never know. They were nearly indestructible and always looked presentable. This is truly the same for polyester fabrics you are considering for your couch today.
And hey, don’t rule out leathers! Good quality, protected leather wipes easily and is not your cat’s favourite place to curl up in anyways- they prefer soft, warm spots.
So till next time, it That Girl Shannon Saying,
“Life is short, eat dessert first! I grab a black cherry ice cream as an appi every chance I get!”
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