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Design 101
Does Your Home And Pup Want Cuter But Practical Accessories? We’ve Got You Covered
I think all dog owners can agree that once they become a part of your home and life, your world is forever changed. Not just because they are human’s best friend but because they will absolutely take over your home if you let them. I’m not the strictest dog parent so needless to say my dog has won this battle. It’s fine, I surrender. However, so long as I have a 60 lb lap dog in my life, on my sofa, and in my bed, I will be damned if I don’t at least attempt to save the decor and design of my home. This means searching for the most design-friendly dog accessories out there, so I can perhaps maintain a tiny bit of control.
I’ve put off purchasing a lot of the dog accouterments but as the design of my home comes further and further along, I needed to find what’s best for my dog, my home, and my sanity. Here we go…
1. Forest Dog Bed | 2. Contempo Lounge Pet Bed | 3. The Wolf Nest Linen Dog Bed | 4. Riviera Dog Bed | 5. Moderno Pet Bed | 6. Animal Print Memory Foam Dog Bed | 7. Quilted Orthopedic Bolster Cat & Dog Bed | 8. Modern Mud Cloth Natural Dog Bed | 9. Wild One Bed | 10. Indigo Mud Cloth Dog Bed | 11. Isla Dog Sofa | 12. Fringe Studio Textile Lines Pillow Pet Bed
I have to admit that I love a floor pillow in place of a traditional dog bed. They are subtle and great for small spaces as you can layer them on top of a rug so it doesn’t take up a significant amount of floor space. Something like #6 would be very cute layered over a cowhide rug and people won’t even realize it’s secretly a dog bed. Personally, my pup will lay/sleep on basically anything but over the years I’ve noticed he prefers the beds that have a ridge so he can lay his head on it like a pillow, so #7 and #9 would be his preference I’m sure. But as I mentioned before here, a great trick is to have throw blankets (that you aren’t super attached to) layered on rugs and on the floor for them to snuggle up on. This is a great way to keep them off furniture as much as possible.
1. Dove Marine Rope Dog Leash & Charcoal Stripe Dog Collar | 2. Found My Animal Classic Hemp Dog Leash & Making Shapes Collar | 3. Emerald Velvet Rope Leash & Hunter Green Rope Dog Collar | 4. Coral Dog Collar & Coral Dog Leash | 5. Navy + Brass Recycled Materials Dog Collar & Royal Navy Rope Dog Leash | 6. Chambray Dog Collar & Grey Cotton Rope Dog Leash | 7. Custom Leather Dog Collar & Black Leather Dog Leash | 8. Wild One Collar & Wild One Leash | 9. Sage Box Lounge Leash
This roundup was very timely for me as I have not upgraded Gus’s collar and leash combo since we adopted him. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while but never felt like a big enough priority to spend money on. BUT NOW, after seeing the options out there I think it is time. He would look so handsome in #5 and #7 but I also love the look of #9. Has anyone had experiences with any of these brands or products?? If so, you know I love a real customer review so let me know.
1. Concrete Pet Bowl | 2. Ceramic Peet Bowl | 3. Waggo Dipper Dog & Cat Bowl | 4. Handcrafted Ceramic Raised Dog Cat Pet Bowl | 5. Dog Bowl for Small & Large Dogs | 6. Wild One Bowl | 7. Ethical Pet Stoneware Crock Pet Dish | 8. Raised Dog Bowl | 9. Concrete Dog Bowl
The difference that purchasing these dog bowls made in my kitchen is pretty unbelievable. Before, I was using tin salad bowls in place of actual dog bowls and let’s just say it was not cute and very messy. Now that we have these proper ones I feel so much better and I feel happy for Gus even though he doesn’t know the difference, I like the idea of spoiling him a bit (he’s my baby!!).
1. Vanilla Veg Tanned Leather Tug Toy | 2. Modern Mud Cloth Natural Dog Squeaky Toy | 3. Cotton Dog Rope Toy | 4. Frisco Plush and Rope Bundle Dog Toy, 6-Pack | 5. Triangle Tug | 6. Medium Rope Tug | 7. Organic Cotton Rope Dog Toy | 8. Bolt Bite | 9. Sheepskin Bone Squeaky Plush Dog Toy | 10. HuggleHide Bone Dog Toy | 11. Leaps & Bounds Playful by Nature Toss | 12. Jax and Bones Anchor Rope Dog Toy
My dog is a pretty big boy so his favorite toys are stuffed animals he can rip apart in two seconds. He also loves a squeaky toy (like the animals in #4) but they annoy me so much so for him, I try to stick with bones and things he can chew on. However, his favorite ball ever is this so if you don’t mind the squeaky sound, it’s a good and cheap option. #5 and #8 are very chic for dog toys and a rope toy is a classic because who doesn’t love tug of war??
1. Jar With Lid | 2. 3 Piece Canister Set | 3. Waggo Gloss Dog & Cat Treat Jar | 4. Waggo Dipper Dog & Cat Treat Jar | 5. Colori Canister | 6. Large Ceramic Canister | 7. Niko Large Blue Ceramic Canister with Wood Lid | 8. Textured Stoneware Kitchen Canisters | 9. Airscape Ceramic Storage Container
The great thing about treat containers is you can use just about any kitchen food container out there. If you don’t have a ton of cabinet space and will be leaving the treats out on a counter all of these options are stylish options that could easily fit in with normal kitchen decor. I love #5 and #8 and you can’t go wrong with a classic glass jar.
1. Set of Rainbow Baskets | 2. Culla Bench | 3. Garissa Basket | 4. Woven Basket | 5. Revistero Basket | 6. Mid-Century Cabinet | 7. Jay Tufted Upholstered Storage Bench | 8. Mid-Century Toy Chest | 9. Rope Basket with Lid
Storage is always top of mind for me (hello tiny apartment) so I had to include some options here. Now that you have dog leashes, collars, and toys you’ll need somewhere to store them. If your space permits, I think an entry storage bench is a perfect solution. You can keep the leash and toys close by the door plus the bench can be multifunctional.
If a storage bench is not a viable option, baskets are a great alternative. I love the ease of simply throwing my things in a basket and closing the lid. Voila! Just like that, I am the best organizer ever.
That’s all I have for pups but I’d love to know what other pet roundups would you like to see from us. We know many of you are dying for some cat content (which I am sure Caitlin or Sara could certainly oblige) but if you have other suggestions drop them in the comments. See you there. xx
Opener Image Credit: Design by Lea Johnson | From: Tour a Stylist’s Mid-Century-Meets-Traditional “Farmhouse” Full of Thrifted Treasures
I had no idea there were so many cute dog accessories…. please do cats next! (If I could find a way to replace the torn-up cardboard scratchers and random boxes/piles of blankets that my cat sleeps in I would love you forever.) I know bowls and beds can be universal, but litterboxes and scratchers are such eyesores that are specific to cats!
Amanda, I’ve searched high and low for nice cat and dog things. I’ve use this litter box and cat scratched for years. They both hold up well.
Do a pet-friendly area rug roundup with really cute, neutral rugs!!! I need that more than dog accessories or pet-friendly upholstery.
You got it!
ruggable has saved our living room! my special needs senior pup ruined every other rug but being able to throw our ruggable in the wash every month or so has been a game changer. and they have so many options.
I’ve been curious to hear how Ruggable rugs do! We have a dog and toddler, so messes are a thing around here.
This dog bowl stand from Etsy is truly the chicest thing in my kitchen and SO practical — bowls go in the dishwasher and the beautiful wood frame is easy to clean. I endorse it so much!
You know what would be super helpful?
Dog crates that aren’t horrible looking.
And don’t cost a fortune.
Any ideas?
Great idea!
Ooh yes or ways to cover a traditional dog crate to make it more aesthetically pleasing! (We drape a Pendleton blanket over ours)
I think they’re all pretty horrible looking, but they’re not a forever thing, just for puppydom, and they can look better if you cover whatever mattress you use inside with a cute cover.
I have a large dog and haven’t been able to find a big, air tight container for his food that isn’t ugly. If you find any, please post!
Same! I can’t find any that aren’t a big plastic tub.
Simple human one works great and looks ok- really like a nice trash can but better than plastic.
I second this! We use this and I don’t hate it, and it fits a whole 30lb bag of kibble:
+1 to this! Came to the comment section to suggest this!
The Gamma2 Vittles Vault collection is air-tight and not a horrible eye-sore, although we keep it hidden in a pantry. Lots of size options on Amazon. Happy with ours! No dog food smell!
I noticed a lack of Target options – which seemed like a bit of a shame because I’ve gotten great design friendly dog accessories from Target since we got our puppy a bit over a year ago. We have three dog beds from Target that are very reasonably priced and also neutral/cute, though it looks like they’ve rotated their line since then so only one is still available. The Boots & Barkley brand is great in general though – I see several other cute ones online now, like this one: We also have these dog bowls, which are reasonably priced but still nice looking, and unlike the ceramic ones, they don’t dent our wood floors when our ornery pup picks his empty bowl up then drops it at our feet in hopes of getting it refilled (he broke a ceramic bowl doing that!): I really prefer collars with the buckles that snap together, rather than the ones that act like a standard belt buckle. Once, our pup managed to get himself caught by his collar/ID tag on the air vent on our floor and the speed with which I was able to unbuckle his collar to get him free convinced… Read more »
When dogs are on their own or in bed, my vet recommended taking their collar off for safety reasons. She’s microchipped in caseshe ever got out. She actually looks to have it clipped on each morning, like getting dressed. Super cute. Super safe.
Buying my dude a foam mattress dog bed seemed bougie, but it’s so much better for his lil old man joints than all the cute pillows he had before. Also I accidentally bought an enormous one that I can spoon him in so…win!
Aww I would totally do that. We got Gus a foam dog bed before but when we went on vacation last year he wasn’t too happy so he tore it up lol. He loved it though and the whole time we had it he rarely slept in our bed which was a dream.
I recommend the Big Barker dog bed for large dogs that need extra support for their bodies, elbows, joints. It has a built in headrest and washable cover. It is not cheap but will last for the life of your dog and beyond. They also now make smaller versions for smaller dogs, but with same supportive foam materials.
Adorable dog.
Oh, if you haven’t found already, look them up! They have wonderful US hand-crafted multi-way leashes, collars, harnesses, etc. (many designed specifically for service dogs, if you’re looking for that). Critically, they have beautiful leather collars with quick-release metal buckles, which is so important for safety (as Jessie notes). They make to order, so you can customize the leather/metal/length/features… and at a surprisingly reasonable cost. Swear I wasn’t paid to promote this, but I absolutely adore the leash and collar I have from them.
My dog preferred to sneak onto the couch throw pillows when the kids toss them on the floor to any “dog bed” I purchased. So, I bought large Kilim pillow covers on Etsy and cut pieces from an old memory foam mattress topper to fit. As dog beds they’re classy, inexpensive, washable, and fairly indestructible (and eco-friendly since they’re up cycled).
We don’t use collars for our dog. He’s a dachshund, and collars that pull on the neck are bad for the spine. With their history of back problems you want to avoid that. So, we’ve gotten Hug-a-Dog harnesses for him (they were originally called Hug-a-Dachshund; now they’re available in all sizes). And we can pick out the fabric pattern to fit the personality of the dog!
My dog really likes the Casper dog bed. It is not the cutest but saves my real sofa because the best way to keep the dog off the couch is to offer a good alternative.
I buy whatever dog bed I can find that is the right size and shape and drape a cute blanket that matches my decor over it. Super easy to wash and much easier to find something that fits in with the room.
Dog bandanas! The foggy dog makes really cute ones and they’re my favorite pet accessory.
Oh also would love to see a roundup of cute racks or hooks/displays to hang leashes on.
So, here’s my deal – I can buy my aussie any bed and she still ends up on the couch. Is she obedience trained? You bet! She can herd, do agility, catches frisbees on the fly and knows over fifty words. However, that just made her sneakier :) So, I would love a list of couches with washable slipcovers! Please!
+1! I also have a sectional and haven’t been able to find a great throw blanket to cover up the sofa since my pup sheds so much. Would love a roundup that covers slip covers and blankets to protect your sofa.
same please!! all the couch covers look so sterile.
Ikea!!!
Awwww you know I’m a big furry family member fan! Love all of these picks! Thanks for rounding them up!
My girl, Rosie, was crate trained (I was seriously opposed to this, but puppy school trained me) and man, didit help a lot of things!! She moved from that, with permanently open gate (she lurved herceate with mattress inside!) to a chunky dog basket with plump mattress inside, old quilt covers wrapped over it and old wooly blankets for winter. She. Is. In. Love. With. This. Basket! Another game changer is her FRONT CLIP harness. She isan Irish Terrier (naughty!) and she pulled on her lead soooo much she’d end up on her hind legs!! I tried back clip harnesses, nose thingos to stop pulling (she nearly frothed at the mouth with that one!) …BUT, seriously, day one eith the ftont clip harness…. NO PULLING!!! None. Zero. Rosie uses the same biggish soup bowls as us for herwater bowls, inside and outside. The outside onecracked, but we have @ 12 so who cares? I bought her a super cute food bowl with feet, coz, well, she’s my scruffy-baby and she likes nice artsy things! I toyed with various cushions and so on for other sleep areas, but since we have floor boards with huge area rugs, she’s happy plonking down… Read more »
I nearly forgot…another game changer was swapping the faucet on the laundry tub for a shower head with one of those metal accordion pipes. Makes washing her an absolute breeze with water temperatures juuuuust riiiiight gor her royal self! ?
We have an 80-pound golden retriever who is the canine love of our lives and who is allowed in every room and on all furniture. Some things in our home that are stylish and functional:
– For his food storage, we can a big airtight canister from Harry Barker:
– For his collar, leash, and dog bed, we’ve found nothing beats products from Orvis (e.g. memory foam dog bed)
– For his toy storage, we have the large size of the Muuto Restore Bin which uses recycled plastic for its felt material
– For his treats canister, we have one from Jonathan Adler–we love the cheekiness. There’s also a canister that literally says “Puppy Uppers”
For the rugs in our house, we only buy Chilewich. Different colors and patterns throughout to keep it from looking too matchy. I have bought less expensive indoor/outdoor rugs from other places but nothing lasts and keeps looking brand new like Chilewich. For the carpets in our loft area and bedrooms, when we renovated, we installed Stainmaster carpet throughout; it’s soft underfoot and lower pile and stains and liquids are easily cleaned.
On a sidenote, our Dyson Animal handheld vacuum has been a lifesaver.
Many of my clients have pups and I can relate with two adorable Boston terriers of my own. I really don’t know what people did before Ruggables. I’ve recommended these to so many clients as they are easy to clean rugs with a sturdy velcro under-mat and their colors and designs continue to expand. A true lifesaver for people with dogs, and cats I suppose.
Unrelated question: could you provide the photo source of the room in the leading, top image? I can’t remember which room this was, but I’d like to track down those curtains.
Cats please!!