Pet-Proofing Your Furniture
You love your furniture. You love your pet(s). But they don’t seem to love each other. We get it. The right furnishings are paramount to making your house feel like home but we know that with 30 million pet owners in the UK, your pets are just as important for that homely feel. That’s why we’ve compiled some of our best tips for pet-proofing your home and furniture.
Material Choice
Upholstered Leather furniture is a great option for homes with pets because it is low maintenance and easy to clean with a simple wipe down. It’s a very tough, resilient option, doesn’t attract hair like fabrics do and is typically more odour resistant than other materials. However, there is a possibility that your leather could become scratched and ripped by pets with long claws, though this could add to the traditional distressed look of your suite, we know it’s sometimes less than desirable. Do not worry, this is why we have expertly created a range of premium grade leathers, with a scratch and tear resistant coating, we also have our ‘cracked wax’ appearance leather which would work well in a home with pets. You can order a free sample pack of all our leathers online.
We’ve recently introduced fabric to our portfolio and now have over 500 to choose from in upholstering your bespoke settee or armchair suite. Speaking from experience, we can confidently confirm that velvet is a great fabric to use in the war against furniture scratching. It won’t stop your pets wanting to dig their claws in but (unlike regular upholstery fabrics) velvet is not a looped thread, this means there’s very little to hook their claws in making it less likely to pull. We’d call that a success!
Look For Durability
When shopping for a sofa that you know your pet will love as much as you do, durability will no doubt be the first thing on your mind. Is your furniture going to stand the test of time and last through all those excitable pet-leaping-in-to-your-lap moments? At the Leather Sofa Shop, we are extremely proud of our craftsmanship, only using the very best seasoned, solid hardwood frames and serpentine sprung bases, to provide our customers with a made to order suite, which they will love lounging on, as much as we loved creating. Still not sure? Book an appointment to visit our factory showroom today and see our excellent quality for yourself! Contact our team to book your appointment.
Coordinate Your Colour Schemes With Your Pet
Let’s face it, a house with a black or grey colour scheme and a gleaming white pet (or visa-versa) aren’t exactly a match made in heaven. No matter how long you spend grooming your pet or trying DIY fur-shedding hacks, your pet’s fur will be EVERYWHERE. Despite your love for the modern dark colour scheme, it may be time to embrace those lighter coloured furniture, fabrics and duvet sets, which will save you hours of furniture lint-rollering, allowing you more time to actually spend with your pet.
Accessorise, Accessorise, Accessorise
When done right, accessorising can be one of the best – yet inexpensive – ways to pet-proof your home and furniture. Simply adding a chic, woollen throw can protect your precious leather sofa and add depth to your living space. Don’t be afraid to mix it up with alternate colours, textures and patterns either! Avoid wide patterned items, with lots of exposed solid colours, which gather and show pet hair, or light colours, which stain very easily. Instead, opt for small scale, dark coloured patterned rugs which hide stains and dirt.
Deterring Scratching
Whilst you cannot stop your pet from scratching completely, you can deter them from scratching your furniture. It’s worth investing in good quality toys & scratch poles and strategically placing them near your furniture to tempt your pets away. If you have a small table near your sofa, another simple yet effective idea is to tie rope around the legs which encourages pets to scratch but doesn’t ruin the furniture itself.
To create your very own bespoke suite or arrange a viewing of our factory showroom, contact our friendly sales team sales@theleathersofashop.co.uk | 0161 872 7457.