Answer Day: Drapes and Cats

Today's question, came from another designer, who is working with a client at the moment who is a cat person. The problem she is facing is how to deal with window treatments that will withstand the affection of her feline friends. I really appreciate this kind of question, because good design is all about solving peoples individual design problems in an elegant, sophisticated way. Here are some thoughts that hopefully will lead to beautiful windows and a happy cat.

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  Obviously, declawing the cat is not an option, it would seem then that you will need to find a fabric that can hold up to Kitty's affection. I would suggest that you use an ultra suede. It is a synthetic fabric, made to look like suede. Because it is not a woven fabric, it doesn't really give the cat a way of getting hold of it. Also for the same reason, you don't even need to hem it, because there are no threads to come undone. This fabric will give a clean, modern feel, as it it too thick to pleat at the top, so you will need to use grommets instead.




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  Another idea is to use roman shades on the windows. If you use a loose Roman, you can still get almost the same softness as a drape, but it will be safely out of reach (if it is a window, not a french door).




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  A wooden Venetian blind is also a possibility, but becomes a little "drier" than you might be hoping for. You could always add a valance or cabot, but that would work mostly with a more traditional style.




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  If you want to block the view but still need light, there are a variety of companies that provide adhesive sheets that stick onto windows and provide privacy, but still allow light through, and give some tidy pattern too. http://www.surfacematerialdesign.co.uk/
  

I hope that these ideas help, and good luck with your design.

Designing with Pets in Mind

There is a line that is now notorious in my office, and it was uttered by Margaret Russell, Editor of Elle Decor, during one of the first episodes of Top Design, "you can't design a room around a cat." While that statement may be true, for those of us with cats, or dogs; designing with a pet in mind, can produce its own unique challenges, I hope that this helps:

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  If your pet has access to the outdoors, then traipsing dirt back into the house is always going to be a problem. Try to make the access point somewhere with a hard surface, such as wood or stone, rather than carpet, as that will make it easier to keep clean.


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  Provide a textured mat, both inside and out, it will help capture some of the dirt.


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  Slipcovers are an excellent idea for furniture pieces that are frequented by pets. Using a natural material, such as cotton or linen, will hold up well to regular washing (remember to wash the fabric first, before you have the slip covers made).


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  I have heard people give the advice that you should create furniture the color of your pet so you don't see the shedded hair. I don't know about you, but I would dread not knowing whether my furniture was clean or not. This is not an argument for all white, but a warm neutral I think provides some relief, but also early warning of dirt.


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  Clean the rugs at least twice a year. So many times rugs, to their own detriment are ignored and not deep cleaned regularly. If you have pets this is crucial to keeping a home that will feel fresh all the time.


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  This one may seem self-evident, but groom your pet regularly. Regular washing and more regular brushing will keep your home fresher and cleaner than almost anything else.

Most of all, enjoy your pets, and let them enjoy your home too.