Doggies need good design too!

OK...anyone who knows me or has met me even briefly....will come away knowing these 2 things about me. I love design and I love dogs (am especially partial to beagles and daschunds, but I love all dogs)!!! Dogs are amazing creatures....they are loyal, affectionate, intelligent and sensitive (one day I hope to do a post just on how sensitive they are to sick people and how therapeutic they are for old people - I have seen complete irrefutable evidence of both). But for now...I am focussing on doggie design! And by that I mean not only designing our homes so that they are pet friendly but also showing you furniture that has been designed JUST FOR POOCHES! YES! Finally someone realized that dogs are just little people with fur and deserve as much, if not more, than we humans do!

So, make your home a happy place for your dog by following these rules:

Skip the wall to wall carpeting-pet fur gets trapped and pet oils get embedded

Make sure that any upholstered furniture in the house is soft and comfortable for every member of the family. Avoid tall beds that require a large leap to get onto, or provide a step if your dog friends are of smaller breeds.

Match the color of your upholstery and bedding to your pets fur color-yes, the fur will still be there, but it won't show as much.

Buy attractive, patterned area rugs that are easy to clean-the pattern in the rug will hide the fur better. This isn't an excuse not to vacuum regularly, but it may reduce the frequency.

For pet lovers aspiring to a higher level of animal/aesthetic integration, Ikea has introduced a range of designer pet furniture. The company that once told British homeowners to chuck out the chintz is now exhorting us to chuck out the mangy old dog beds and chipped feeding bowls that clutter up our homes.
The new Bastis range consists of animal accessories with motifs such as the spotty Dalmation, through the organic rattan and up to the regal black-on-red print of the Bastis Krona selection, which includes a Lilliputian chaise longue for the quadruped with a taste for smoking jackets.

The Bastis Krona dog bed is reasonable value and could look rather charming in the right home. But I have no idea how anyone could induce even the best-disciplined of pets to sleep on it. Even if your pet is so obliging as to recline as requested, how long before the Bastis Krona is matted with fur or has its legs scratched to shreds?

The BÄSTIS KRONA line features a red and black palette and a crown motif on a variety of cushions, pillows, rugs, beds, even a CHAISE fer cryin’ out loud! Talk about treating your pets like royalty!

For the pet owner for whom price is no object, a trip to Pets and the City (www.petsandthecityuk.com) is a must. Their chrome and leather Modernist sofa wouldn't look amiss in the most minimalist of pads.

How about a wool dog blanket for Fido from http://www.mungoandmaud.com/

OK, so it's all a bit ridiculous, though. Your dog won't know the difference between high-concept design and an old plastic tub. I for one am quite content to have my dogs sleep on my bed with me...keeping my feet warm, snoring lightly and hogging all the space!! No doggie bed for them! But it is gratifying to know that designers out there are keeping our furry four footed friends in mind while designing furniture.....!

Doggie images via various media resorces, furniture pics via Ikea.com, petsinthecityuk.com and mungoandmaud.com