Pet-Proof Living: Faux Throw

A question for pet owners:  Do you ever drool over the gorgeous photo spreads in home decor blogs and magazines, thinking  “I’d love to do that in my home, if only I didn’t have {insert dogs/cats here}?”   I know I do.    All white upholstered furniture . . . gorgeous yet fragile items displayed at tail-wagging level . . . you get the point.

Even though my dogs are well behaved, I still have to take precautions.  I try to decorate my home tastefully, while making hair-removal as easy as possible and keeping the decor pet-proof.   I like to think of it as pet-proof living, and starting today I’m going to share some of my ideas with you.

I love my furry critters dearly, but the shedding drives me freakin’ crazy. 

In the fall I talked about how much I’d love to have a group of throw blankets handy to curl up in on chilly winter evenings.  When I found cozy red fleece blankets on sale at Ikea for less than $3, I grabbed a few. Oh, they were cozy all right, but after only a week or two, they looked as though they’d been dragged over the floor of a dog grooming parlor.  Even after they were washed.

That was not acceptable.  I can’t hand a guest a hairy fleece blanket.  Either I needed to dye my dog’s fur to match the blankets, or I needed throw blankets in a washable fabric that would easily release pet fur.

The solution?  Fur of a different sort.  Fur that doesn’t make the PETA ladies throw paint on me.  Friendly fur.  Faux fur.

I put it on my Christmas list, and my mom did not disappoint.  She found a gorgeous, reasonably-priced brown faux fur blankets at Pier 1.  It’s been in my home almost a month, and you can’t see an ounce of hair on it.  And let me tell you . . . that sucker is silky soft and cozy.  I can’t get enough of it.

Then there’s the daybed in the guest room, which I also covered in a faux-fur duvet cover.  It’s been there about a year, and when I spot some pet hair on it, I can easily brush it off  (all the while grumbling to myself that the dogs know they’re not supposed to climb on it during the day).  It’s washable, too.

Next faux project?  Cozy and washable dog beds for the bedroom.  I found a great leopardy print at Jo-Ann’s fabrics for only $6 a yard!

I’m not the only one on the faux-fur craze.  Kate over at Centsational Girl is down with faux.  Hop on over there to see her surprising and clever transformation.

And what about you?  Do you have any other fabrics that are perfect for pets?