How to Make Your Living Space Pet-friendly and Stylish!

Whether you're moving to a new place with a pet or bringing a new furry addition into your home, a little advance planning can go a long way in making your living space a happy place for both you and your pet.

That's why we are really excited to partner with Apartment Guide to bring you some tips on moving as well as some things to know when you are bringing a new pet into your apartment.

Since I've had dogs, I've lived in apartments, condos and houses, and each time I moved I had a few tricks of my own to make the move more pleasant and the new surroundings more comfortable. So I'm going to share a few tips from Apartment Guide as well as a few of my own! 

Moving with Cosmo

Since I've had Cosmo, we've moved twice -- from a condo, to an apartment, to our current house. For us, the apartment was a temporary solution since I was lucky enough to sell a condo a little too quickly and we had nowhere else to go! If you happen to find yourself in a similar situation with a pet, Apartment Guide has the photos, floor plans, features and tips to help you search for the perfect pet-friendly apartment community.

When we lived in the apartment, I loved the pet friendly walking areas as well as some unexpected extras like the pet-friendly window sills! 

Cosmo loved this built-in perch in our apartment!

One tip: If your pet likes to jump up on the window sill, please make sure the windows are secure and closed! The third floor provided a great viewing area for Cosmo, but I wanted to make sure he stayed INSIDE the apartment!

Here are a few more things we've done to make our living space more pet-friendly and pet-welcoming!

If your pet likes to join you in bed, consider a bench at the foot of the bed (like the one above) to make the leap a little less strenuous. An area rug will also provide your pet with some traction and will help dampen the sound of clicking feet across the bedroom floor! I got the bench, above, and the pet bed from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.  I was able to customize both with complementary pet-friendly fabrics that are both durable AND stylish!

Speaking of pet beds, I don't think you can ever have too many! For an affordable option with a customized look, I love this bed, above, from P.L.A.Y.  The beds are made with furniture grade fabrics, sustainable materials and are completely machine washable and dryable. The beds are even reversible to give you several looks AND you can order pillows in complementary fabrics for your own bed or sofa!

Cosmo is packed and ready to go for his next adventure

Whether we are traveling across country or moving to a new space, Cosmo doesn't go anywhere without his Big Green Bone, above. I always make sure Cosmo's favorite toys and treats are close at hand. And if you're moving, be sure you have quick access to your pet's food and bowls too!

When it comes to flooring, I love the options and functionality of carpet tiles. These, above, are from FLOR. You can customize the look to fit your own style and if your pet has an accident, it's super easy to clean one tile or even replace it.

Some more helpful tips if you are moving to a new neighborhood

The folks at Apartment Guide also provide lots of helpful suggestions for moving to and exploring a new neighborhood with your pet. Whether you are living, looking or moving, Apartment Guide will point you in the right direction. 

For more, "Like” Apartment Guide on Facebook, tweet at  them @AptGuide on Twitter, “circle” them on Google+ and follow them on Pinterest for real-time tips and updates on how to make the most of your small space.

Some extra treats from Apartment Guide

Stop back by To Dog With Love on Friday, and we'll be hosting a giveaway for a $50 gift card from PetSmart, courtesy of Apartment Guide! You could pick up a snappy new bed, some Bissell pet clean-up products,  or a Halloween welcome rug -- all essentials in my book for a stylish, pet-friendly home!


Disclosure Statement:
Apartment Guide and owner Consumer Source, Inc. partner with bloggers such as me to participate in blogger programs.  As part of that program, I received compensation.  They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about any products and believe that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Consumer Source’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

Designing a Pet-Friendly Home with FLOR Carpet Squares

We love finding pet-friendly decor options, especially when they are both functional AND stylish.  So when we saw photos of the new FLOR styles, we were excited to check them out in person.

Lucky for us, there's a FLOR showroom in Atlanta. So Cosmo and I set out to look at all the new styles, and Cosmo made himself right at home!

What's unique about FLOR is that it comes as a system of carpet squares. So if you have little mishap in one are of the rug, you can remove that square to clean it in the sink. Or if it's a REALLY bad accident, you can replace it with a brand-new square.

The FLOR squares connect to each other (not your floor!) with FLORdots, so you can be really creative with them to make rugs of any size and design. It's a super easy DIY project or you can use their installation service. 

We love the practicality of FLOR, but what's really surprising is the number patterns, textures and colors from which to choose. 

From bright, saturated colors...

... to subtle neutrals in patterns and textures to keep things interesting.

Darker colors form an interesting geometric pattern.

Brights in stripes!

Pretty circles in a variety of colors...

And our favorite... a mod cow pattern with a pop of color in a yellow border!

FLOR squares are made using recyclable and renewable content too. And they'll take used squares back so they'll never end up in a landfill.

Check out more reasons why FLOR is a great option for a pet-friendly home and some of FLOR's newest styles too! We also like these handy design tools to help you create your own unique carpet or rug design.

FLOR can be ordered online or visit a showroom near you.

Atlanta FLOR showroom. Dog not included!

Thank you Kimberly and Katherine for hosting us in the Atlanta FLOR showroom!