Shabby Chic Home Decorating with Puppy Proofing in Mind

Photo Credit: Amazon.com Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic

If you love Rachel Ashwell's use of chipped flowers on a porcelain vase for decorating, you might be a fan of Shabby Chic style home decor. After I read her book on the Malibu and England hybrid style of Shabby Chic, I wondered how I'd adopt it in my own apartment. Disclosure: I have not been paid to endorse any individual, company, brand, product or blog. 

As a pet owner, I wonder the following:

1. What fabrics should I avoid if I also have to dog proof my house?
2. What three elements of Shabby Chic home decorating can I use while puppy proofing my apartment?

Photo Credit: SmartyGirlPets Cleo Marchol

3. Is cat proofing a home with Shabby Chic decor the same as how to puppy proof your house?

Dog Proof Fabrics
Shabby Chic home decor includes furniture fabrics and window treatments that have been sun-bleached, faded from rewashing and crinkled. This is good news for the pet owner. This means instead of dry clean only fabrics, you can choose small rose print sea moss green and white slip covers for your sofa that are washable. Let them wrinkle!

Petside "How to Puppy Proof Your Home" warns pet owners to be aware of craft items in the family item such as beads and strings. These can be swallowed accidently by your dog. So you may avoid beaded tassles when selecting Shabby Chic ruffled pillows. You have so many choices of other decorative pillows that fit into the style, that you won't miss beads and strings that tempt your dog.

For example, Rachel Ashwell lists shirred welt, tiny flange and two-sided corner ruffled pillows as just three of many Shabby Chic decorative pillow types.

Though you may like embroidered silk, you can puppy proof and select linen fabric that is more durable for your furnishings. Consider white denim too.


Top 3 Elements of Shabby Chic for Puppy Proof Homes

Photo Credit: Creative Commons Geograph UK Waterford Crystal Chandelier 

• Instead of peeling paint
• Peeling paint of 1940s antique furniture looks nifty for Shabby Chic but can be a lead poisoning hazard for your pet. As a substitute, use Shabby Chic colors but in a fresh coat of lead-proof paint in seafoam, olive and cream.
• Instead of vintage buttons
• Vintage buttons on decorative pillows can add interesting detail but as a pet-owner, you can choose larger items to make a Shabby Chic statement. Get inspiration from Blogger Courtney's "Sew Lovely" on the Musings of a Night Owl post but go big with Shabby Chic. Why not bring white metal patio furniture indoors? That's a Shabby Chic move recommended by Rachel Ashwell. Considering using patio tables for kitchen dining. Even the most determined dog is unlikely to swallow a table. You can also select
• Instead of etched glass
• Instead of mottled mirrors and etched glass that can be bumped and broken by dogs, decorate with Shabby Chic details out of reach of paws. Try the ceiling! Yes, tin ceilings are a lovely detail of Shabby Chic. You can find such a ceiling in any Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf cafe, if you need an example. I admit I admire the tin ceilings each time I stand in line waiting for my hot soy matcha latte in Los Angeles. 
• You can also use mini crystal chandeliers that suspend way out of reach of puppy paws. Just make sure each pendant is secure and unlikely to fall to the floor to end up in your dog's mouth.   Disclosure: I used to work for the online home lighting retailer, Affordable Lamps. However, I am not being encouraged or paid to link or mention their products. 

Cat Proofing vs. Dog Proofing

The Discovery Channel site gives more tips on how to cat proof your home. Some of the advice is similar to puppy proofing your home. One illustration that puppy proofs and cat proofs is keeping hanging items out of reach such as dangling ropes, tassels or pulls. Other tricks are cat-specific such as being careful not to pinch a kitty when opening and closing Shabby Chic sofa beds and recliners in the living room.

Happy Home Decorating with Your Pet!

3 Unique Valentine's Gifts for Your Pet

Photo Credit: Flickr Bird-dogger CharlieBird

Your pet may endure costumes for Halloween and annoying fur-trimmed hoodies for Christmas. What will he or she get from you this Valentine's Day? If Buster could speak, I bet he would ask for gourmet faux chocolate bark. If Snowball could text, she'd say she wanted an iPad app. Here are my top 3 picks for pet valentine's gifts.

Photo Credit: Flicker ScreamingKid Kitty

1. Mice, Cheese & Virtual Yarn App for Cats
2. Remote Dog Feeder with Camera
3. Dog-walking Tracker


Note: If you don't own a pet companion, volunteer at the Animal Shelter Assistance Program in Santa Barbara.
Paws for Valentine's Day!

3 Things I Learned as Pet Parent

Photo Credit: Flickr Renee Marchol's Cat

I grew up with German Shephards, Poodles, Boxers, American Eskimos and mixed breed dogs. As you can tell none of these breeds are cats. When I married Nik, I became a cat parent. I had to learn a whole new way of relating to a pet. No, I shouldn't greet the cat loudly like I would a dog. No, I shouldn't rough-house the cat like I would a dog.

Photo Credit: Flickr IndyDina with Mr. Wonderful

I also learned three cat care tips that will save you money if you are a new cat parent:

Photo Credit: Flickr Dan Forg Sir Michael

1. Cats may like no-cost toys better than ones purchased from a pet store. For instance, nothing makes this Russian Blue-Chartreau mix happier than playing with the tissue paper I get with lingerie purchases. She loves shooting underneath the red or white tissue, hiding her cat soccer balls underneath, and pouncing on its crinkly texture. She had no interest in the foil/mylar ball I bought her or the 2' tall sisal cat tree.

Photo Credit: Flickr Sweet Carolina Design

2. Place your hands behind your head if you want your cat to sit on your lap. Cats are more fragile than dogs so they don't like flailing hands and sudden movements. Cleo feels safer when I sit on the sofa in jeans and  put my hands behind my head. Maybe it signals that I am ready to sit still for 20 minutes. This will save you time and money spent on Amazon buying cat guides how to bond with your pet. Just make sure you are still.

Photo Credit: Flickr SuzyQ212

3. Befriend cat fans who can't have a cat in their apartment. Sometimes these individuals will be willing to watch your cat for less than the cost of a professional cat sitter. This is because they enjoy playing with your cat and appreciate the space in your apartment for your cat to romp. In my case, I met two sisters from church who refer to my cat Cleo as their "niece".

I worked for Zuca, a designer luggage and pet carrier company, when I was a MBA student. You can still find Zuca pet carriers nowadays. However, even more exciting pet products are coming out through Donte Designs. That's another company created by Founder Laura Udall. In Norcal, I was an active supporter for Tony LaRussa's ARF foundation. Do you know of a good Socal nonprofit that is good to stray cats?

Share your cat care tips in this cat care guide by contacting me.

Happy Cat Parenting!