A home is not a home if it’s not functional. And in our book, that means lived in, which includes pets. There are few things in life more comforting than a dog cuddle and now there’s no need to keep Lulu off the couch. If you’re looking for the best sofas for dogs, here’s our guide to pet-friendly fabrics and furniture.
Performance Fabrics to the Rescue
For us, function trumps everything – what if you could have both your furry friend, plus a great looking sofa? That means reimagined spaces where nothing is off-limits, not even lighter colored pieces! Thanks to Ballard Designs Performance Fabrics by Sunbrella®, that white sofa becomes a reality. With 120 choices, be prepared to design the sofa of your dreams.
Sofa’s aren’t exactly a shed-free zone, but they can be a stain-free zone. Stains are no match for this wunderkind fabric. Read more on our cleaning 101 tips here. While we’re on the subject of shedding, microfiber, performance fabrics, and leather are the best fabrics to counter the endless fur battles. Consider choosing a sofa in a similar color as your pet mask hair, so lighter colored fabrics for your white Maltese, and darker shades for your black Labrador.
In addition to upholstery, another thing to consider when buying a sofa when you have pets is what shape makes the most sense. If you want to discourage a dog or cat who loves to sit (and squish) the back cushions of your sofa, consider a tight back sofa. You won’t need to constantly be fluffing and arranging cushions and pillows!
Washing cushion covers makes pet accidents easy, and if you know you’ll want to throw cushion covers in the wash, consider a three cushion sofa instead of a bench seat. It’s far easier to remove and wash a smaller cushion cover than one that’s super long!
Continue to Love Leather
Especially don’t rule out leather when you have pets. While the look and feel of leather is luxe, it’s actually super pet-friendly. Leather is incredibly durable and holds up quite well to pets. It’s easy to wipe down and hair doesn’t stick to leather like some other fabrics, so your style can remain elevated while still being comfortably lived-in.
Don’t be afraid to pair leather chairs and ottomans with sofas covered in performance fabrics. The varying textures and fabrics play well with each other and make for a perfectly sophisticated room.
If you have pets, give leather and performance fabrics a try. We think you’ll love the way they look even after endless hours of cuddles.
Brandi DeRuiter
Oh my goodness what a great article! I wish I would have seen this years ago to realize not all fabrics do well with pet hair. Our first sofa from getting married 20 years ago was a microfiber and never had any issues with pet hair or stains. Fast forward purchasing sofas and chairs throughout the years in different fabrics made for learning lessons on which fabrics are pet friendly. Some fabrics act like magnets or velcro for pet hair. Still have a recent purchase sofa that I love the design but chose the wrong fabric, oh if I could go back in time. Definitely would have opted for the fabric options listed in article. Thank you again for proactiveness.
P.s. kids are grown and in college but stains were not so much the issue, but yes, I definitely look for zipper covers that can be washed now:)