paws-chicago-magazine-2011-winter

For the hip pet in your life: a sleek modern dog den crafted in polished Fiberglaswith an opaque, shatterproof glass top that brings in the light, and a swing doorthat can be removed. Available in small or medium ($579.99 and $599.99),shown in mint, it also comes in red, white or black. DenHausGone to theDogsCreating a pet-friendly padby Elaine MarkoutsasEvery now and then, modernistcatalog-retailer Design Within Reachdishes tongue-in-cheek pearls of wisdom.To wit:“A home is only for show. A homeshould never be cluttered. If shoes,socks, cups, newspapers, toys, jackets orfamily photos ever find their way intopublic view, remove them immediately,or better yet, just throw them away.Never allow children or pets in a home,for they are messy and sometimes emitunwanted odors.”In spite of such apparent flaws, ofcourse, we do love our children andour pets. And therein lies a real designchallenge with a lot of common ground:how to furnish stylishly but practically,with materials that won’t wilt frompouncing with dirty hands, feet and paws.“Durability and cleanability go handin hand,” says Dallas designer AbbeFenimore. She ought to know. She hastwo pups, a Brittany spaniel and Germanshorthaired pointer, whom she admitsare “on everything.” She’s usually armedwith a sticky tape roll for sheddingdog hair.Many of Fenimore’s clients also havedogs, and she has talked them downfrom chewed-up plastic in favor ofstainless steel or ceramic bowls andsung the praises of indoor and outdoorrugs and fabrics.Designed mostly with the outdoorsin mind, performance fabrics suchas Sunbrella and the to-the-tradePerennials repel stains, sun, mildewand mold, properties that are welcomein high-traffic areas inside the home,especially since color, style, patternsand textures have been significantlyupgraded in recent years.West Coast-based designer JoeRuggiero designs for Sunbrella butwas a huge fan well before its extensivefashionable offerings, which includevelvet, damask and even chenillelooks in eye-popping lime, orange andcobalt blue.“We use it on everything,” saysRuggiero, “drapery, bed drapery, topof the bed. Table skirts. It is easy-care,heavy-wear. Twenty-five years ago, mywife, Barbara, and I were raising threeactive children. We used Sunbrellabefore they developed upholstery grade– it was a stiff canvas. She’d throw it inthe wash with a cup of bleach, whichactually softened it.”Even throws have been designed withpets in mind. Another performancefabric manufacturer, Crypton, sellsthrows it calls “throvers,” which itsays “looks like a blanket and workslike a tarp.” The 48-by-54-inch pieces,available in a range of fun patterns andcolors, are stain-, moisture- and odorresistant,easy to spot-clean, machinewashable and sell for $149.Some of the rug options are amazing,with a wide range of decorative patterns20