You love your home and you love your pets. Sometimes, however, your pets don’t treat your home with the same loving kindness you do. Cats and dogs shed and scratch. They climb on furniture and wear out carpeting. They track in mud. Sometimes they even have those distressing “accidents.” Even if you don’t have animals, furnishings can take a beating from kids with dirty feet and party guests who let their wine escape the glass.

But there’s no need to despair. Just because there’s a four-legged companion in your life (or a housemate who spills), that doesn’t mean your home has to be dowdy. You can have nice furniture in a pet-friendly home, and here are some of the ways to accomplish that.

A Home for You and Your Animals

Before you buy a new sofa or tear up the carpet, take a few minutes to think about some general principles of living in a home with pets.

For example, what kind of treats and toys are you giving Bowser? Dogs love pig’s ears and rawhide bones, but they can leave grease stains. Choose neater, healthier treats and clean, attractive toys. Also, regular bathing and grooming will make your pets and your furnishings more compatible.

What color is your animal friend? That’s a clue for your color scheme. It might be obvious that light fabrics and rugs show dirt and hair, but dark colors can be just as bad. Grays are a good choice to add style to your space without highlighting stains. Brownish colors that somewhat match your pet work well, too. And mulitcolors and patterns make splotches less obvious.

Dogs accidentally tear with their claws, but cats often do it on purpose. Avoid loose weave in fabrics and rugs. Consider treating your cat to a scratching post. Some of them look quite nice and blend into a design scheme.

Pet Friendly Furniture in a Dog-and-Cat Household

Many of the most durable upholstery types are also good around pets. Performance fabrics and leather are easy to clean and last a long time. Throws and pillows in general help protect furniture.

If you have a puppy, you know how they like to chew. With these rascally little wagglers around, a pet friendly sofa or chair with metal legs has a longer life expectancy.

Fabrics for Furry Ones

There are right and wrong fabrics for an abode with animals. Silk, chintz and velvet? Forget it! Ditto anything with loop construction such as chenille or tweed.

Stick to tight weaves and performance fabrics. You can wipe away most dirt and hair with a lint roller or damp cloth. Look for fabrics that are resistant to water, stains, mold and mildew. Many are antimicrobial as well.

If you and your furball spend a lot of time in a casual room such as a den, you might even consider indoor-outdoor furniture. The more substantial pieces translate nicely to inside spaces. Rugged materials such as Sunbrella not only resist outdoor fading but are stain-resistant and a cinch to clean.

Versatile Leather

People tend to think of leather as a luxury item, the opposite of what you’d purchase for a property with pets. They should think again. Leather is durable and easy to clean, and it’s not a hair magnet. It will take a lot of pummeling over time and hold up just fine. It’s a great choice for animal lovers.

Sure, it might sustain a few scratches, but these look natural and add to leather’s character over the many years that the furniture will serve you. Another bonus: leather doesn’t absorb odor the way some fabrics can.

Protecting Your Bed

Does your bundle of happiness jump up on the bed? Protect your mattress with a pad. Consider using extra easy-to-wash bedding options such as duvet covers instead of standard bedspreads.

Pet Friendly Flooring

Some people keep their companions off the furniture, but no one keeps them off the floor. They live there. Fortunately, there are several good choices for pet-friendly flooring.

Solid Floors

Hardwood is sturdy but is also susceptible to moisture and scratches. The sturdiest woods are best, and some are available with a special coating.

For resistance to anything an animal can do, it’s tough to beat tile. It’s waterproof, easy to clean and toenails won’t scratch it. Luxury vinyl is an excellent choice as well, and it has a softer foot feel and offers style options that are attractive throughout the home. Laminate is also good, but it’s water resistant rather than waterproof, so any surprise moisture has to be taken care of promptly.

Pet Friendly Carpet and Rugs

If you want to maintain carpeting or soften the look of your room with rugs, go right ahead! There are plenty of rugs and carpets that are compatible with animal companions. For example, construction such as jute, nylon and polypropylene will serve you well.

A lot of carpets these day have soil resistance and stain resistance built right into them! On top of that, many are available with a full stain warranty, including lifetime pet coverage.

Choose low pile. It’s easier to remove the evidence of an accident. Furthermore, toenails won’t snag it and teeth won’t unravel it the way they can high pile or continuous loop.

As with furniture, consider the indoor-outdoor variety for rooms where those rugs fit the ambiance.

Even if a dog, a cat or a messy friend is important in your life, you don’t have to give up having an attractive home. There are ways to enjoy both your buddies and stylish surroundings.