Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Wednesdays Helpful Pet Tip #4

I can not believe it's already Wednesday! I'm really getting behind on things around here! Maybe I need to have my tip ready beforehand and then I can post it on Wednesday mornings. That would mean I would have to stop procrastinating on ONE thing. I get so irritated with myself! I always wait until the very last moment! But hey, I'm ready! Here's my tip!
                     WHITE!
seriously, that's my tip. A few years ago I found this absolutely fantastic book! (Someday when I'm being interviewed by Oprah's magazine and they ask me to name the top five books that have made a change in my life. Well, this will be one of the books that changed my life! LOL!
ANIMAL HOUSE STYLE by Julia Szabo

before this book I was like a lot of people. I would try to decorate and pick out colors that would HIDE the pet hair and paw prints and ETC. I loved this book because it shows apartments and houses of people that have clean, almost spotless homes that are so beautiful decorated.  It showcased modern decor and homes with antiques and beautiful art and well, everything I love! And all of these gorgeous decorated homes had one BIG thing in common! Pets! and usually a lot of them! Now I find that it's been my experience that if you admit to having more than 2 dogs and a cat, well... people immediately start thinking that you must live in a flea infested, poop smelling hole. We have all seen those horror stories of  animal "collectors" living in squalor with opened cat food cans and animals poking their heads out of odd spaces and litter, trash and poop all over the floor. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewww! This book discourages using dark fabrics that make it hard to see if "something's" on it. I mean really, it IS kinda gross to be sitting on something and not be aware of what's actually ON it. Now I have always LOVED the color white (if it is a color!?) Anyway her idea was to use white in decorating.  She pointed out that if you had slipcovers in white (and a spare one on hand) you could throw it in the wash with a splash of bleach and since it's not a color or pattern, you have to worry about fading so you can just throw it into the washer as often as you want.

Now I admit, most of my furniture in the livingroom is really just covered in white sheets ( I have like 20 of them) but I have the fabric and the book from the library and as soon as I stop procrasting on that, I will be making slipcovers. She also suggested white or light floors. I have white painted floors in my bedroom and I plan on eventually painting all the floors in the house (except the laundryroom/mudroom, I'm not completely insane but...) I just love the clean look of it and the fact that if someone coughs up a hairball or has an "accident" I see it immediately and can clean it up (rather than walk into it in my stocking feet.)

I know that white's not for everyone, most of my family and friends disagree with me but...

I think it's easier and I love the way colors POP up against it!

and I love black on white,
and my black cats look stunning on it!
(But that's not why I have black cats, I mean I'm not color coding my animals...
OK, well yeah I DO have some all white cats too, but
that wasn't on purpose....
OK.. I'm not even mentioning Blue,
( I got him because he was deaf and needed a home!)
it had nothing to do with being white...

(I gave that chair to Salvation Army...I should have just slipcovered it in white!)

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow you have a lot of animals!!! I love animals!!!!

White huh? Well go figure....

I've never been a white person but it does make sense1

I love that you adopted Blue and he was deaf and needed a good home~

Pattee : )

Kaerie Faerie said...

love your blog, I'm a huge fan of white and cats too! YAY
Thank you for all the sweet comments you leave in faerie land
your fairy friend
Karey

Suzie said...

I'm not a big fan of living surrounded in white (too many years of living in apartments, I guess) but I see your point, and it is a good one. When you have pets, there is going to be hair. Period. And it is better to be able to have easily washable surfaces than those that need special cleaners, or that stain easily. I have cotton throws over the seats of our chairs and sofa that are color co-ordinated with the furniture. The cats love to snuggle in them, and they are easily tossed into the washer for cleaning and refreshing. I remove them when company is expected (the throws, not the cats! lol)And our home never smells of litterboxes either. That isn't healthy or pleasant for humans or cats!

Thanks for stopping by my blog! Are you sure that your Dad and my Mom aren't brother and sister? When I read your comment, I had immediate flashbacks of SO many similar incidents. Talk about sticking a pin in your balloon! (and a belated, but heartfelt congratulations on having your artwork displayed publically! Your first exhibition! You must have been bubbling over with giddiness inside when you heard the news, and actually saw it displayed! That truly is quite an accomplishment!)

That's still worth a Happy Dance, and a Huge Hug!!

yoborobo said...

Cindi! I think you are on to something! I used to think I should buy color coordinating furniture, but with black cats and tan dogs, it's hopeless. I like the idea of having something I can toss in the washer with BLEACH. :) I love color, so I might have to put it on the floors or walls and leave the slipcovers white or off-white. Oh, and I love Blue. Look at him. Give him a cookie from me! lol!! xox Pam

Georgina said...

WHITE!!!!!!?????? I never would have thought of that. I avoided white for years not due to animals, but kids! LOL

xxoo,
Georgina

teddy bears Marin to Venice said...

I Love....... Hook....... Hook....... I adore animals and your blog it is bessimo with them photo.
I am sorry I cannot read, there is no translator, I look with a lot of pleasure alone photo.
Good weekend

Rosarita

jaz@octoberfarm said...

teddy never jumps on furniture. she won't even use her doggy bed. transplanting the tree is tricky. if you get most of the root system it should work as long as you water it heavily. it will probably die if you leave it where it is so you might as well give it a try! my drill battery died so it will be a few more days before i finish the gazebo. i was all ready to complete it this morning and the battery just died on me!

Cindi Myers said...

Rosarita! So sorry! I added a translator to the top! I totally forgot about that!
Have a great weekend!

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

hi cindi and louie...nice post...i'll have to check out the book....i have accepted the fact that since i got dande i will never have nice furniture again...i "had" 2 really nice red wool flannel wing back chairs....she LOVES sharpening on them..and i let her..john and i just stand there and watch..so now they are covered with some old wool plaid camp blankets i got in Maine...she still sharpens the edges...but we LOVE dande..at least she ins't interested in the couch
:-{

teddy is settling in...

hugs to louie...

kary and teddy
xxx

teddy bears Marin to Venice said...

Ciao Cindi,

what a wonder to read what have written!
does your opinion interest me on the white floors, this week the workers put white wood on floors of house to the sea... my cat is white with grey points.... he will disappear? will I see to walk the grey one only?

thank you for having made to laugh me.
I embrace a lot you hook who loves the animals.
Rosarita

Grazie per traduttore !

Sharon Day said...

That's a book I need to get my son and his girlfriend. They have two dogs in their little apartment and are just starting out, but they worry about how to choose furnishings with the pets and I keep telling them they're thinking too much, slipcover stuff. I like your ideas for painting the floors too. I love that.

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

just back from the party....and stopping by to say HI...Teddy loved it....

hugs and kisses to you and little sweet Louie

kary and teddy