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Tricia’s Living Room Refresh Before and After: The Best Sofa for Pets

This is a guest post from Tricia Firmaniuk, my amazing Senior Colour Designer. I so love the first photo of her dogs lounging on her sofa, haha.

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My living room had been in desperate need of a refresh for a few years. My vintage sofa was looking terribly overtired. No longer charming. Straight up dingy.

It had the perfect proportions just right for our small mid century bungalow, but the nubby cream chevron texture fabric was letting go. It had impressively handled several years of my dogs spending their days lounging on it.

Mabel and Stanley snoozing on my tired vintage sofa

The cushions had zippers, and I washed the covers several times, but they weren’t coming clean anymore.

The sofa was made in the 60s or 70s. It had been recovered a few times. My plan was to do it again, but this time, in a plush performance velvet. Apparently, velvet is a great fabric for pets. It doesn’t have an exposed weave that catches fur, so it’s easy to wipe or vacuum it off.

I ordered fabric swatches from Maxwell Fabric’s Snug line of performance velvets. They were scattered all over my living room for months. So many pretty options.

My first choice was a warm apricot colour (below).

Apricot, cream and green inspiration for my living room

My second choice was a glam mauve (below). The green and white pattern is a sample of my bathroom wallpaper.

Mauve, purple and cream inspiration for my living room

But I had the hardest time making up my mind. Until I realized that what was really bothering me was if I invested in reupholstering my sofa in this gorgeous fabric, I would be tense every time my dogs got on it (which as I said, is every day, all day). And that’s a lot of tension.

Dogs on Furniture

I know that many people successfully train their dogs to stay off the sofa. For the first 6 years of her life, my senior dog, Mabel, was not “allowed” on the sofa. It backs onto our front picture window and each day when I came home from work, her cute little head would pop up (she was clearly ON THE SOFA) and she would promptly jump off as I came in the door.

She had no idea I knew haha. I caved, what was the point?

I hired a trainer recently who told me that if I wanted to keep the dogs off the sofa, I would have to confine them whenever I wasn’t watching them. And it would be challenging, she said, because the sofa is the only access they have in the house to look outside. (And for those of you wondering, my current furniture arrangement is really the only one I’ve found that works in this small space).

They are smart enough to understand. They know the have to stay off our bed. If we had a study or family room where the could be on the furniture, that would be an option, but the living room is our hard working everything room. And I want to be fair to them, they give us so much joy every day.

This is our second springer, Stanley, his first summer with us above. With two dogs lounging on the sofa all day, my sofa really is a glorified dog bed slash lookout. It gets dirty really fast.

My Solution

After months and months of waffling, I did some intense searching of my decor and dog obsessed soul. I discovered that what I really wanted was a slipcovered sofa! A cover that can be washed! So I could regularly get all that dust and smell out if with a little detergent and Oxy!

When I finally got past my attachment to the idea of recovering my vintage sofa, I realized I had slipcovered sofas pinned all over my Pinterest boards.

When I made this decision, I felt completely relieved. And it unblocked my process to make some decisions for my living room. Sometimes you just need to find a way to look at a problem differently to get past it. To let go of attachments.

My Living Room Before

My living room before had some vintage charm. But honestly, I was outgrowing it and as I said, it was feeling less than fresh.

Before

Before

I bought that sheepskin hoping she would choose to lay on that instead haha.

In case it isn’t clear, I am a crazy dog lady. And those of you who are the same will get how decorating and dogs often seem at odds. But just because you have pets, you don’t have to live with lumpy furniture that is the colour of mud. You can still have a pretty room.

One of my favourite designers, William McLure, who has a beautiful Weimaraner, recently posted this picture on Instagram with a caption that said, “Slipcover anything that’s below three feet in height”. Well Amen.

William McLure on Instagram

My Dog Friendly Living Room After

So here it is! I walk into this room every morning and feel so happy! And my dogs have not become a source of irritation thanks to the slipcovered sofa.

I decided it shouldn’t an expensive investment sofa, it would be much better to have a less pricey one that wasn’t so precious. I got the Ikea Farlov. The sleeper sofa version because it’s a good idea to have extra space for guests in a small house. And because it wasn’t as long as the standard Farlov sofa, but longer than the love seat. It fits perfectly.

Living room photos by Aspen Zettel Photography

Mabel, Stanley and my mom’s papillon, Vinny, photobombed the entire photoshoot. I really didn’t mind. This is a typical day in  our living room, and they’re so sweet aren’t they?

The Details

I think the sculptures really elevate the inexpensive Ikea furniture. The black and white clay and papier mache bust is by Violet Owen, and the white plaster and steel sculpture on the work table is by Susan Owen Kagan. When adding art to your room, don’t overlook 3 dimensional sculptural pieces, they add a lot of interest. Art is not only pictures on the wall.

I chose the Flodafors White slipcover because I wanted a versatile backdrop for my rotating art collection and the options were limited. The greatest thing about it is that if the cover gets badly stained and dingy in time, it’s very inexpensive to replace just the cover.

I toss a matching white blanket over it to extend the time between washings. A blanket over a slipcovered sofa looks fine, but a blanket draped over a tailored mid century sofa looks like you’re about to paint the walls or something.

The chair is the Farlov as well. Both the sofa and the chair are deep and comfy. Much more cozy than my slim vintage set was.

The colour palette was pulled from the large anchoring piece of art, also by local artist Violet Owen, in the dining room (below).

I introduced some blue accents so I could paint my retro kitchen cabinets blue (I’ll show you that soon, you can see a sliver of it here ;). I love cool blue with Magenta.

And I repeated the graphic yellow with a bright yellow wing back chair (also from Ikea). You can see my green wallpapered bathroom right from the living room.

The deep magenta pink is the main colour story here. The dining room painting suggested it, the figure’s face is a deep violet and pink. And it was a colour I hadn’t decorated with much before.

I created the tall painting on the skinny wall in the hall to help pull things together colour wise, just like I did in my recent bedroom refresh.

How much colour is enough?

Originally, I was planning to go with a simple natural fibre jute rug for some texture. Dogs can also be hard on rugs, so again, something durable and inexpensive is ideal. And I love that natural fibre rugs are biodegradable since it will have to be switched out every so often.

I put it all together and, although it was calm and pretty, I wanted a bit more colour. So I added the deep magenta pink over dyed rug layered on top (above).

Here is the living room without the pink rug (below).

When you opt for neutrals or white in your large pieces like the sofa or accent chairs, it becomes trickier to add colour in a convincing way. It can easily come across as non committal, an afterthought. A few colourful pillows and accessories in an otherwise neutral room can just look bitty, like visual noise. But it is a fine line.

A bold rug can do the trick.

What do you think? Do you prefer the room with the pink rug or without?

I like them both for different reasons. It’s good to have options.

Another variation on the theme

And speaking of options I quickly realized that I would need an extra slipcover for the sofa, one to wash and one to wear. So I opted for the Djuparp Dark Grey. It is a deep charcoal velvet, ideal in the extra muddy seasons like spring. Here it is below without the pink rug.

And here it is with:

I feel like the weight of the pink rug helps balance the heavy almost black sofa. What do you think?

 

Here it is again with the white cover. We had so much fun with the dogs taking these photos 🙂 They look great in pink.

 

My living and dining room is an L shape, so it’s a challenge to make both areas flow just as with any open concept space.

My next project will be updating the dining room. The large light fixture is bold, but it blocks the artwork from some angles, and changing out the metal farmhouse chairs is on my list.

Collaged painting in gold frame by Graham Peacock

 

So there you have it! I had so much fun redecorating my living room and I’d love to hear which you prefer, with or without the pink rug? The black or the white slipcover? It’s fun to be able to change up the look.

Does my colour designer know how to decorate with colour or what? Thanks Tricia for this colourful and inspiring post!

Related posts:

Tricia’s Magenta and Gold Modern Traditional Christmas

Best Advice Ever: On Wood Sofas, Bad Sofas and Area Rug Placement

4 Guidelines for Choosing an Area Rug

89 Comments

  • Anita Rosen says:

    100% I think the magenta rug is better. It adds weight and color and makes the other magenta elements in your room look like they are there on purpose. Both the dark gray and white covers look great in the room. I love what you did and your explanation is great. Thanks for a great article.

  • Barbara says:

    I like the magenta rug with the charcoal slipcover and the jute rug with the white. I find the jute looks very relaxing and serene. And you are right, the magenta just seems to balance the charcoal.

    Ha, when I was getting a new sofa, I took home a number of fabric samples to see which ones dog hair would not stick to. Tested them all and made my pick. The hair vacuums or wipes off easily. I have never had problems with dirt or mud, but our dog has shorter fur than yours. (the bed is another story, but the duvet cover washes easily) She has not been on the sofa for quite awhile now, not sure why she doesn’t choose it. I always used to say, it was really autumn when she got up on the sofa and curled up for the first time in months. Too hot for her in the summer.

  • Anne says:

    Great post – thank you. Just wondering if you considered apricot for the rug as you couldn’t have it on the sofa. For me the pink would be too strong a contrast – but that’s due to the lower light levels here in the UK. If the dogs like lying on the pink rug, stick with it.

    • Hi Anne, in order to go with the apricot palette I would have had to switch up the art in the dining room which I’m still enjoying so I decided to stick with it. Thanks for the comment!

  • Gail says:

    Pink rug!!!! That rosy/magenta color is my favorite – I’m an artist and always try to use it in my watercolors. And thanks for the tip about using velvet and slip covers for dog owners (and messy husbands!)…

  • Lynne says:

    That pink rug adds depth and cosiness that the jute on its down doesn’t. It pulls the room together by balancing out the deep yellow chair and the blue and pink in the throw and cushions. Just a personal opinion but it gives the room a wow factor, whereas without it the room looks a bit bland.

  • F. Tarrant says:

    I’m all for the pink rug! I agree that it makes the color story look intentional and grounds the space, whether with the light or dark slipcover. Great work Tricia!

  • Carrie TCE Dallas ‘18 says:

    Yes for the pink, especially with the light slip cover.

  • Bonnie says:

    Magenta rug, white slipcover. What an eye-catching living room.

  • Tricia,
    Lovely! Both are great options but the charcoal really allows your eye to move about the room and pops that yellow chair! The magenta rug grounds the room beautifully too! But for summer, out with the charcoal and in with the white & colorful pillows! Kudos!! I’ll keep this one in my design bag for my dog loving clients! ?

  • Roseanne says:

    LOVE the magenta rug with both slipcovers. The bold colors on the large pieces with repeats in small accents in artwork, flowers, pillows and books give the room a very professional look. Glad it works for the dogs too!

  • Bette says:

    How gorgeous! I love how all the rooms complement each other (as seen from the tiny view of the kitchen and bathroom). Definitely WITH the pink rug, which is stunning!

    • Annette says:

      Yes on magenta rug, especially with charcoal cover, but I like it with white sofa also. How about a sofa pillow with a dab of bright yellow? Have you thought about getting a charcoal cover for white chair in those “dirty” months? It’s a bit stark against the charcoal sofa and yellow chair.

  • Beth says:

    The dogs!! So wonderful! I’ll have the white slipcover, pink rug, please.

    What is the wood angled piece in the corner?

    Do you ever use Sunbrella fabric for slip covers and pillows? While originally an outdoor fabric, it looked wonderful in a couple of dog/cat/kid homes, and they have a million colors, plus even bleach can be used to get kid/dog mystery mud out.
    https://www.sunbrella.com/en-us/textiles/upholstery/for-the-home

    We once purchased loveseats with indestructible microfiber cloth (that felt velvety) because of our cats, and while their cute claws did not make holes in it, but it was the worst fur grabber. I swear cats could be five feet away and the loveseats’ magnetic fur power would cause the fur to elevate from the cat bodies and land on the loveseats.

  • Julie Martin says:

    Awesome post, Maria!! Love how you always mix up the focus…and Tricia, ALL your choices are marvelous!! Enjoy!

  • Jill Baum says:

    You can get beautiful slipcovers from Bemz.com. They make slipcovers specifically for IKEA furniture. I got beautiful white linen slips for my Farlov sofas and a pink linen for the chair. Love them!

    The White slipcovers ikea has are not truly white and they’re a bit right feeling.

    • Bemz.com is a great tip! I was disappointed to find they don’t make covers for the sleeper sofa Farlov, so that’s something to keep in mind for anyone considering this particular sofa. Thanks for the comment!

    • Sara Bradley says:

      Nice to know about an Ikea slipcovers resource Jill. Thank you!

  • Those DOGS! Best part of any decor! Beautiful!

  • Valerie Leeds says:

    I love the magenta rug! It looks great with both covers, so perhaps you might change it seasonally, as the grey one looks more cozy for cold nights and the white more summery. Either way, I love your changes to the room, especially adding the yellow chair and ottoman. Just the right spot for a cup of tea and a book. Instead of the faux fur pillow how about a yellow pillow, or a pattern with yellow in it for the far end of the sofa to balance the chair?

  • Liz Palmer says:

    I’m a dog mom too. Love what you did. My preference is the white slipcover… but I live in “Hotlanta” and white is a go to here. How about white for Summer, dark for winter? I’m having a problem liking the pink rug because I’d love to see a cleaner shade of pink, or whatever color you use. Have you looked at FLOR ? They have fabulous patterns and colors in their line. The line is carpet squares that can be lifted, washed and re-positioned. I use them for clients with children and pets… I mean children with 4 feet. 🙂

  • Kay says:

    I like everything. The magenta rug makes everything pop, and it’s all pulled together very well. The more serene, less colorful look would suit warmer weather, and the charcoal sofa with magenta would look great in the winter. In either iteration, the room is very inviting. The dogs are hilarious, front and center always! Very cute.

    Decorating with cats is also a challenge. My cat prefers to scratch horizontally and has a favored cheap mat to do it on, so our rugs and furniture are spared deliberate scratching. But as she has aged her hind legs have gotten arthritic and lost power, so she pulls herself up on furniture with her front claws. I’ve found that linen slipcovers hold up to the pulling of her claws, but a heavily used chair with linen will wear through on the arms in four or five years. My husband not only wore large holes through linen with his elbows but wore out the cushions of the chair to such an extent that the chair would have looked at home in the Rescue Mission. But the linen slipcovers on the sofa look like they’ll go on for a long time and, as you say, look good with throws draped over them, so they work beautifully for cats.

  • Carolyn says:

    Definitely pink. That being said, I love everything you did. It’s your artwork that elevates the space. Reflects an interesting person. Please post more…..

  • Lorri says:

    This was a great solution. I think I’m in the minority in preferring the dark slipcover and the plain jute rug!

    Another solution for upholstery is to use a Crypton fabric. Fabrics treated with Crypton technology repel liquids and stains, and spot clean beautifully. It used to be you had to special order, but I’m seeing more and more retailers offering sofas and chairs in Crypton fabrics.

    https://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/everyday-innovations/crypton-super-fabric.htm

  • Kim says:

    WITH pink for sure! I love that magenta rug and it just enlivens your living area. Mabel and Stanley and Vinny are so cute! I’d love to know if there’s a sofa (or slipcovers) that can withstand cats. I have a black leather sectional that shows cat scratches from where they leap off if startled. They don’t purposely scratch our furniture.

  • Deb says:

    Share your love for springers. I am currently on a waitlist for slipcovers for our sofa and loveseat-aubergine chenille. At the cost for custom covers, maybe I could get new sofas with extra slipcovers instead for just a little more like you, I also shop for rugs with their dog hair in a plastic baggie- and buy the carpet their hair disappears on. The rug salesman has never seen anyone do that before.
    In France I found a supplement to keep their teeth clean of tartar, and soon figured out it’s cheaper to add kelp powder from the bulk section of the health food store with the same good results. About 1/2 teaspoon for our size doga on their breakfast. Our dogs aren’t smelly with clean mouths and Diamond food recommended by a breeder,
    Agree with you on the sculptures adding alot to an interior.

    • Hi Deb, great tip on carrying around a baggie of dog hair, that’s definitely something I would do haha! It’s a process when dogs are a consideration. And mine do get kelp powder everyday as well! I believe healthy food is why my 12 year old springer is doing so well. Ok, and she’s a bit spoiled 😉 Thanks for the comment.

  • Barbara says:

    I love it! Both ways…with and without the pink rug. What I love about the two sofa palettes is that You get two looks depending on what your mood or the season is. I love the magenta rug. You are amazing and the wall colors that you picked for me for my condo are so right. I am ready for some help soon, because nobody knows their colors like you and Maria. Thanks for sharing! Adorable beautiful dogs.

  • Luvthesnow says:

    Hi Trisha all look really nice and have different looks and functions. My favourite though is the two rugs (pink and the jute) together and the white slip covers on both and that yellow chair is fab! Here’s where I think you could make some improvements, the pillows. And that’s a challenge in itself! I think you need to have two matching pillows on the long couch that have pinks, yellows and some white, something on the busier side to offset the the plainer white slip covered couch. Then add some other more functional pillows if you like. Be careful with the sizes of the pillows. I think the size of the pink and blue are the right sizes for that couch. But sometimes we have to make compromises. I think the pillows for the chair will be harder to find. That chair ( I believe) is the first chair you will see when you enter the living room, maybe the same colour scheme ( pinks, yellows, touch of white) and maybe one other smaller (more of a splurge, wow type pillow) I like the sizes you have now. Pillows ( like backsplashes ?) usually one of the last items to chose, resign yourself to bringing home a lot of pillows and doing a lot of returns! Another option if all else fails with retail is to have covers made for your older pilllows ( sometimes cheaper and they can be removed and washed ) or custom ( some places, I think Ballard’s) will use your own material. Happy shopping!

  • Cindy says:

    Love the pink rug! And rhe dogs!

  • Heather says:

    Beautiful color combos. I am especially fond of the pink with charcoal. The artwork, the bold chair, all beautiful. However the best rotating decor pieces are your beautiful dogs! I’m also a dog mom, and have a vintage sofa (tufted, half circle Hollywood regency, done in silver blue silk velvet-yes, I have sofa pride!). My fur generators love it, so I had toppers for the seat cushions made from the same fabric, and then added a few dog friendly blankets draped strategically in places they are inclined to lean. Same principle as the seat covers, but less fabric. I paired it with a vintage karastan and some subtle and easily cleaned leopard print for dog lounging on the floor and ottomans, and thus keep the fancier fabrics up high (drapes, throw pillows). It works for us.
    I do appreciate the post on dog friendly decor. It’s such a thoughtful topic. So many of us own dogs, and not so many truly helpful articles addressing the concerns. I’m not just willing to keep them from joining us in order to have certain decor options. Thank you for taking the time to discuss it, and I hope you are enjoying your lovely space with your pups.

  • PursuitofPerfect says:

    Lovely update and your photos are awesome. I like the pink topper rug but, because the one underneath is a neutral and disappears somewhat, the pink one look too small – aren’t at least the front legs of the furniture supposed to rest on an area rug? So two suggestions come to mind: try placing the pink rug off kilter with one leg of each of the easy chairs and the sofa resting on it (or some variation on that theme – maybe both rugs off kilter for example) or switch out the neutral colored rug underneath for something that pulls a color from the topper rug. In either case, I would tweak the furniture placement so the front legs of the sofa are resting on the carpet. I love your makeover and would kill to have your problem accommodating your fur babies. DH is allergic. Darn!

  • Tricia too says:

    It’s fun to have options. You can mix it up whenever you want, and each look is great. I love that your house is so colorful – blue kitchen, green bathroom, black bedroom, not to mention the bold shot of yellow and optional pink in the living room. Also just wanted to thank you for going to all the effort of creating all those different looks for this post – the photo shoot must have taken forever. It’s a lot of work changing out rugs and slip covers and getting dogs lined up. The dogs are adorable!

  • Kathy W says:

    The magenta rug pulls the whole thing together, whether you’re using the light or dark sofa slipcover.

  • Joanna says:

    I’m a dog owner, as well. I trained mine to stay off the furniture, so that is not a problem. It’s the carpet. I want to go lighter but know I need to stay with a darker, patterned one to hide any dirt stains. We make compromises for our pets, don’t we? They bring laughter and love into our homes so that’s an easy one.
    I think you were wise to go with slipcovers. They are worry free. Plus, your two Springers look adorable sleeping on the sofa. I love the yellow wing chair and that sculpture. I’d add some patterned accent cushions that pick up all the colours to the wing chair to bring the room together.
    It’s bright and cheerful!

  • jeri says:

    Totes in love with your wonderful color story here and I love the room in every iteration – white/dark slipcover and magenta/sisal rug combos. It IS good to have options. The art is fabulous.

    I appreciate the timeliness of the post as I have a consult with a dog owner next week. Love your pet friendly vibe.

  • Kathy says:

    I am a pet lover too and ended up with a tabby cat colored decor (gold, beige, brown) with accents in teal, turquoise and chartreuse. Not my first choice, but it works both with the cat and the harvest gold plush carpeting that was in the house when we moved in. Again, not my first choice, but I got voted down to remove it because it was in perfect condition. Then we adopted a shelter cat who sheds more than any animal we have ever had, and it was a blessing.

  • Nancy says:

    Great post !
    I guess I’m the only one that likes the white with the jute rug .
    I understand why more calming for my personality.. I’d just take the yellow from the chair and bring in that color more …
    Nothing wrong with the pink just difference in personalities in what we like and don’t like ..

    • Kim Killen says:

      I agree with Nancy. Love the calmer feel of the jute rug. Love the adorable dogs! They are beautiful.

  • Priscilla says:

    I love how the charcoal slipcover anchors the room and elevates it at the same time. Very pretty!

  • Nancy says:

    Pink rug all the way! But it is the chair that is really the amazing color that just makes it perfect! Loved this post!

  • Sam says:

    I prefer the dark slip cover without the pink rug. Or the white slip cover with the colourful rug. Not sure why though.

  • Sonja Bermingham says:

    Love the “layered” look of the pink magenta carpet and along with the yellow chair your home looks beautiful, fun and happy. Your doggies are lovely, too!?

  • Cindy says:

    Love the look of the darker sofa with the pink rug, looks very glamorous!

    Curious what color paint is on her walls to know if I’m learning undertones correctly. It is such a great backdrop for all the elements in her room.

  • Brenda says:

    When I opened this post and saw your two dogs laying on the sofa, I said to my daughter, “That looks just like our house!”. I also have two bigger dogs who love to lay on the sofa, and it is definitely hard to say no to them. However I like my living room to look nice also. So a couple of years ago, I too, bought slipcovered sofas from Crate and Barrel. One cover is cream and the other is grey. No regrets at all. I also have two teenagers who are hard on upholstery too. And then there’s me… one Christmas I fell asleep with a glass of red wine in my hand and it dumped all over. I was up in a flash, stripping off the slipcovers and tossing them in the wash. That being said, when I am not home, I do put two older washable blankets on the sofa and chair, which really help reduce the amount of time I need to wash the slipcovers. I am really, really happy with ours and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone.

  • Becky says:

    My favorite is the dark slipcover with the pink rug. The jute rug and white cover seem like a nice combination for summer and the darker pair for the winter. Great to have 4 possible combinations.

  • Liz says:

    Magenta for the win! The adorable dogs and I love it. 🙂 I’d like to see even more of it…but that’s just how I roll. If I didn’t have a beloved bossy patterned uncomfortable chair from Pier One, I’d go with a magenta (and orange) rug in a heartbeat!

  • Lucy says:

    Hi Tricia, That magenta rug is a show stopper! I love this whole post with the explanation of how you pulled the room together. Both slipcovers work for me and love the yellow chair! The whole room reads like a piece of art! What actually finishes the room are the dogs! I am such an animal lover and would like to give them all a hug! I could go on about all of your accessories and how they work in the room but mostly I am in awe over your color (inspiration ) boards and how you put them together. You are such a good artist! Thanks for writing this post.

  • Gabriele Hoegner says:

    I think the pink rug makes your living room.
    It is perfect and your dogs look adorable.

  • eva mulligan says:

    LOVE The pink rug! Love, love, love it! Love your whole space and the gorgeous pups! The only thing I would say is that it would be nice to have a dusty purple or deep purple slip cover for the side chair. I’m obsessed with purple and I think it would fit. 🙂

  • Lauren says:

    Good call on the slipcovers. I started breaking out in a sweat when I read you were considering velvet with your dogs. It’s true that it doesn’t get into the weave of the fabric but I found that velvet acted like velcro everytime my dog brushed up against it and actually collected hair much like a hair brush would. I was constantly vacuuming it and it never looked nice. Your room looks beautiful and functional with the slipcovered sofas.

  • Chris says:

    Like you, I recently traded my upholstered sofas for white slipcovered sofas for my pets, and use a same-colored turkish throws to keep them clean longer.
    Tricia, your space looks great! I love the magenta rug!!

  • Bonnie says:

    Love the change. Love the Papilon!

  • Linda/Collingwood ON says:

    The dogs names are priceless.. made me smile out loud. My preference is the white slipcovers with the layered jute and magenta rugs. I found the charcoal took my eye right there, while the white kept my eye moving around the room and balanced.

  • Pamela says:

    With the pink rug! I like it layered over the fiber one too!

  • Beth says:

    Great post. Love that she included some options (grey slipcover, with and without pink rug) to show more information.
    I see that Ikea sells this with the following beige options:
    Yellow beige slipcover and a “Flodafors” beige.
    What is the undertone of “Flodafors” beige?

  • Mary-Illinois says:

    I like the jute rug with the magenta one layered on top. And the white slip covers for Spring & Summer. The dark gray for Fall & Winter.
    I love the colors you’re using. Maria must be rubbing off on you. ?

  • Beth B. says:

    I like the magenta rug with the dark slipcover for fall/winter and the natural fiber rug with the white slipcover for spring/summer. The best of both worlds and a change is always nice!

  • Tracy says:

    Love the spaniels and the Papillon! I am not a fan of the pink rug because I think it takes away from your other bright accent pieces. With the neutral floor they really stand out. With the huge pink presence on the floor, I don’t see your colorful accents at all.

  • Kathy Galus says:

    Love the black slipcover and the pink rug!. I, too, am a crazy dog lady and appreciate that you decorate around them!

  • Sheila says:

    What a great redesign of your room! I like both colours with the magenta rug. When the sofa is charcoal I think the yellow chair would be extra nice closest to the fireplace, contrast against the off-white surround and balance the dark sofa. You can have many looks in this one room!

  • Mid America Mom says:

    Hi! Lovely dogs and space. As you are asking about rug- magenta all the way. You love color ! The pink is a strong color among the light walls, walnut / teak? mcm items, and I am not seeing any yet 🙂 on the shelves? it feels like you need some more and the rug is great to do that. Maybe repeat in the new dining chairs as I am not seeing it in there except for the painting. The modern exposed bulb pieces ala jonathan adler would look wonderful over the table. Thanks for sharing!

  • mrsben says:

    Beautiful work Tricia! Do love your choices and vote for the magenta rug as well plus will take one of each of your fur-babies, as IMO perfect elements for the space … :). -Brenda-

  • Karen says:

    Definitely prefer the white slipcover and love the magenta rug.

  • Marlynda Taylor says:

    I’m so glad to see someone else whose life choices revolve around their pets. Your decision about the slip covers and a less expensive sofa is the solution I needed as I fret over what to do in my own living room. I have two dogs and two cats who lounge on my furniture too. I love the bright colors you used, especially the magenta rug and the yellow chair. Having the alternate slip cover is also a great idea. You’re a woman after my own heart! Love your beautiful dogs and that they are apart of your family, worthy of your consideration in making decisions which affect their lives.
    Marlynda
    .

  • Becca Shire says:

    Looks lovely and great selections! Love all the colorful art and tactile energy of sculptures. I personally prefer the dark sofa, but I would probably add a throw with a weave or pattern that included that charcoal/dark color on the chair for balance. I think the white looks so clean and fresh, but I’m just more of a “moody” decorator! What a great idea to get two slipcovers in such different fabrics to change up your look for different seasons/reasons.

  • Bette says:

    Loving this post and very timely! We are getting ready to change out our dark brown leather couch. It has held up wonderfully to our dogs but we need something lighter now. I had started looking at white slipcovered sofas (already have the jute rug) and was wondering if I could pull it off with all of the rain and mud we get at times….Getting a second cover in a darker color should work! Did you get the grey cover at Ikea as well? I think both options look great and provide the opportunity to mix it up when you want to. Love Vinny’s photo bomb….we have Papillons and have never met one that did not want to be “front and center”. Thank you!

  • Susan S says:

    Oh, you nailed it, Tricia! And because I’m cuckoo over dogs, I’m so happy you decided to let them “live” in their home as well.

  • Kirsten says:

    Great post. I love the magenta rug on the natural fiber – lots of texture and rich color. I also enjoyed reading about an elegant solution for handling real life (in your case, dogs). I think both slipcovers look good. Switch them out when your mood changes or when necessary. I love your posts!

  • Corinne Koftinoff says:

    I like the pink rug with the dark sofa colour. Nice and cosy for winter and it feels grounded. And I prefer the naturel jute rug with the white sofa for summer. So nice to have a choice and everything looks great.
    Our dogs were never on our sofa until we looked after our good friends dog for 9 months due to their medical issues. Their dog, a chocolate lab, was allowed on their sofa and in their bed. He even jumped into bed with me once when I was by myself. Right when I was in a deep sleep! After my screaming he never did that again! Now he has gone back with his owners but my dogs now think it is ok to sleep on the sofa. I just put a blanket down for them.

  • Love it! I also bought Ikea furniture (same colour) and a second set of slip covers just in case. Love your colorful accents!

  • Emme says:

    We share the house with a huge long-haired dog. Visitors are always shocked to see that our living room has two white sofas looking impeccable. The magic is white vinyl. Hair slides off with a quick swipe of microfibre cloth and vinyl doesn’t scratch the way leather does from dog nails. It can be wet-wiped to eliminate odour. This is not the vinyl you remember from the 70’s – it’s soft and matte and looks and feels like leather. Our whole home is built around dogs and this is but one key to truly easy, harmonious and joyous living.

  • Kristen says:

    Great post, and oddly enough I just bought the same exact jute rug last week! We have color on the walls (aqua) and palm leaf print curtains so the natural fiber works for us, but your pink rug definitely adds a little something in your living room, especially with the charcoal slipcover. We have children -probably worse than pets!- so we bought a plastic striped outdoor runner to protect the rug in front of the couch where the children make the most messes. Thanks for sharing your beautiful living room.

  • Ellen Shook says:

    I vote for the magenta rug! I love both your options for the sofa. Very smart!

  • Molly says:

    I just have to write something because I also have two springer spaniels who lounge on my couches just like yours! (Even the “lie on the back and let it all hang out” pose….) And yes, slipcovers are the only solution…. Your living room came out great! I prefer it with the bright rug!

  • Kay Doyle says:

    I’m definitely in for the pink rug! More balanced, more interesting, more chic! Like both slipcovers, especially the white for spring/ summer, the charcoal for autumn and winter. Your marvelous art makes such a personal, delightful home!

  • Diane says:

    Thank you so much for your post and great photos! We have a dachshund that has turned our (now a bit deformed) leather sofa back into a comfy saddle for himself where he looks out the window. How your situation – and solution – spoke to me!! I thought our only option would end up acceptance of a living room looking like a barn! This has been SO helpful, I wanna hug you!

  • Chris says:

    I like the Jute with the black slipcover best. (I think my eye was thrown off because the front feet of your sofa were not on the rug in the photo with the white slipcover.) All the black around the fireplace wall really pops with the black slipcover.I want to see a pillow with a bit of yellow on your sofa, clack or white) to move my eye around the room. Great post. Thank you.

  • Melinda says:

    Grrrl… where did that rug come from??!!?? I’m in love and I want two of them. That combination of purpley/magenta + gold is heaven.

  • Jonelle says:

    The bright rug is perfect with other art in the room. It gives the room a higher-end look. I loved how you layered the rug too. Those slipcovers looked very fitted and nice. Great job!

  • gisela says:

    I love the dark gray with magenta as well! Was wondering what is the color on your walls? P..s I love dogs too.

  • Mary says:

    I love the magenta rug with both white and dark sofa. Your colors are so fun.

  • Mary says:

    And I must add, I bought leather sofas for my dogs. Little did I think off slip overs. Lol

  • Erica says:

    That magenta rug is fabulous!!!!! Where did you find it? It looks like something ABC carpet and Home in NYC would have.

  • Cynthialuc says:

    Hi, I wonder how the sofa has held up. I don’t have any pets and only one child (who is an adult) and I need a smaller couch in my condo. Just wondering if it will be comfortable enough.

  • Sara Bradley says:

    I’m a years late to the party Tricia! Maria Killam posted this again and I just saw it. I love the room. Comfortable and interesting. The magenta carpet helps pull the colors in. I’m also a a dog mom. We have never had the desire to have them stay off the couch.

    I’m taking color certification courses and would love to use some of these photos in a class. May I have your permission to use it?

    Thank you,
    Sara Bradley

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