Your feline is a stylish creature, that is simply a fact. His furniture, though... that's another story. What with all of the garish colors, funky patterns, and weird textures, it can be hard to keep your home stylish while still maintaining an enriching environment for kitty. Hard, yes... but not impossible. In this article, we will look into ways that you can blend cat furniture into your décor, thus creating an environment that is both stylish for you, and entertaining for your furry friend!
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Keep An Eye Out for Color
Perhaps one of the biggest issues when it comes to blending cat furniture into your décor is the massive deviation in color. Although color trends come and go in interior design, there's a fairly good chance that neon orange or lime green leopard print doesn't exactly fit into your theme. Unless it does... in which case, disregard that last sentence. That said, when it comes to cat furniture, it's a good idea to keep an eye out for color. If your color scheme tends to be generally neutral, then you may actually be able to get away with pieces that are a little bolder.
On the other hand, if you already have some fairly bold colors in your home, if the regular “cat-style” colors are a little too gaudy, or if you want to keep things fairly muted, then you will want to look into pieces are that have earthy, neutral colors like tans and creams, grays, hunter greens or navy blues. You might also consider looking into pieces made of wood or faux leather, as these tend to be a little simpler, and generally easier to fit into most home designs.
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Pay Special Attention to Shape
Although this area doesn't tend to be as extravagant as the colors category, finding an appropriate shape can make all the difference when it comes to fitting cat furniture into your interior design scheme. Regarding shape, aim for cube cat houses or trees with concealed square condos; simple board perches, and multi-purpose hidey holes. Of course, you can look into some uniquely-shaped furniture; however, the funkier the design, the more likely you are to come into contact with crazy color schemes or patterns.
If sticking to basic geometric shapes feels a little dull, then be sure to look out for some exciting materials or unique little touches. For instance, choose a perch with beautiful, whorling wood patterns; pick cat trees with industrial piping; or finish your cube-shaped cat cubby with a material that matches your theme's color or pattern.
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Create Hiding Spots
Speaking of hidey holes, instead of just giving your feline a place to hide, also consider creating nooks to conceal his furniture. For instance, a large entertainment center might be the perfect spot to tuck in a ratty old – but deeply beloved – cat bed. A foot stool, depending on what it's made of, can be hollowed out and expertly placed over a less-than-attractive cubby. Just use your imagination here. Your pre-existing furniture can be repurposed – or dual-purposed – in a lot of ways. Just a warning, though, this might require a bit of handy work on your part, so don't get too crazy ripping your house apart until you know everything that will be required beforehand!
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Consider Dual-Purpose Cat Furniture
Unlike regular cat furniture, dual-purpose pieces tend to shy away from the flashy. These pieces are generally pretty neutral in appearance, which in and of itself can be helpful in fitting them into your décor, but have the added bonus of being decently functional. For instance, you might find shelving that works for both books and kitty perches, foot stool/cat cubby combos, and side tables that double as beds.
Additionally, dual-purpose furniture might also save your design scheme by concealing some of the less... aesthetically-pleasing sides of cat stewardship. For instance, attractive benches that double as litter box hiders, food and water bowl perches, and kitty-accessible toy boxes that keep things tidy.
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Re-Do What You Have
Shopping for new cat furniture can be a ton of fun – after all, it's like redecorating your own home! But what if you don't have a ton of money to spend on that mid-century modern cat perch and hand-tufted bed? You can always re-purpose the cat furniture you already have! We already touched on this above, but it bears repeating that, if you're pretty handy, there are a ton of things you can do to make your kitty's living quarters just a tad more modish.
For instance, if your cat's tree is a beige carpet-covered abomination, you can absolutely strip the carpeting and replace it with something a little more... attractive. That may simply mean a different colored carpet, perhaps it will mean sanding and finishing the underlying wood, or maybe you will want to glue in a novel material that matches your design. Just get creative, work with what you have, and be sure to keep plenty of how-to videos open and ready whenever you need them!
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Conclusion
It can be a little tricky, trying to blend cat furniture into your décor – after all, a lot of this stuff is meant to be cute, rather than stylish. If cute, weird, or funky, is simply not your style, you needn't worry. There are plenty of incredibly stylish options on the market, and a number of ways you can make the things you already have work.
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Image by Jenny Grinblo via Unsplash under Unsplash License
