Pet-Friendly Online Interior Design: What to Look for in a Design Platform

The Easiest Way to Design a Beautiful Home While Considering Your Pet Too

If you are a pet owner looking for a fresh, new look for your home but don’t have the time or patience to go through the hassle of finding dog-friendly furniture and working with an interior designer in person, then online interior design is definitely a way to go.

Additionally, if you’re like most pet owners, you want your furry friend to be able to feel comfortable and at home. That’s why it’s important to consider pet-friendly furniture and design tips and tricks when you’re decorating or remodeling your space.

You might think that interior design is something that can only be done by hiring expensive professional designers, but you are in for a surprise! Thanks to online platforms, anyone can get the interior design help they need without spending a fortune.

In this post, we’ll look at five things to look for in an online interior design platform when you share your home with pets, and then we’ll walk through how the online design process works step by step. So if you’re considering updating your home décor but don’t know where to start, keep reading!

Five Things to Look for in a Pet-Friendly Online Interior Design Platform

1. Designers with years of experience

When it comes to finding an online designer who understands how to create a pet-friendly space, experience matters. Look for a platform with a deep roster of online interior designers who have years of experience in the interior design field and in the online design process, so you can trust that your home will be in good hands. Ask whether a designer has worked on homes with dogs or cats, and look for pet-friendly rooms in their portfolio.

2. A wide range of services, including design consultations

If you’re looking for help finding pet-friendly furniture and design solutions, choose a platform that offers a wide range of services. That should include consultations with a designer, as well as access to hundreds of brands that offer pet-friendly furniture and décor.

3. Pricing that is more affordable than you think

Interior design doesn’t have to be expensive. In many cases, online design is more affordable than you think, and when you compare the cost of an online designer with the cost of an in-person interior designer, the difference can be significant.

4. Brands that offer pet-friendly fabrics

A good platform works with hundreds of brands, many of which offer pet-friendly fabrics and solutions. That means you can find everything you need in one place. For more on materials, see our guide to the top pet-friendly fabrics for furniture.

5. A platform that is easy to use

The best platforms are easy to use, and you can be up and running in minutes. All you need to do is create an account, choose a designer, and start working on your project. It’s that easy.

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How Does Online Interior Design Compare to Traditional Interior Design?

Online interior design is becoming more and more popular, thanks to the convenience and affordability of online platforms. In contrast to traditional interior design, online interior design allows you to work with a designer from the comfort of your own home. You can also choose from a wider range of services, including pet-friendly consultations.

Additionally, online interior design is more affordable than traditional interior design. In many cases, it’s even more affordable than hiring an in-person interior designer.

Finally, online interior design is easy to use, and you can get started in minutes.

How Does the Online Design Process Work?

1. Choosing a mini or a full design package

There are usually two packages to choose from, the mini or the full. The only difference between the two is that the full package includes a custom design, space planning, a layout, and renderings, while the mini includes everything up to a concept design, which is still a great option if you only need some final touches.

2. Filling out your profile and virtual consultation

Once you pick a package, you’ll take a style quiz to give you and your online interior designer an idea of your design style and the designs you like the most.

The next part of the style quiz helps you fill out your profile with information such as your budget, where you live, whether you are a renter or an owner, and a few timeline questions. You’ll also need to upload a few photos of the room to be designed, as well as a floor plan or a hand-drawn floor plan of your room with dimensions. You’ll be asked for inspiration images and for your Pinterest boards, too, for design inspiration and furniture layout ideas.

You also get to pick the items and pieces of furniture you are looking for in your room, as well as any existing furniture you’d like to keep. It’s a very easy-to-follow style quiz, so don’t worry.

3. Choosing your designer

Afterward, you can choose your own experienced designer, or you can be paired with one of the vetted designers who understand your design style, to begin your project. Typically, your designer welcomes you within one business day and works on a few initial idea boards, with some items to get the design started, within a couple of days.

4. Design ideas phase

Once you get those idea boards, you rate them, give feedback, and like or dislike each individual item. If you don’t like any of the initial ideas, your designer will work on a new one, following your feedback and insight. Feedback is very important, so be as thorough and precise as possible!

5. Design concepts phase

Once you’ve approved one of the idea boards, the designer works on two initial concepts in which you’ll start seeing how the design is taking shape. At this phase, you’ll see most of the items you requested as well as some additional pieces your designer might suggest. You’ll also get alternate items for most, if not all, of the core furniture you requested, so you’ll have plenty of curated options to choose from.

After reviewing the two initial design concepts and giving feedback to your designer, you’ll get a revised concept based on your comments to fine-tune the design for your needs. Once you’ve approved the concept, it’s time for the final design.

If you selected a mini package, you’ll get a final concept and an online shopping list with all of the important items and furniture you’ve chosen for your personalized design.

6. Final room design

Once you’ve nailed the design and approved all the furniture, your designer works on a final design and a custom floor plan layout, including a furniture layout using the floor plan you provided, with all the items you’ve selected. The designer also creates a couple of renderings for you to visualize the design in your room. You’ll be impressed by the level of detail you get! At this point, you have everything ready to make your design come to life. The final stage of the process is to shop, which in my opinion is the best part!

7. Shopping time!

Finally, you’ll get a curated online shopping list with all the core pieces you’ve selected for your custom design, as well as some alternate options in case you want to change things up. The beauty of it is that you can often shop in one place for hundreds of products from multiple brands. Some services even handle the return process if there is an issue with an item. And even after the design process is complete, your designer is usually still available for some final changes if needed.

Conclusion

Making your home look stylish and inviting can be overwhelming, and it often requires hours of research, planning, and coordination with interior designers. With the emergence of online interior design, however, homeowners now have more options than ever when it comes to making their homes beautiful, including homes shared with pets.

By leveraging the knowledge and expertise of professional interior designers, online design lets you create and customize stylish interiors without breaking the bank. A good platform provides access to talented designers who offer personalized advice tailored to your style preferences and budget, along with custom floor plans and design ideas that minimize costs while maximizing value.

Whether you’re looking for ways to update your space without spending too much, or trying to find a way to incorporate high-end designer pieces into a budget-friendly plan, online design offers an array of options for any homeowner. And by working directly with experienced professionals, you gain invaluable insights into how each choice affects your overall space plan and how you can work within your existing style while staying on budget.

So if you’re ready to get started on your online interior design project and virtually decorate your home, take your time to compare platforms, ask about pet-friendly experience, and choose the one that fits your home and your four-legged family.

Frequently Asked Questions