WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?! AT HOME WITH DOGS AND THEIR DESIGNERS
/I have this habit of taking pictures of my clients' pets. Do any of you other designers do that? Pets seem to distract the heck out of me on site visits. I just cannot stop myself from petting and playing with them. It doesn't really matter what kind of pet it is (wellll....anything with fur) ...cats, dogs, Burros, Llamas, rabbits....I was just petting some guinea pigs today.
I have had cats, fish, a rat, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, and a parakeet over my lifetime. If my parents would have seen fit to get me a horse, I would have had one of them too.....but that is a whole other story.
Now we are down to one dog (our fine old gent of a dog passed away a couple of months ago) ...and two grand pups who visit as often as I can get them. I have always been intrigued by how others live with their pets...where the food bowls are, the toys, the beds, what kind of fabrics work best for their pets (especially cats!) I have accommodated these things in many a client home and have collected lots of resources to make the homes of my clients and their pets as fun, cozy and efficient as possible.
So here is a little book that came along and made my life a little bit easier.....and more fun! Of course I always like to see what's up in any new design book, but this one takes it to a new level....Designers AND pets, and how they manage.
In this charmer of a book, At Home with Dogs and their Designers, Susanna Salk takes us inside some of the most beautiful homes of the most sought after designers in the country, interviewing them about how they live with their dogs. Some of the designers include Jonathan Adler, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Bunny Williams, Betsy Burnham, Steven Gambrel, another blogger friend Brooke Giannetti, Mary McDonald, Charlotte Moss, Kelly Wearstler and a bunch more!
It fascinates me to see what kind of dog someone chooses, and how they manage the day to day privilege of caring for these most loyal of family members. We get to see the homes of all of these designers and get tips on everything from feeding (Mary McDonald swears her pups love Snickers bars and escargot...not together I hope!)
I found it very endearing that most all of the designers mentioned that their pets have free reign of the house. Even if the designers are intolerant of messes or disorder as a general rule, they turn a blind eye when it comes to these fur babies.
And it is remarkable how many sleep with their dogs, and all of them are allowed on the couch. That being said, there are some awesome dog beds to be found scattered through these pages! I think my favorite was the rattan bed for Sur, Windsor Smith's all black German Shepherd...what a beauty! (Dog AND bed!). Kelly Wearstler has a whole line of stylish dog friendly beds. (She also has designed marble dog bowls so her dog can't push the bowl all over the floor....brilliant!)
At Home with Dogs and their Designers by Susanna Salk is published by Rizzoli, New York, 2017 (who is always so kind to send me books to show to you all and give my two cents). It is a perfect little helper and resource book. It divided into sections by designer. Each designer talks about their furry friend(s) and gives tips on the care and feeding of such friends. We get to see the designers and digs at home in their natural habitat.
All of the photos are by Stacey Bewkes. You may know her by her fabulous lifestyle blog, Quintessence! This is one of the many reasons the blog is so well loved....the photos are amazing!
Near the end of the book, there is a section about how each dog found their very own designer, their favorite place they are not supposed to be, favorite meal, favorite restaurant, most trouble they ever got into, guilty pleasure, special talent, favorite walk, and pet peeve. Some of the answers are hilarious, and all of them will make your heart melt.
At the VERY end of the book, there is a fantastic list of resources for information about all kinds of things, from cleaning up messes, to traveling, to doggie furniture. And there is last, but not least, a list of organizations that serve our faithful friends. I hope you find it in your hearts to contribute to one or more!
One thing is certain. This book illustrates how much designers love their dogs! And of course, I am no different! Here are a few of my favorite photos of my own sweethearts! I hope you enjoy and I hope you have your own to give a big hug to everyday. They are the best therapy around!
I am thinking this book is kind of the perfect thing for the upcoming Holiday Season......perfect host(ess) gift for those with pets, or those thinking about becoming a pet person....perfect for friends and family....and perfect for the pets to give to their people....and perfect for many of my clients!
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting a gift for yourself.
If it makes you feel a little less guilty, you can think of it as a gift for your pet. ;)