It’s a Stylish Dog’s Life.

Ruth Keenan has a background in project management and interior design. She grew up with large dogs, and when she moved to her own home after school, Angus, a particularly handsome English Bulldog, became her sidekick.

Tell me about your experience growing up with dogs. Were they allowed on the furniture? Always had matching leashes and collars and decor accommodating dog beds?

I can’t imagine a home or my childhood without a dog. We had yellow Labradors growing up and they brought our family so much joy. Every time I walk in my parent’s back door, I still feel like I should hear the click clack of paws on hardwoods and the jingle of tags barreling toward me. I remember big, comfy plaid dog beds, classic brown leather collars, and leashes with gold tags.

It wasn’t until our last yellow lab, Andre, that my parents granted access to the furniture. I think my mom and dad had grown tired of trying to keep the first two off the furniture, and they realized how incredible it is to have a big warm pup on your lap while you watch a movie.

When you adopted Angus were you strict about his being on the furniture, in certain room, etc.?

When Angus was a pup, I was very strict about crate training and keeping him off the nice furniture. He was a mouthy little guy and ruined several pairs of shoes and actually several beautiful outdoor plants, as well, but never any furniture; so, I think he read his mom well from the start.

And, along those lines, were there any “hard nos”? No dogs on the bed, not in the living room, etc.

At first, he wasn’t allowed on the bed or any of the living room furniture. He knew he could come up on the sofa only when invited.

Looking back on those rules now, I laugh to myself as he has a full-access pass now. But he worked really hard to earn those privileges. He knows that he is only allowed on the sofa or the bed when there is a blanket out for him. If it’s not there, he will stand at the foot of the bed or by the sofa and bark at us until his favorite (washable) Restoration Hardware blankets are set out for him. Blankets have been our best tool with him because it keeps our nice bedding and upholstery in good shape and smelling nice, but still allows him to be as close to us as possible.

When you and Jack were dating – and later married – did he have different ideas of how much access a dog should have to the house and furnishings?

Jack and I started dating right before the pandemic hit and the world shut down. Jack thought the structure I’d put into place was just too much for someone as cute as Angus. He wasn’t wrong. When Jack started coming around more and more frequently, Angus was basically given carte blanche. At that point, we were all seeking more joyful moments and creature comforts, so it was a welcomed relaxing of the rules. With that added access was a lot more laundry, which Jack and Angus do far less than I do.

“I think I was experimenting on myself, which is better than experimenting with clients,” she says. “But in the last few years, I’ve changed out the rug to something simpler and replaced the pillows with ones that have texture rather than color.”

She says the change has delivered a new sense of calm in

“Maybe, in my case, with raising children and working all day, what I want to come home to is something that’s relaxing, wel coming, and peaceful.”

In addition to the calming effect, Schmidt thinks neutral backgrounds provide a lot of flexibility, as well.

“We have a client whose whole house is neutral, but she has a very colorful art collection and accessories that she changes in different seasons. A neutral background allows her to add personality on a whim without a big commitment. I’d rather the artwork and other textures attract attention rather than the palette of the room itself,” Schmidt says.

What were your best lessons learned when he was a puppy as far as being loving with him while also maintaining your home?

While the neutrals of decades past might have led home owners to forbid red wine in the living room, Schmidt notes that today’s textiles offer wearability even in rooms that withstand a lot of use and traffic.

I really love keeping a nice home. I like clean-ish floors, a nice aroma, etc. He knows baths are part of the drill, and we trained him to know that if a blanket was out, he was allowed up. He’s never allowed directly on the bedding or upholstery. He also knows that on rainy days he has to let his paws dry off in the mudroom before he can come back out. I’ve done some absolutely darling doggie gates between mudrooms and usually kitchens for dog-loving clients.

I would recommend:

Performance fabrics: They do wear better than my beloved 100-percent pure Belgian linens and make messes less stressful. Even with these fabrics I recommend letting the dirt or mud dry before you start cleaning up. Often it will dry out so much that all you have to do is vacuum it off.

“When it comes to lighter-colored materials, we use a lot of natural materials like wool, which repels and cleans very well. When my children were young, we had a light-colored wool sofa, and I had it cleaned once and never had an issue. It just repelled stains.”

Schmidt also appreciates the evolution of outdoor fabrics that have a soft hand.

Get a Roomba: I have clients and friends who find these really help manage the furry chaos. It’s not a replacement for a deep clean, mop, or sweep, but it does lighten the load.

“They’re not the plastic-y, scratchy material of the past,” she notes.

I find there’s a fair amount of dirt and hair involved no matter your rules. Dogs will be dogs. What are the best solutions or strategies for people who want to enjoy living with a dog – or cat, I suppose – that allows their pet to have.

If there is any “bling” in Schmidt’s rooms it usually appears in light fixtures or the texture of tile.

Hire a great cleaning service: Even if it’s just once a month, it’s such a treat to have all the dirt and hair addressed by a professional sometimes.

Darker vintage rugs: These rugs have already lived several lives and tend to take the wear and tear of pet life really well.

I have many friends and clients who have fallen in love with hypogenic, non-shedding breeds, which is great if the human/dog breed alignment works out. For those of us who have fallen in love with English Bulldogs, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Golden Retrievers, or the like,

“Someone might not think of tile around a fireplace that is neutral and matte as ‘bling,’, but it has a nice, chiseled stone face to it. You may notice the simplicity of a room, but the artwork, light fixtures, accents – such as the pillows – and the objects on the tables add a lot of interest.”

Indoor/outdoor rugs: we have some polypropylene rugs that do a pretty good job of imitating sisal rugs, but you can scrub them without losing shape or color. Great for puppies and senior dogs who are more accident prone.

About The Author

About The Author

Patricia O’Dell started the lifestyle blog “Mrs. Blandings” in 2007. Her curiosity led her to write about designers, artists, business owners, and industry leaders. She’s been published in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Chicago Tribune, Flower magazine, Kansas City Spaces, and The Kansas City Star, as well as archdigest.com and elledecor.com.

Patricia O’Dell started the lifestyle blog “Mrs. Blandings” in 2007. Her curiosity led her to write about designers, artists, business owners, and industry leaders. She’s been published in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Chicago Tribune, Flower magazine, Kansas City Spaces, and The Kansas City Star, as well as archdigest.com and elledecor.com.