Designer advice for living well with pets

Sharing your home with a dog or cat has many joys and a few disappointments — such as scratched floors, snagged sofas and soiled rugs.

Designer and author Susanna Salk believes it is possible to live stylishly and practically with pets, and she asked 22 designers just how they did that. Salk’s book “At Home With Dogs and Their Designers” is full of cute pups (and helpful ideas): a Yorkie lounging on an ikat sofa (print fabrics are more forgiving than solids), a sheepdog-terrier mix napping on a colorful washable throw and a pair of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels who are served their meals in blue and white porcelain bowls (why not?). Tastemakers including Jonathan Adler and Bunny Williams posed with their pets.

Salk joined us recently for a live Q&A on living with pets. Here are some of her ideas for protecting rugs and furniture while making dogs and cats feel welcome. They have been edited for length and clarity.

A: Dog drool on a ceiling? My word! Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Peony Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner has a nice fresh scent. I live for the cloth wipes from Trader Joe’s (Trader Joe’s Super Amazing Reusable Kitchen Cloth). I keep them under my sink and lightly wipe down all sorts of drools and messes with them. I either wet them slightly first or use them to wipe up after I’ve sprayed. Then I throw them in the wash.

A: I would consider getting a nice faux fur throw (a pretty white or gray one perhaps?) and putting it on it to protect any real damage. The dog will get used to lying on it, instead of the leather, very quickly!

A: I live for Zero Odor eliminator. It’s a spray that doesn’t hurt your fabrics, and it helps take away those musty pet smells. If I want a little scent I use Febreze Air Heavy Duty.

If I vacuum/clean the furniture once a month, or every few months, will that preserve the life of the furniture or keep it from getting smelly? She’s less than a year, so she stays in her crate when I’m not home. I’m also going to get a semi-nice

A: I like soft-pile rugs with a bold design and color that hide stains and hair easily between cleanings. I also really recommend