Decorate with Puppy Love

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Pets and fabric

"When I'm picking out material, I'm thinking, 'What's the dog hair going to look like on that?' " Nancy says.

In her guest room at left, Nancy's Labrador puppies settle down, oblivious to holiday festivities -- or Nancy's decorating techniques:

-- A durable, patterned area rug camouflages dog hair and offers a soft landing spot.

-- Smooth, tightly woven, washable fabrics, including quilts on the bed and slipcovers on sofas and chairs elsewhere in the house, handle pet hair better than many other materials. Avoid fabrics or carpeting with thick pile or looped weaves, like velvet, textural knits or shag and berber carpeting, which will attract and trap pet hair and odors.

-- An above-the-bed shelf provides a puppy-safe display for an oil painting, one of Nancy's many works. This portrait portrays Teddy, her Labrador who won Best of Breed at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club dog show in 2000.