Animals Matter Featured on Redfin: Designing a Companion-Friendly Luxury Home
Press • Design Inspiration • Expert Advice
We are honored to share that Animals Matter has been recognized as an expert source by Redfin, one of the nation’s leading real estate platforms, in their comprehensive feature: Dog-Friendly Home Design Ideas for a Cleaner, More Comfortable Living Space. Redfin — powered by Rocket — attracts an average of 4 million readers per month, and we are proud to be among the trusted voices they turned to for guidance on creating a home that truly works for companions and their families.
This recognition speaks to something we have believed since the very beginning: that the relationship between a companion and their family deserves more than an afterthought. It deserves intentional design, premium materials, and a commitment to long-term comfort and safety.
What It Means to Design a Companion-Friendly Home
Most of the design world still uses the term “pet-friendly” — a phrase that conjures up mudrooms and stain-resistant carpets. At Animals Matter, we use a different word intentionally: Companion-friendly.
A companion is not a pet. A companion is a family member. And when you design your home with that truth at the center, every decision changes — from the flooring you choose to the bed your dog sleeps on every night.
Companion-friendly design is not about sacrifice. It is not about covering beautiful furniture with plastic or buying the cheapest washable cover you can find. It is about selecting materials and furnishings that are so well-made, so thoughtfully engineered, that they elevate the space rather than compromise it.
Our Expert Contribution to the Redfin Feature
When Redfin’s content team reached out to Animals Matter for our insights, we were asked to speak to what truly matters when designing a home for both people and their companions. Here is the perspective we shared:
“Designing a pet-friendly — or what we prefer to call a truly Companion-friendly — home starts with selecting durable, non-toxic materials and thoughtfully engineered furnishings that support both comfort and longevity. We recommend investing in orthopedic pet beds, such as Companion-Pedic®, made with CertiPUR-US® certified foam, along with PFAS-free, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified textiles that are also compliant with CA Prop 65, helping create a safer environment for companions and their families. One of the most common mistakes is choosing low-quality, decorative pet products that lack proper support or durability — true Companion-friendly design should seamlessly balance wellness, function, and refined style.”
— Scott Avera, Animals Matter
The Foundation of Companion-Friendly Design: Materials That Matter
The single most important decision you will make in designing a companion-friendly home is the materials you choose. This applies to everything: the flooring, the walls, the upholstery, and most critically, where your companion sleeps and rests.
At Animals Matter, every product we design begins with the question: Is this safe, and will it last? Here is what that looks like in practice:
Thoughtfully Sourced. Intentionally Safe.
There is a meaningful difference between a product that claims to be safe and one built on a foundation of verified, thoughtfully sourced materials. At Animals Matter, we source fabrics from globally respected mills that meet OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 requirements — meaning the textiles used in our products have been independently tested at the fabric level for harmful substances. This is complemented by CertiPUR-US® certified foam and carefully selected components that align with California Proposition 65 standards.
Our fabrics are also evaluated with PFAS in mind. Our textile partners confirm that PFAS are not intentionally used in their production processes — supporting a cleaner, more considered resting environment for your companion. Because a dog who spends 16 or more hours a day on their bed deserves a surface that has been rigorously evaluated, not just marketed as clean.
Every fabric, fill, and structural element is thoughtfully selected and evaluated to uphold exceptional standards for safety, performance, and longevity. Learn more about our approach on the Animals Matter Materials & Technology page.
Orthopedic Support That Holds Its Shape
Our Companion-Pedic® orthopedic beds are engineered with proprietary Luxura-Fill®, a premium high-loft fiber designed to retain structure and resilience through years of use. Unlike standard poly-fill or low-density foam that compresses and loses support within months, Luxura-Fill® is designed to maintain its loft and form, offering real, lasting orthopedic benefit.
This matters especially for senior companions, larger breeds, and any dog with joint sensitivity. A bed that collapses is not an orthopedic bed; it is a decorative one. True support requires engineering, not just labeling.
Protecting Your Home Without Compromising It
One of the most common questions we hear from design-conscious companion families is: " How do I protect my home without making it look like I have tried to protect my home?"
The answer is to choose pieces that are inherently durable, not those that require layers of protection.
- Floors: Luxury Porcelain tile offers the best combination of scratch resistance, waterproofing, and ease of cleaning. If you prefer the warmth of hardwood, look for engineered products with hardened wear layers. Strategic area rugs in high-traffic zones provide traction for older companions and add warmth without sacrificing function.
- Walls: Satin or semi-gloss low voc paint finishes are far easier to wipe down than matte. Look for washable or scrubbable formulations — they are particularly effective at removing muddy paw prints near entry points.
- Furniture: Performance certified fabrics, tightly woven microfiber, canvas, or genuine leather, resist snags, hair embedding, and odor absorption far better than loosely woven textiles. Washable slipcovers in darker tones or patterns are a practical luxury that protects expensive upholstery without looking utilitarian.
- Companion rest areas: Designate dedicated spaces for your companion’s beds and feeding station. Keeping these out of high-traffic zones reduces stress for your companion and maintains order in your home.
The Companion-Pedic® and Signature Collections: Where Luxury Meets Longevity
Our orthopedic bed collection represents the pinnacle of what Companion-friendly design looks like in practice. Every piece is designed to be genuinely beautiful — the kind of bed you are proud to have in your living room, not something you hide in a corner.
For those seeking the ultimate expression of craftsmanship and material quality, our Signature Collection represents our finest work, artfully hand-crafted in California with the highest standards of material integrity, construction, and refined design. If you are looking for the ultimate in luxury companion living, this is where that conversation begins. We also invite you to explore our full range of luxury dog beds, each designed to elevate your companion’s comfort and your home.
And for companions who love the outdoors, our outdoor collection brings the same commitment to quality and safety to spaces beyond the interior.
Explore our outdoor companion beds →
Why This Recognition Matters to Us
Being featured by Redfin alongside interior designers, architects, and home-living experts is a meaningful validation of what we have always believed: that companion care and luxury design are not opposing forces. They are complementary ones.
The 4 million monthly readers who visit the Redfin blog are homeowners who care deeply about their spaces. They are also, in many cases, companion families who have felt forced to choose between a beautiful home and a comfortable one for their dogs. We exist to tell them they do not have to choose.
We invite you to read the full Redfin article here; it offers thoughtful, practical guidance from a range of experts. And when you are ready to bring that same intention to your companion’s everyday comfort, we are here.
Explore the Animals Matter Collection
We were named an expert on Redfin, powered by Rocket. Read the full article here: Dog-Friendly Home Design Ideas for a Cleaner and Safer Living Space