Pet-Safe Shutters: Choosing Hunter Douglas for Homes with Dogs and Cats
For pet owners, creating a safe and comfortable home is paramount. This extends to every detail, including window coverings. While blinds and curtains can pose hazards to curious cats and playful pups, shutters offer a stylish and, crucially, safer alternative. This article explores why Hunter Douglas shutters stand out as a superior choice for homes with pets, focusing on their durability, design features, and materials.
The Perils of Traditional Window Treatments for Pets
Traditional blinds, with their dangling cords and delicate slats, are veritable playgrounds for pets – and potential safety traps. Cords can become entangled around necks, posing a strangulation risk. Slats can be chewed, broken, or ingested, leading to digestive issues. Fabric curtains, while seemingly harmless, can be easily clawed and torn, creating a messy and potentially hazardous environment. The cost of replacing blinds and curtains because of damages caused by pets may be more than an initial higher investment in safer and more durable shutters.
Why Shutters Offer a Safer Solution
Shutters, in contrast, offer several inherent advantages for pet-friendly homes:
Cordless Operation: Most importantly, shutters eliminate the danger of dangling cords. This removes the most significant strangulation hazard associated with window coverings. Hunter Douglas offers a range of manual and motorized options, all designed with safety in mind, avoiding external cords completely.
Durability and Resistance to Damage: Shutters are significantly more robust than blinds or curtains. Made from durable materials like hardwood, composite wood, or vinyl, they can withstand the occasional paw swipe or curious nibble. Hunter Douglas shutters are specifically engineered for longevity, resisting warping, cracking, and fading.
Easy to Clean: Pet hair, dander, and the occasional muddy paw print are inevitable in a pet-friendly home. Shutters are incredibly easy to clean. A simple wipe down with a damp cloth is usually all it takes to remove dirt and grime. This is a significant advantage over fabric curtains, which often require professional cleaning.
Enhanced Light Control and Privacy: Shutters provide superior light control, allowing you to create a comfortable environment for both you and your pets. They also offer excellent privacy, shielding your home from prying eyes and reducing potential stress for anxious pets.
Hunter Douglas Shutters: A Cut Above the Rest
While shutters, in general, are a safer choice, Hunter Douglas shutters stand out for several key reasons:
High-Quality Materials: Hunter Douglas uses premium materials like basswood (for Heritance® hardwood shutters), proprietary PolySatin™ compound (for Palm Beach™ Polysatin™ shutters), and durable MDF composite (for NewStyle® hybrid shutters). These materials are chosen for their strength, resistance to moisture, and overall longevity. This durability minimizes the risk of damage from pets and ensures that your investment lasts for years to come.
Innovative Design Features: Hunter Douglas shutters are designed with attention to detail. Their construction minimizes gaps and crevices where pet hair and dander can accumulate. The smooth surfaces are easy to clean and maintain. The tight closure of the louvers also helps to block out light and noise, creating a more peaceful environment for your pets.
Child and Pet Safety Focus: Hunter Douglas has a long-standing commitment to child and pet safety. They continuously innovate their products to minimize potential hazards. Their cordless operating systems are a testament to this commitment. Furthermore, they adhere to strict safety standards and regulations.
Customization Options: Hunter Douglas shutters can be customized to fit any window size and shape. This ensures a perfect fit, eliminating gaps where pets might try to squeeze through or get stuck. You can also choose from a variety of colors and finishes to match your home décor.
Long term investment: While the initial cost of purchasing high-quality shutters such as those made by Hunter Douglas may seem like an excessive expense, the cost of having to replace cheaper blinds or curtains due to pet damage adds up over time. As well as this, Hunter Douglas shutters add value to your home which makes them a worthwhile investment overall.
Choosing the Right Hunter Douglas Shutter for Your Pet-Friendly Home
Palm Beach™ Polysatin™ Shutters: Ideal for homes with pets prone to chewing or scratching, these shutters are made from a durable, moisture-resistant material that won’t warp, crack, fade, or peel. They’re also easy to clean, making them a practical choice for active households.
NewStyle® Hybrid Shutters: Combining the beauty of wood with the durability of advanced materials, NewStyle® shutters offer a stylish and pet-resistant option. They resist dents and scratches better than traditional wood shutters.
Heritance® Hardwood Shutters: Crafted from genuine hardwood, these shutters offer timeless elegance. While hardwood may be more susceptible to scratching than composite materials, the inherent strength and durability of wood make them a worthwhile consideration, especially with proper care and training for your pets.
Conclusion
Creating a pet-friendly home doesn’t mean sacrificing style or elegance. Hunter Douglas shutters provide a safe, durable, and aesthetically pleasing window covering solution for homes with dogs and cats. By choosing shutters, you can eliminate the hazards associated with traditional blinds and curtains, ensuring the safety and well-being of your beloved pets while enhancing the beauty and value of your home. Invest in Hunter Douglas shutters for peace of mind and a home that is both stylish and safe for everyone.
