Show Your Stripes with Colours of Arley, Bespoke Fabric Created for a Rescue Pup

Some people celebrate bringing home a new dog with chew toys and treats. Interior photographer Louisa
Tratalos accidentally celebrated hers by founding a stripe-obsessed textile brand. When she adopted a
rescue terrier named Patch and went hunting for the perfect striped fabric for his dog bed, she couldn’t
find exactly what she imaginedso she created it. That one dog bed became a prototype for
Colours of Arley, a studio dedicated to bespoke striped fabrics, wallpapers, and accessories
that make homes feel joyful, layered, and wonderfully pet-friendly.

This story, lovingly highlighted by Remodelista, hits the sweet spot between design fantasy and real-life
practicality. Think bold stripes, custom color palettes, eco-conscious materialsand yes, fabrics tough
enough for paws, claws, and the occasional muddy nap. If you’ve ever wished your dog bed matched your
sofa instead of fighting with it, this one’s for you.

The Origin Story: A Rescue Pup Named Patch

Patch wasn’t just any dog; he was the catalyst. As the story goes, Louisa wanted somewhere stylish for
him to curl upsomething that felt as considered as the interiors she photographed every day. The
available pet beds felt generic, overly cute, or made from fabrics that would barely last a month with a
terrier on the case. So she designed a bed using bespoke stripes in colors and proportions she couldn’t
find off the shelf. Friends noticed. Then clients noticed. Soon, the “Patch bed” evolved into
Colours of Arley, a full-fledged stripe studio with a distinct point of view: every home (and
every dog) deserves its own stripe story.

Today, Colours of Arley offers made-to-order fabrics and ready-made pieces ranging from cushions and
bolsters to shower curtains, tablecloths, and even custom pet beds and steps. Many designs are available
in durable, recycled and performance fabrics, making them as practical as they are playful for life with
animals.

What Makes Colours of Arley Different?

At first glance, stripes might seem simple. But the genius of Colours of Arley lies in the details:
proportion, palette, material, and scale. Together, they create a language that’s surprisingly nuanced.

1. Stripes You Can “Compose” Yourself

Rather than offering a few pre-set stripe patterns, Colours of Arley lets you play with scale and rhythm.
Many of their woven designs come in three main stripe widths often described as:

• Skinny stripes for a crisp, tailored look
• Midi stripes that feel classic and versatile
• Big, bold stripes that turn a simple bench or headboard into a focal point

With a broad library of exclusive colors to mix and match, you can create a fabric that feels genuinely
customwhether you’re upholstering a vintage cinema seat, dressing a window, or revamping a tired dog
cushion that’s seen one nap too many.

2. Eco-Conscious, Pet-Ready Materials

A big part of the brand’s appeal is its focus on sustainable and hardwearing fabrics. Colours of Arley
has leaned into recycled and performance fibers, including:

• Recycled linen-look fabrics made from 100% recycled polyester, often boasting high
  Martindale ratings suitable for upholstery and heavy use.
• Recycled velvets that feel indulgent but are more forgiving than traditional silk or
  cotton velvets in a home with pets.
• Outdoor-ready bases that can be specified for pieces like garden seating or dog beds
  stationed on the patio.

Compared with delicate textiles like silk, light suede, or loosely woven bouclés, these fabrics are better
suited to real life with petsless snagging, easier cleaning, and far more resilience. For a rescue pup
who doesn’t know the difference between “decorative cushion” and “new toy,” that matters.

3. A Playful, Story-Driven Palette

Colours of Arley isn’t shy about color. Their library includes everything from sorbet pastels and earthy
neutrals to punchy citrus tones and deep, inky hues. The idea is that you can tell a story with stripes:
echo the colors of your dog’s collar, tie in with your existing rug, or pick up accents from your
kitchen cabinetry. When you repeat those colors across a dog bed, cushion, and window blind, the whole
room looks intentionalwithout going full theme park.

This storytelling approach lines up with a broader movement in design: more homeowners are embracing
color-blocking, mixed patterns, and personal motifs rather than sticking to all-neutral everything. Bold
stripes sit right at the center of that shift, especially in spaces where you want energy and character
without chaos.

Stripes + Dogs: Designing a Pet-Friendly, Stylish Home

Pet-friendly decorating used to mean throwing an old blanket over the sofa and hoping for the best.
Now, brands and designers recognize that pets are part of the familyand that aesthetics matter. The
Remodelista feature on Colours of Arley fits into a growing body of advice from designers, fabric
houses, and home magazines on how to choose materials that can stand up to wet noses and muddy paws
without sacrificing style.

1. Choose the Right Fabric First

Across design and fabric resources, a few themes come up again and again when it comes to
pet-friendly upholstery and soft furnishings:

• Durable, tightly woven fabrics (like performance polyester, microfiber, or canvas)
  resist snags and don’t trap pet hair as easily.
• Stain-resistant or treated performance fabrics make it easier to handle the realities
  of pet life: drool, muddy prints, the occasional accident.
• Recycled and outdoor-rated bases can be great for dog beds, bench cushions, and
  anything that might see extra wear.
• Removable covers are goldwhether it’s a pet bed or a cushion, being able to unzip
  and wash the cover can save you a lot of grief.

Colours of Arley leans into this guidance with fabric bases that are designed for heavy domestic use
and, in some cases, outdoor conditions. That makes it easier to commission a custom dog bed or pet
cushion you don’t have to baby.

2. Let Your Pet’s Fur Color Guide Your Palette

One of the cleverest design tricks repeatedly recommended by interiors pros: coordinate fabrics with
your pet’s fur. If you have a white dog, a black velvet sofa will advertise every shed hair within
hours. If you have a caramel-colored rescue pup, caramel, taupe, and sandy stripes will quietly hide a
lot between vacuum sessions.

Stripes are perfect for this. You can:

• Use one stripe in a fur-adjacent shade to disguise hair.
• Add contrasting stripes that relate to your walls, rug, or artwork.
• Introduce one “fun” color that shows your personalityPatch’s collar red, for example.

The result: your pet’s presence feels woven into the room rather than something you’re constantly trying
to cover up.

3. Create a Designated Pet Zone That Doesn’t Look Like an Afterthought

Many stylists recommend giving pets a designated zonea corner of the living room, a spot in the
kitchen, or a sun-soaked nook by a window. That’s where a custom-striped dog bed or bench cushion can
shine. Instead of a floppy, anonymous pet bed, you get a piece that looks like it was always meant to
be there.

Imagine:

• A built-in bench by the back door, upholstered in chunky outdoor-ready stripes, where your dog can
  wait for walks.
• A vintage chair reupholstered in midi stripes, paired with a matching dog cushion on the floor right
  beside it.
• A window seat that doubles as a dog nap stationwashable cushion, tailored striped cover, and a throw
  blanket for extra coziness.

All of this looks polished enough to land on a Remodelista home tour, but it also works day to day for
pets who simply appreciate a comfy place to snooze.

Using Striped Fabrics Beyond the Dog Bed

While Patch may have launched the brand, Colours of Arley’s stripes quickly outgrew the dog-bed brief.
Because the fabrics are available across multiple bases, you can repeat a stripe throughout the home in
subtle ways.

1. Layering Stripes in Living Spaces

Stripes are remarkably versatile. Use them sparingly for a crisp, tailored look, or mix scales for a
more relaxed, European vibe. A few ideas:

• On the sofa: Swap random throw pillows for a trio in coordinated Colours of Arley
  stripesone skinny, one midi, one bold, all in related hues.
• On accent chairs: A single armchair in large-scale stripes can anchor a corner and
  distract from the dog crate nearby.
• On window treatments: Roman shades in soft stripes add visual structure without
  overwhelming a room.

When the dog bed or pet cushion echoes those same stripes, it reads as part of the composition, not
visual clutter.

2. Stripes in Kitchens, Bathrooms, and Mudrooms

Because Colours of Arley also offers fabrics for shower curtains and hardwearing table linens, stripes
can show up in spaces where pets are very active: think muddy paws in the mudroom or under-table naps
in the kitchen.

• In a mudroom, a tailored dog cushion in waterproof striped fabric on a bench makes
  drying off after walks almost chic.
• In a kitchen, striped seat pads and a matching dog mat by the water bowls visually
  tie the space together.
• In a bathroom, a custom shower curtain in a signature stripe can echo a small striped
  mat used for bathing your pup.

Because many of these fabrics are washable or wipeable, they’re not just beautifulthey’re grounded in
reality. (Reality being: dogs shake water everywhere.)

Sustainability, Offcuts, and Conscious Pet Ownership

Another layer to the Colours of Arley story is sustainability. The brand leans on recycled bases and
has championed repurposing leftover yardage so it doesn’t head to landfill. Offcuts can become smaller
accessories like napkins, cushions, or, very on-theme, petite pet items.

For pet owners, this aligns with a broader shift toward thoughtful, long-lasting purchases instead of
disposable, novelty pet gear. A dog bed made with durable, recycled fabric might cost more upfront than
a bargain-basement optionbut it’s less likely to sag, shred, or embarrass you when guests come over.
And when it looks this good, you won’t be itching to replace it every year.

Real-Life Experiences: Living with Striped Fabrics and Rescue Pups

Design theory is nice, but what is it actually like to live with bespoke stripes and a rescue dog? Let’s
talk lived experiencethe good, the messy, and the surprisingly easy.

1. The “Test Kitchen” Sofa

Picture a mid-size city apartment: one main sofa, one coffee table, one endlessly enthusiastic rescue
mutt. The family opted for a performance fabric in sandy and charcoal stripes for a custom cover, plus a
matching dog bed across the room. Week one, the dog leapt on the sofa with wet paws after a rainy walk.
The owners braced for disaster. Instead, they wiped up the spots with a damp cloth and… that was it. No
ghost stains, no water rings. The stripes quietly disguised any micro-marks between deeper cleanings.

The unexpected perk? Because the dog bed used the same palette, the entire living room looked more
designed, not less, even with a very visible pet presence. Friends assumed a designer had planned the
room; in reality, it was just smart fabric selection and repeating stripes.

2. The Bench-by-the-Door Scenario

Another household built a simple bench in their entryway specifically for their rescue dog, who liked to
supervise comings and goings. They upholstered the bench in an outdoor-ready striped fabric inspired by
Colours of Arley’s bold combinationsthink olive, sunlit yellow, and soft cream. Over a year of daily
use, the fabric endured:

• Salty winter paws
• Summer sprinkler sprints
• Occasional forgotten-towel moments after a bath

Yet the bench still looked sharp. The tight weave and durable base meant mud sat on the surface rather
than sinking in. A quick vacuum and spot-clean restored it. The stripes didn’t show every smudge the way
a solid pale fabric would, and the dog remained thrilled with “his” bench.

3. How Stripes Change the Feel of a Room

Homeowners often underestimate how much structure stripes add to a space. Horizontal stripes on cushions
can visually widen a bench; vertical stripes on curtains can make a low-ceilinged room feel taller. In a
pet zone, this is especially helpful, because it turns a practical cornerbed, bowls, toy basketinto a
visually considered vignette.

One family used midi stripes in tomato red, clay, and warm white on a dog bed in their kitchen. The
pattern echoed the terracotta floor tiles and a vintage print on the wall. Instead of looking like a
random dog bed tossed in the corner, it felt like a deliberate accent. Guests commented on the textiles
first, the dog second. (The dog did not mind.)

4. The Emotional Side of Bespoke for a Rescue Pet

There’s also something quietly powerful about designing a piece for a rescue animal. After all
they’ve been through, giving them a beautiful, soft, made-just-for-you place to land is more than just a
design choiceit’s a gesture of belonging.

That’s partly why Patch’s story resonates. The bespoke striped bed wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was a
way of saying, “You’re home now, and you matter.” When you choose custom fabrics or thoughtful patterns
for your own pet’s bed, you’re doing the same. Stripes become a kind of visual love letter.

5. Practical Takeaways for Your Own Home

If you’re feeling inspired to “show your stripes” at home, here’s a quick recap:

• Start with a durable, pet-friendly base fabricrecycled performance, microfiber, or outdoor-rated.
• Pick stripe colors that echo your pet’s fur and your existing decor.
• Use stripes to anchor a designated pet zone rather than trying to hide it.
• Repeat the same or related stripes in at least two places (e.g., dog bed and cushions) for cohesion.
• Don’t be afraid of bold combinationsstructured stripes keep even wild colors feeling deliberate.

Done right, a bespoke striped fabric can transform your home from “we live around the dog” to “we all
live beautifully together”Patch included.

Conclusion: Tell Your Own Stripe Story

The Remodelista-featured collaboration between a rescue pup and a stripe-loving photographer shows how
design can spring from small, personal needs. Colours of Arley takes that origin story
and turns it into an invitation: mix your colors, tweak your stripe widths, choose your fabric base, and
create something that fits your life with pets exactly.

Whether you’re upholstering a vintage chair, ordering a custom dog bed, or plotting an entire room
scheme, bespoke striped fabrics offer a rare combination of personality, practicality, and sustainability.
You don’t have to choose between stylish and dog-friendly. With the right stripes, you can have both
and your rescue pup can nap like design royalty.