For those of you who like to make lists of ways to improve yourself* in the New Year, here is the perfect book.

101 Things I hate about your house, by James Swan, is a delightfully opinionated view of how your home décor is sliding off the rails and all the ways he would fix it. It’s a book that will have you yelling, “YES!” in agreement one minute and screaming, “Are you crazy?” the next.

Here are two things my colleague, Kate Kasinski, loved and hated.

Loved: Swan sneers at a bathroom with a dish full of mucky soap.

“YES!” says Kate who can’t imagine anyone with a family having anything but a soap pump.

Hated: Swan wants you to cover your bedroom floors with the thickest, most luxurious carpet you can find.

“Are you crazy?” asks Kate who knows that bedding produces an excessive amount of dust, hair from pillows and other unmentionables. Whoa, think of the dust mites.

I’m with Kate on both counts and we’re thinking that he probably doesn’t do his own cleaning.

I really enjoyed his riff on open kitchens which I agree are overrated. Some cooking styles benefit from a discreet wall between the grease and clutter and the guests. And some of us can no longer perform simple cooking tasks and carry on a conversation.

You know, like walking and chewing gum.

*I have attained such a level of perfection (AKA common-sense grip of reality) that I would never dream of doing this.

Dudley and Arthur

Meet Dudley and Arthur, my two granddogs. They live with my daughter Kate and her husband Andrew in a small house in Toronto. I have just returned from a very lovely visit with them.

Dudley is the newest addition to the family and, at one year old, he still exhibits puppy behaviour. If you take a good look at the pic below, you will see chewed edges on the carpet where they are romping. Their house has literally gone to the dogs; but it’s a happy departure.

The house is organized around their needs. Towels for mopping dirty paws and drooly jowls hang near the front door; leashes, dog food and dishes are in theDudley gets a belly rub. mud room at the back. A child's protective gate prevented damp noses in my face in the wee hours of the morning when I slept on their living room sofa. Because their house has been under renovation since they moved in, Kate is philosophical about mud and fur balls that come with "the boys".

Her relaxed approach to living with them reminds me again of Mary Randolph Carter’s book, A Perfectly Kept House is a Sign of a Misspent Life, which I reviewed a few blogs back. There are many pictures of fine rooms with animals splayed comfortably across favourite furniture and she talks about accommodating them.

Designer, Kimberley Seldon helps you to choose suitable upholstery and floor coverings. Kate (an architect) has posted some ideas about designing a new house with dogs in mind.

Animal House Style: Designing a Home to Share with Your Pets offers serious advice about living stylishly with four-legged family. Design for pet comfort and safety is considered, as well as the touchy topic of animal house smell.

Showdog Magazine provides light-hearted tips for decorating with dogs. For example, did you know that paw prints and nose smudges break up the glare and soften the light in the room? Or, stacked dog crates will pull the eye up and provide an illusion of height, while pet hair adds velvety texture to fabrics.

When all else fails, adjusting your attitude helps.

Jane, Central Library