Designing homes with pet-friendly features has become increasingly popular, as more families seek to accommodate the needs and comfort of their beloved animals. Here are three examples.
Catopia
The screened-in porch on the left is accessible to the cats via a kitty door, and a secure screen system above and below the handrail ensures their safety while they are watching the wildlife. The laundry room on the left houses a custom nook for the litter boxes, as well as a separate HVAC system to curb odor. Photo: Mark Terry
A couple purchasing a new-build home in Durham, N.C., wanted to ensure their two Siberian Forest cats were a major focus of the design in terms of safety, materials and access. Jennifer Hutton, creative director and principal designer of Grau Design Studio, was tasked with creating a dedicated feeding station and access to a screened-in porch for brother-and-sister kitties Chev (Nikitty Khrushchev) and Cherry (Chairman Meow). She even installed a separate HVAC system for the litter box area, which she designed as well.
The satisfied clients: brother-and-sister kitties Chev (Nikitty Khrushchev) and Cherry (Chairman Meow). Photo: Mark Terry
The cats’ dining drop zone is in a cabinet in the mudroom, which is adjacent to the laundry room and kitchen and serves as access to the screened-in porch. The food and water bowls are easily accessible in an open cubby at the bottom of the custom unit by Medallion Cabinetry in the Marine finish. Drawers to the left of and above the cubby store feline necessities like food and treats. To unite the design of the three spaces, Hutton chose a multicolored marble backsplash for the feeding station, which is also used in the kitchen in a slightly different colorway, as well as a brick-look porcelain tile in a herringbone pattern in the mudroom and laundry area. The overall home is earthy, warm and rustic, so the designer chose a wood countertop for the mudroom, and the cabinets in that space mirror the same door style used in the kitchen.
“My clients love the space and how these little modifications are just as functional for them as they are for the cats,” said Hutton. “It was important to consider the four-legged members of the family in the design, and I think we nailed it!”
Designer: Jennifer Hutton, Grau Design Studio Photographer: Mark Terry Cabinets: Medallion Cabinetry Countertop: Installed by Buffalo Woodworking Floor Tile: Boston Brick Hardware: Berenson Porch Screen: Screeneze
Doggie Paradise
The renovated kitchen now features a dedicated dog feeding station at the end of the custom cabinet run on the sink wall. This area is always open so Mocha can always access it. Photo: Vic Wahby
During a renovation for a client in Florham Park, N.J., the designer was asked to incorporate a custom cabinet with a dedicated area for dog bowls in the kitchen and a built-in crate for the pup in the laundry room. These two areas are joined by a screened pocket door that doubles as a gate when the door is closed.
“The homeowner wanted to have multiple zones for her beloved Shih Tzu, Mocha, which is a win-win for both of them,” said Rachel Nowikas, AKBD, owner of RS Design Management LLC.
The designer created a doggie feeding area at the right end of the sink wall. The upper drawers in that cabinet run are accessible and offer storage for dog treats and food, while the lower drawers provide a fake panel in front of the opening for the pup’s food and water bowls. This position allows the area to be accessed from the side versus the front, eliminating a traffic jam in the walkway.
Just off the kitchen, the laundry room is home to the built-in doggie crate, and a screened pocket door separates the two spaces. Photo: Vic Wahby
Previous to the renovation, there was a metal dog crate in the kitchen that was an eyesore and always in the way. Nowikas created a built-in alcove for the new crate in the adjoining laundry room. The floor of the crate is tile (covered with a doggie bed), as wood would not have held up in case of an accident.
“The homeowner now has a convenient place for her dog when there is a lot of activity in the kitchen, and Mocha can still see out the screened pocket door,” said the designer. “And Mocha loves his little crate.”
Designer: Rachel Nowikas, CKBD, RS Design Management LLC Photographer: Vic Wahby Cabinets: Village Handcrafted Flooring: Sioux Porcelain Hardware: Top Knobs Paint: Benjamin Moore
Kitty King of the Home
The feline friend of this home, a Black Russian named Milo, has his own dedicated space in the laundry room. It’s a one-stop shop for playing, using the facilities, cat napping and enjoying a meal. Photo: Darlene Haley Photography
Black Russian kitty Milo has free reign of his home in Tustin, Calif., but his owner also wanted him to have his own special space in the residence. She hired Gina L. Lauren, owner and principal designer of Gina Lauren Interiors LLC, to create an area for Milo to play, take a snooze, eat his meals and do his kitty business.
This dedicated space is in the home’s laundry room, and it includes a built-in cabinet unit with an interior customized system. One side is for taking cat naps, the open area in the middle features a scratching post, and the right side is where Milo eats and uses his litter box. A pullout shelf on the bottom-right of the unit allows the homeowners to lift out the kitty box to conveniently scoop and change the litter. A ramp installed in the back of the unit provides access to each side without having to open the doors.
“We wanted Milo to have one-way access in and out of the unit to prevent him from bringing kitty litter with him to the other parts of the cabinet,” said Lauren.
The kitty area features the same quartz countertops as the rest of the laundry room, and the entire space was designed with maple cabinets painted white with a Shaker door style. Milo’s corner also boasts floating wood shelves, and Lauren chose custom porcelain tile for the flooring in a star-and-cross pattern that provides visual interest in the space.
“Milo is an indoor cat, so we wanted to provide him with his own space in which to thrive at home,” said Lauren. “He loves and uses it all the time.”
Designer: Gina L. Lauren, Gina Lauren Interiors LLC Photographer: Darlene Halaby Photography Flooring: Tile Bar Hardware: Signature Hardware
