I have not seen the Secret Life of Pets movie yet, but I bet their homes don’t feature some of these great ideas for designing your space to work around their baskets, litters, bowls and bedding! We love our pets but we often forget to think about them when planning the layout of our furniture and kitchens.
Design your Kitchen Cabinetry to Include your Pet
Instead of tripping over your dog or cat’s water and food bowls, have you thought of including a special shelf for them?
Even better is a hidden drawer which can be pulled out when needed. This one shows the drawer hidden in the toe kick space under a base cabinet. You could even eliminate the pull and have a push/release mechanism for opening the drawer that you operate with your foot.
You would just need to be sure that it is not located in a high traffic area which could make it a tripping hazard.
Make your Pet’s Home Part of the Furniture
It is always a challenge to figure out where to put a pet’s cage or bed especially if you have limited space. I love this cute hutch for a small pet like a bunny that doubles as a side table. This would look great in a bedroom or living room and could be custom made to size. The floor of the hutch could be tiled for easy cleaning.
Your Pet’s Bed Can Look Like an Elegant Piece of Furniture
If you have the space, but want your pet’s bed to look attractive and in keeping with the rest of the design of your room, consider a miniaturized version of your own furniture, such as this grand mini sleigh bed.
Best Upholstery Fabrics for Stains and Cat Scratching
You have just found the perfect sofa or armchair but what fabric will withstand the test of time and your pet? Indoor/outdoor fabrics or so called “performance” fabrics dont have to be rough and boring. They now come in many colors and patterns, even soft velvets and chenille. They are better than crypton or teflon coated fabrics as these are just finishes that can wear off. Performance fabrics have a built in resistance to stains as well as sun damage and fading. However if you are worried about liquid spills, crypton coated fabrics maybe best as the liquid will just roll off. Always test it out on a sample if you can.
Cat scratching on upholstery is a real problem and many clients have asked my advice about fabrics when choosing to reupholster their furniture which has been shredded by their cat. Cats love to get their claws into any fabric or carpet which has a looser weave. They don’t like smooth fabrics like micro suede, leather or velvets.
