How to Design Your Home to Include Your Pets – Top Tips

Award winning Master bedroom design in pale blue, lavender and grey. Luxury bedroom design Lake Forest, North Shore Chicago

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?

 

Kitchen design, cabinetry design, design for pets
A Special shelf is designed to include a pet’s water bowls. HGTV

 

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.

Pet bowls in cabinetry drawer, design
Cabinet drawer that can be located in a toe kick space. Pinterest

 

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.

 

pet hutch, cabinet design for pets, interior decor for pets
Pet hutch or cage designed as a chest or ottoman. Pinterest

 

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.

 

luxury cat bed, miniature bed for pets
Designer bed for cat or small dog, designed to imitate your own bed. Beyondthecrate.com

 

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.

 

Living room sofa sectional in micro suede
Living room sofa sectional in micro suede. Kravet