Pet-lovers, you are welcome here – we consider our pets as family members too! If your furry friends are more like children than pets to you, you’ll want to consider them when building your new home or renovating your existing home. Keeping their needs, as well as their routine, in mind during the pre-construction design process of building or renovating your home can save time and money down the road. Here are a few of our favorite ways that homeowners have designed their home for their furry friends.
Make your laundry room do double duty as a pet station.
Laundry rooms should be designed to withstand any mess – from dripping wet clothes to piles of clean (or dirty!) laundry. Why can’t they handle your pet(s) too? Here’s a list of our favorite laundry room/dog room ideas:
- Built-in kennels with functional counter space on top
- Tiled basin area with handheld shower heads for bathing dirty dogs
- Custom cabinetry with built-in dog bowls – we’ve even seen some with water faucets for easily filling empty water bowls!
- Dutch door from laundry room to main house that creates a self-contained “pet zone”
Incorporate durable, pet-friendly materials throughout your home.
Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is a great flooring option for pet-loving families who want the look of hardwood without the maintenance. LVP is completely waterproof so there’s no need to worry about Fido dripping water across your new flooring. LVP is also scratch resistant – the perfect solution to usual wear-and-tear from sharp dog nails.
Try to avoid wall-to-wall carpeting, which can harbor stains, odors and hair from pets for years. Area rugs are easier to clean and can be switched out for a new look for considerably less than new carpeting.
Consider your pet’s habits.
Does your dog enjoy watching the squirrels in the backyard? If so, thinking about adding a full-length window to allow him or her to have a prime view.
Maybe your dogs bark non-stop at anything (or anyone!) they see come down the street – a glass front door probably isn’t the best option for you in this case.