Clever Ways to Create Space for Pets in Your New Home
One of the most fun parts of building a new home is thinking about how each member of the family lives, and designing a space to accommodate their habits, interests, and needs. As you go through the process, don’t forget about your most loyal companions — the ones who are happiest only with you — your precious pets! Whether you have dogs, cats, or birds, it’s important to think about what they need and how they occupy space in your home, so that you can all live comfortably and happily together.
Besides quality time with you (of course), there are three things pets must have to stay happy and healthy: grooming, food, and rest. Let’s take a look at how you can incorporate space for all three of these things for your pets without sacrificing living space for your human family members:
Keep Them Clean
Those gorgeous hardwoods in your new home – how they shine! That brand new carpet in the bedrooms – it’s spotless! With a pet who needs to go on walks no matter the weather and likes to roll in the grass, how will you keep it all clean? Here’s an idea – a pet shower!
It may seem far-fetched, or like it would take up valuable space, but a pet bathing area will keep your environment cleaner, and it can look just as stylish as the rest of your home. You have a few options:
A paw rinse area can be installed right in your mudroom. This small, tiled area is discrete and can be placed just inside the back door, so your fur friend doesn’t have to cover much ground before you rinse off those muddy paws. It’s so quick and convenient, paw rinses will become second nature for both of you. And your floors will stay clean and beautiful!
A full-sized dog shower can also be installed in your mudroom or laundry room. This is an elevated area with full tile surround so that it’s easy to wrangle even the largest pups for a wash-off. They can splash and shake as much as they want, and your own beautiful shower stays dirt and dander free. We promise, it’s a game changer.
Keep Them Fed
Let’s face it, dog food and water bowls can get… messy. Our furry friends tend to push them around with their noses when they eat, or drool water all over the floor after drinking. And humans tend to trip on those bowls when they get underfoot, scattering kibble all over the kitchen floor. Eliminate the mess entirely and design a private, tucked-away eating area where your pup can eat in peace and there are no spills for you to clean up. The end of a kitchen island is perfect, or in a bottom pull-out draw of your kitchen cabinets. Thank us later.
Keep Them Well-Rested
All animals love private, safe-feeling spaces to sleep. But metal crates can be unsightly and take up lots of space – especially if you have a big dog or multiple small ones. Get creative and design a built-in bed (or several) under a shelving unit or cabinet, in the empty space beneath stairs, or as a fold-down bed within a piece of furniture (like a mini Murphy bed!). You can even add safety bars and a lock to keep them from getting into trouble at night or when you’re at work. When this space is finished using the same materials as the rest of your home, it will be both attractive and inconspicuous – the perfect place for the perfect nap.
At Infinity Custom Homes, we consider every member of your family when we help you design your new home, and that includes your precious pets. We’ll work with you to find creative solutions and customize your home for ALL those you care most about. To learn more about our new custom homes in the greater Pittsburgh area, please contact Taylor at 888-424-9424.
