Design & Build Magazine May/June 2015

PetF rien dlySpaces
HIDDEN
in plain sight
Start your own DIY project...
Scripps Networks Interactive courtesy of DIYNetwork.com
Spot doesn’t want
a room to his own;
he wants to share
yours! That doesn’t
mean he can’t
have a designated
space just for
him alone. In fact,
if you take some
initiative from the
ideas here, you
won’t even have
to sacrifice your
aesthetics to do so.
BEFORE WE WEIGH IN ON THE DOZENS OF
ideas that can be used to incorporate pets into a beautifully
designed room, you need to find the happy
medium between what looks good and what pets will
actually use.
Number One: Cats love to get IN and UNDER
things. This makes an end table with doors an unbelievably
brilliant place in which to hide a litter box.
Number Two: Dogs like to have a space to call their
own. A place where they are out of the way of foot
traffic—where they can watch the comings-and-goings,
yet not get stepped on—is the ideal.
Incorporating a front row seat from which your
pet can supervise the goings-on into your carefully
groomed décor can be a challenge, but it is doable if
you simply think outside the box.
Cabinet designers, remodeling companies, and
pet-friendly interior designers know all the tricks.
Some may even show you how to do it yourself, if you
are so motivated.
Cover an old couch cushion with fabric that matches
your own decor. Instant dog bed. Have extra room inside
an armoire, buffet, or side table, and you are willing
to transform it into a hidden space for your fourlegged
pals? Go for it! But, if you are not confident in
your skills, we highly recommend hiring a professional.
Once you make that first cut, there’s no going back.
For those of you whose home is lovingly—and
tastefully—shared with your pets, enjoy the magic of
a home well synchronized for pets...and their humans.
DB
Photo left: Gidget, owned
by Brian Patrick Flynn of
HGTV, reclines in an end
table that doubles as a
dog bed.
Photos opposite page:
1 & 2) Flynn shares a before-and-after
version of
his visually-friendly, hidden
litter box.
3) Dana Browner built an
under-stairs space for her
dog Gracie. It is a wonderful
concept for unused
space. Notice the window!
4) We love the idea that a
pet gate can be tucked
away behind a cabinet!
Thank you, Neals Design
Remodel, for this idea.
5) Also from Neals, an under-desk
space customized
for fur-babies.
...or plan ahead
when building
a new space.
Incorporating
your pets into
a sophisticated
living space is
easier than you
might think!
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MAY/JUNE 2015 • DESIGN&BUILD MAGAZINE DESIGN&BUILD MAGAZINE • MAY/JUNE 2015 51