Canine and Feline Design!

“Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day.”

― John Grogan, Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog

If you have pets at home, then you’ve probably had similar thoughts as you’ve walked out the door to go to work, leaving behind a sad, confused, furry face, or as you’ve come home to slobbery kisses from your dog or a purring cat as he rubs against your leg. As a parent to a dog and cat, there have been mornings when it has been especially hard to leave behind that puppy dog face, and evenings after a long, hard day when all I want to do is curl up on the couch with a cat in my lap.

For many of us, these four-legged creatures are our best friends. Some of us even consider them our kids. They are most certainly part of the family. And, as such, we think they should have their special place in our home, just like the rest of the family! Fortunately, with the help of Pinterest, we’ve got several ideas for how your pets can be living large!

In the (indoor) doghouse

Nobody wants to be in the doghouse unless, of course, the doghouse is a cozy, designer doghouse indoors. There are several creative ideas for indoor doghouses that are incredibly efficient uses of space. By far, our favorite creation is the under-the-stairs doghouse. One example that we pinned to our Furry Friends Pinterest board was created for $130 in 11.5 hours. We’ve seen some outdoor doghouses that cost more than that! This gives your canine companion a great place to call home and a perfect place to toss the toys and hide that fluffy dog bed.

The cat, cat, catio

If you are lucky enough to have a cat in your life, you know the cat will never allow himself to be outdone by the dog. So, out of respect for our felines, we introduce you to the cat patio, or quite simply, the catio. Creative cat-loving contractors (or DIYers) are creating these sunny spaces for their favorite felines in a variety of ingenious designs. Some are very similar to a patio, while others are essentially disconnected from the home, but are connected through a covered runway for the pickiest of indoor cats. But the common characteristics among them all are areas for cats to stretch out and climb!

Uniquely upcycled

Next up in amazing canine and feline design are upcycled furniture beds. These are perfect for smaller spaces where every inch counts, or for those nervous or anxious critters (like my dog) who find comfort in corner end tables (true story.) We found a great example of an upcycled kitchen island with a space cut out perfect for a large dog. It was even fitted with a cushion to make the space even more comfortable for lounging. And, we’ve all tripped over our four-legged friends in the kitchen so this is a win-win for the entire family! If you have some extra space in your home, we also finally found a use for those retro floor model televisions so popular a few decades ago. You can usually find these for free or for just a few bucks, and once you remove the insides and give it a few coats of paint, you've got an upcycled, stylish pet bed! Brilliant!

Convenient cabinets

If you have an indoor cat, you have a litter box. Let’s face it, it is hard to make a litter box fit in with any design scheme. And then there’s the unsightly lumps and smell. So, it makes perfect sense to hide away this mess. There are plenty of creative ideas on Pinterest for ways to deal with this fashion faux pas, but so far our favorite is inside a cabinet. After all, cat parents know that felines love to explore inside cabinets! Simply remove a lower cabinet door and put up a curtain. Another option is to install a cat door in the cabinet door, but that is certainly a more permanent fix. Once the access is granted, it becomes a perfect space to hide away the litter box and litter. Line the bottom with a material that will trap the litter being carried on your cat’s paws and you’ve solved that neverending problem, as well. 

There are so many options out there that we haven’t even cat-scratched the surface. Be sure to follow our Furry Friends Pinterest page for more inspiration for feline and canine design. It’s really worth checking out – even if only to see the “Release the hounds” doorbell! And we’d love to hear from you if you built a creative space for one of your pets!