Tips for redesigning your Pet Space

Often, we see design as something to appreciate outside of our normal lives. But since design creates culture, it can be argued that the most important place to appreciate design is within our daily lives, most particularly our homes.

We’ve been having a look at how people incorporate pets into their lives and one thing became apparent. While our pets are welcomed into every aspect of our lives, we rarely design our living spaces in ways which are truly inclusive and effective for them.

Good design that keeps your pet in mind can not only be beautiful but can also simplify the job of looking after them.  Your pet’s size, age, health and temperament will affect which pet-centric features make the most sense for your home so take those into consideration before you get to work. 

Sleeping spaces
Dedicated nooks or sleeping spaces that make a pet feel secure are really important. When you’re setting this area up, think about unused spaces under the stairs or even a coffee table, and what furniture would work in the space for both you and your pets.  If you have a cat that likes to climb, you can also think about vertical space, perhaps an underutilised shelf or similar. 

 Freshly painting an old drawer and filling it with a comfortable mattress, can be a simple yet elegant way of making a dog bed that fits neatly into the corner of a room.  Or look at different designed furniture like the FurryTail Cat Bed which is perfect for those cats who know they are boss and like to be treated as such.

Feeding stations
Like the human members of your family, your pets need a space to eat and drink that allows them to relax and take their time.  If your floor space is limited, you could set up a feeding station in a bottom drawer in your kitchen or laundry.  Make sure their water bowl is always accessible and kept topped up.  We’re not the only ones that need to stay hydrated. 

Bathing rooms
Setting up a defined bathing space for your pets makes it a much less traumatic experience for both you and them.  If you have the space, thinking about putting a flexible shower nozzle above a bath or tub and setting up some steps to help them in and out. If you have limited space, consider how you can set up a mobile bathing room – stocked with grooming products and treats that you can move inside or outside as needed.  If your pet is a reluctant bather, pump action shampoos and conditioners means that you can keep one hand on your pet at all times.

Storage
As with all children, the amount of stuff that requires a place to go seems endless.  Design your storage spaces to work with your lifestyle.  Think about toy boxes for toys, places to hang leashes and jackets for walks, ways of enclosing patios or climbing frames and secure, dry and clean tubs for food and treats.  If you spoil your animals even more than your humans, think about storage options that allow you to rotate toys depending on the season. 

The most important thing to remember when redesigning your pet spaces is to make sure they work as part of your daily lives. Our pets are not just family members anymore. They’re work colleagues and friends too. 

If you are looking for more inspiration, we’ve been creating collections of the things that inspired us.  Check them out here

Visit and shop out our Redesign Your Pet Space Collection here.

Happy designing!