Pet-Friendly Home Renovation Ideas
Are Pet Owners Dog Gone Crazy? Pet-Friendly Home Renovations Are on the Rise in Houston
Did you know that currently, 67% of U.S. households own pets? That’s more than 85 million families, according to a survey by the American Pet Products Association! https://www.iii.org/. In Texas alone, 44% of households own pets. https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/dayton/news/article/Texas-ranks-ninth-for-dog-ownership-9551943.php
Have we gone to the dogs? Maybe…In a 2019 study by the American Pet Products Association, U.S. consumers spent $95.7 billion on their pets alone!! https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2020/02/28/appa-americans-spent-957-billion-on-their-pets-in-2019/ Not surprisingly, pets are considered by most owners to be part of the family. So why not make your home (and your furry friend’s home) a little more pet friendly?
Renovating Your Home for Your Pet
This may sound crazy, but many pet owners have been including pet friendly designs in their home renovations lately. A study by the National Association of Realtors found that more than half of the homeowners surveyed had completed a dog friendly renovation project recently. Remodeling Impact: Animals in Homes (nar.realtor)
These renovations contained the obvious design choices, like adding a doggie door or fencing the yard, to more unique features like doggie designated bathing areas. But these days, there is no limit when it comes to making pet friendly design choices. Not only does renovating for your pet make his life more comfy, it may make your life easier. There are many design features homeowners can include in a renovation project to make feeding, cleaning, and exercising your pet easier.
Pet Friendly Renovations In the Yard
Dogs spend much time outdoors. The most obvious home renovation project a dog owner can do to make life more enjoyable for his dog and easier on himself is to fence in the yard. Not only does this give your pooch a safe place to exercise off his leash, it gives you the convenience of not having to always walk the dog or go out in inclement weather. And let’s face it, what dog and dog owner doesn’t want a secure area to play some fetch on a Sunday afternoon?
And if you do install a fence, why not opt for one with doggie windows? Yes, you can install dog safe windows in your fence to give your best friend spots to look through to the outside world. While doggie windows sound fancy, they are basically cut outs in the fencing material at your dog’s eye level so he can see and sniff beyond his own yard safely.
Another outdoor design feature pet owners can add to their homes are ramps. Ramps are great alternatives for older dogs who have trouble going up and down the stairs. Ramps on decks and porches can reduce joint pain and help prevent injuries in younger dogs, as well.
Let’s not forget the cats when planning pet friendly outdoor designs! Cats love to lay in the sun. A nice renovation project for cat owners is to enclose a porch or deck so the kitties can lounge safely while soaking up that sunshine. And, if you have an active cat, you can get creative by adding some perches and climbing posts so the kitty can play.
Renovating the Inside of Your Home for Your Pets
Pet friendly renovations aren’t just limited to the outside of your home. There are many fun and unique designs pet owners can add to the insides of their homes for extra convenience and to make their furry friends happier. From more durable flooring options to creating designated doggie spaces, the design ideas are unlimited.
Pet Friendly Renovations In the Kitchen
Don’t forget to think about your dogs when designing your dream kitchen! After all, it’s most likely where they eat and their food is stored. Not only do pet friendly designs in the kitchen improve the life of your pet, they make feeding time much more convenient for you. Built-in feeding areas for bowls can be added to custom cabinetry to make your kitchen more tidy. No more dog bowls on the floor to trip over or spill! You can also customize the height of the built-ins so that the bowls will be at head level with your dog. Raised dog bowls make eating a little easier on your dog and help them digest their food better, too.
In addition to built-ins for the food bowls, you can customize cabinetry for pet food storage as well. Placing the food storage cabinetry next to the feeding area makes meal time a breeze and keeps your kitchen organized. And, if you really want to make feeding time run smoothly, you can install a water faucet near the bowls to make life even easier!
If you have a counter surfer for a best friend, don’t forget the built-in dog gates to keep that furball out of the kitchen and off the counters! No one likes it when their dog steals their food. Built-in gates for the kitchen doorways keep your best friend out when needed and save your food for whom it was intended, you!
Pet Friendly Renovations In the Bathroom
You may not think about your pet when coming up with your dream bathroom design, but many homeowners are adding pet friendly options to their bathrooms recently. Many homeowners bathe their furry companions in the tub or shower. Installing a walk-in shower or open concept shower without doors can make getting your dog in and out of the shower super easy. No more getting Fido over the edge of the tub twice just to take one bath!
Additionally, you can install a handheld shower head closer to the floor of the shower to make cleaning your dog easier, as well. And for those homeowners with especially furry best friends, a larger drain can be installed to prevent it from clogging with pet hair.
Don’t forget to think about your cat when designing your dream bathroom, too! The bathroom is a common spot for homeowners to keep kitty litter boxes. When designing your dream bathroom, you can install custom cabinetry to hide that unsightly litter box and store kitty litter. A nook can be added to the side of cabinetry to conceal the litter box. This allows your cat to enter and exit freely, and cuts down on litter box smells. Larger cabinets can be used to store those big, heavy bags of litter. These design options are attractive and help keep your bathroom organized, too.
No room for your furry best friend in the bathroom? Some homeowners have chosen to create designated bath areas and litter box areas in their mudrooms instead. From dog sized showers to custom cabinetry to contain litter boxes and litter, mudrooms can be designed with your pets in mind, too.
While many pet friendly renovations can be DIY jobs, hiring an experienced general contractor can make sure your project runs smoothly and is done properly. Contact us at Gryphon Builders to help make your next home renovation pet friendly!
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