Photo by Plain & Fancy by Dandamudi’s [Source: https://www.petsbest.com/blog/7-home-design-ideas-for-pet-bowls]
Does someone you love have four legs and a tail? If so, these design hacks are for you!
Carpets are the worst for showing wear and tear by pets. Even wood is susceptible to nail scratches and urine stains around entrance doors and water spills in feeding areas. On the other hand, new vinyl plank, click-lock laminate, non-slip tile and stained concrete floors are kid and pet proof. Cut your time cleaning floors by replacing hard-to-clean, stainable carpet with easy-to-clean, state of the art solid surface floors. For area rugs, choose those made of polypropylene, which urine, feces, and fur-balls absolutely cannot and will not stain.
Window seats and tall windows let your pets watch the world go by in style, but if your Yorkie is a barker, curtail its barking by remodeling, building or buying a house with shorter windows. Another thoughtful upgrade is to replace a screen door with a full-view glass door. Sure, you’ll collect a lot of nose art and slobber on the glass, but isn’t it easier to clean glass, than it is to replace torn screens or nail-gouged doors and frames?
Cats will climb into any window to spy on squirrels, birds, and butterflies – unless there is a comfortable piece of furniture nearby. (Hey, it’s called “fur-niture” for a reason!) You’ll keep your furniture fur-free longer, by appealing to your cat’s sensibilities. Build deeper than normal window ledges or place a carpeted cat tree close by. Dog owners, did you know that when a dog noses around curtains to see out, the natural oils in its fur will soil the fabric? Exchange those climbable, stainable curtains for shutters or blinds.
When remodeling your kitchen, create a feeding station under your island and decorate it using your countertop and backsplash materials. Blended feline/canine families must feed their pets separately; otherwise, Fido will devour all Bella’s food. Help your kitties eat in peace by either adding a dutch door to the laundry room, or mount a wooden baby gate a few inches off the floor in the doorway for cats to slip under, or feed your cats on a laundry room shelf.
Large Greyhounds appreciate not eating their food at floor level. Buy a cheap IKEA cabinet, cut holes in its top for food and water bowls, and store extra dog food in the cabinet below. Above the feeding areas, mount another cabinet to hold pet paraphernalia – milk bones, treats, leashes, towels, brushes, combs and clippers.
Extra cleaning chores go hand-in-hand with pet ownership. Fortunately the newest sweepers and mops are extremely hygienic. The latest Roomba i7+ robot sweeps dry messes clean, seals them away, and empties them at its base station. The HIZERO (VarsityVacuums.com) is a futuristic, lightweight, rechargeable mop that simultaneously sweeps, mops and drys — automatically sorting wet and dry waste into separate storage containers — and when you’re through cleaning, it even cleans itself!
Whether your home is the cat’s meow or a doggie utopia, a few of these domestic upgrades will make every family member’s life happier.
Live in Style with Shutters & More for Less!
