Barkitecture: The Rise of Pet-Centric Home Design
First they captured our hearts, now they're taking over our homes – pet-centred design is on the rise, say the experts
Georgia Madden
31 March 2022
You heard it here first – pets are taking centre stage when it comes to the design of our homes. From designer doggy doors and customised dog baths to heated sleeping areas, growing numbers of homeowners are asking for special pet-friendly features within their home designs, say these three architects.
“Over the past few years, we have seen an increase in requests to accommodate all manner of pets within our clients’ homes, especially with the rise of pet ownership during the lockdown years,” says Rebecca Naughtin, director at Rebecca Naughtin Architect.
“The requests range from designing spaces and pathways for pets through the home down to refining joinery for the placement of water bowls, sleeping quarters and custom lead hooks.
“The requests range from designing spaces and pathways for pets through the home down to refining joinery for the placement of water bowls, sleeping quarters and custom lead hooks.
“The global events of the past two years and the shift to working from home has led to change in people’s priorities and lifestyles,” she says. “Not only do more people have pets, but we’re all spending more time with them.
“When building their forever home, our clients want customised spaces that make life easier and less cluttered as we reassess what is important in life.”
“When building their forever home, our clients want customised spaces that make life easier and less cluttered as we reassess what is important in life.”
The homeowners of this apartment in New York, USA, tasked the designers with accommodating their two Bengal cats. A catwalk winds through most of the apartment, and here, above a bookcase with a sliding ladder, a cut-out allows the cats to walk from the hallway directly into the home office on the elevated walkway.
Thinking about renovating? Find a local interior designer on Houzz who can help
Thinking about renovating? Find a local interior designer on Houzz who can help
“Pets offer that element of adventure, and many would agree that pets are part of the family. Whether it’s bespoke dog beds or even something as simple as a fluid indoor-outdoor transition, it’s the narrative that feeds the brief that results in excellent outcomes,” says Naughtin.
“As the proud parent of two red kelpies and a Burmese cat, I have no doubt we will see more pet-centric features in home design going forward,” says Kirsten Johnstone, director at Kirsten Johnstone Architecture.
“As many of us head back to the office, we want to provide secure and interactive spaces for our pets to ensure the safety of our beloved furry family member,” she says.
“As many of us head back to the office, we want to provide secure and interactive spaces for our pets to ensure the safety of our beloved furry family member,” she says.
“Specific home-design features to ensure your fur baby is provided for while also simplifying the practical needs of pet ownership might include access doors into the home for your pet to come and go at will, including escaping outside weather conditions as needed. We are regularly asked to include outdoor dog-bath areas to simplify this practical need,” says Johnstone.
Browse images of contemporary Australian kitchens on Houzz
Browse images of contemporary Australian kitchens on Houzz
“We are currently designing a home in Queensland with a combined outdoor shower and dog-washdown area with an associated drying area to hang wet towels and leads for when the family and their pets come back from the beach,” says Johnstone.
“We have previously designed pet-specific drawers within the laundry to house pet food containers for feeding time, which can simply be closed to tidy up afterwards.
“Other design ideas we have considered include creating cat niches in otherwise redundant corners of cabinetry, and enclosed internal courtyard areas that double as an outdoor cat run – these usually need a netting over the top to prevent the amazing cat escape.
“We have previously designed pet-specific drawers within the laundry to house pet food containers for feeding time, which can simply be closed to tidy up afterwards.
“Other design ideas we have considered include creating cat niches in otherwise redundant corners of cabinetry, and enclosed internal courtyard areas that double as an outdoor cat run – these usually need a netting over the top to prevent the amazing cat escape.
“Personally, we have installed an internal snib lock on our laundry’s internal cavity sliding door as our cat can readily open this door and we treasure our sleep to allow him to roam around the house at night,” says Johnstone.
“Living in a 1970s home, we have many sliding doors and we have also fitted magnetic latches to keep them closed due to his incessant coming and going. And don’t start me on the lever handles that he can open! Too clever.”
“Living in a 1970s home, we have many sliding doors and we have also fitted magnetic latches to keep them closed due to his incessant coming and going. And don’t start me on the lever handles that he can open! Too clever.”
“This project with the dog bed under the stair was one of our first detailed pet briefs,” says Naughtin. “The family labrador was measured for size and dexterity and a plan was formed around dog walker access, dog doors, food delivery and storage, and sleeping arrangements. Building a narrative around the dog day-by-day strengthened the brief.
“The sleeping area you see in the image is warmed by a hydronic slab in winter and the stairs above have a higher slip resistance than required to make it safer for soft paws to climb up and down,” she says.
“The sleeping area you see in the image is warmed by a hydronic slab in winter and the stairs above have a higher slip resistance than required to make it safer for soft paws to climb up and down,” she says.
“I seem to be stepping it up a tiny paw-sized notch with each project, from window openings in external doors for outside doggie access to holes in cupboards to conceal cat loos,” says Lisa Breeze, principal at Lisa Breeze Architect. “My most recent pet installation is an architectural dog house built into the wall of the home.
“They’re appearing in homes of all sizes. The smaller the home, the trickier it is to integrate these types of details, but they can always be accommodated,” she says.
“They’re appearing in homes of all sizes. The smaller the home, the trickier it is to integrate these types of details, but they can always be accommodated,” she says.
“We’ve had a lot of exciting requests from clients, including a request for series of ledges throughout the house for their cat to roam,” says Naughtin.
“Areas to lock dogs when there are guests is a popular request as homeowners don’t want to necessarily exclude their dogs from the fun, but do want to prevent visitors from being smothered.”
“Areas to lock dogs when there are guests is a popular request as homeowners don’t want to necessarily exclude their dogs from the fun, but do want to prevent visitors from being smothered.”
“We’re also having a bit of fun at the moment trying to incorporate a street artist’s work into a facade of a rear Melbourne laneway project that plays on themes of their pet – stay tuned for that one!” says Naughtin.
“If you want to incorporate special pet features into your home, the earlier you bring it up with your architect the better – ideally at the same time as you’re discussing the number of bedrooms and types of social spaces you’re after,” says Breeze.
Dogness Smart Camera Treater 8065 at Appliances Online.
If you’re not ready to go as far as change the structure of your home to accommodate your furry friends, you might consider something more portable.
“There are high-tech appliances available that pet owners can use to keep in touch with their pets when they are not home, such as the Dogness Smart Camera Treater 8065, which allows you to monitor and connect with your pets through a video camera and two-way chat. You can even toss them a treat with the click of a button,” says Colin Jones, category expert at Appliances Online.
And if you need to remove that telltale ‘doggy smell’ from a room, you could invest in an air purifier, such as such as the Mitsubishi Electric MA-E85R-A Air Purifier, to refresh your home.
If you’re not ready to go as far as change the structure of your home to accommodate your furry friends, you might consider something more portable.
“There are high-tech appliances available that pet owners can use to keep in touch with their pets when they are not home, such as the Dogness Smart Camera Treater 8065, which allows you to monitor and connect with your pets through a video camera and two-way chat. You can even toss them a treat with the click of a button,” says Colin Jones, category expert at Appliances Online.
And if you need to remove that telltale ‘doggy smell’ from a room, you could invest in an air purifier, such as such as the Mitsubishi Electric MA-E85R-A Air Purifier, to refresh your home.
Your turn
Have you incorporated special pet features into your home? Tell us about them in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images for inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want more on pets at home? Don’t miss this story: What Impact Does a Pet Have on Your Home?
Have you incorporated special pet features into your home? Tell us about them in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images for inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want more on pets at home? Don’t miss this story: What Impact Does a Pet Have on Your Home?
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I live two stories up in a unit complex. I have an area in my bathroom where my small dogs can toilet if they get desperate during the night (very rarely as I walk then late evening). I am planning a renovation of my bathroom and all of my trade quotes have advised me that council will not approve a doggy toilet area in my bathroom. So design and council rules once again clash.
I can absolutely relate. We have a room just off the entry that was my husband's study. With the kids up and gone, he has moved office to a spare bedroom, making way for what has become known as 'The Dog's Room'. The Mid Century wring bureau works a treat to house all of his leashes, bedding and you guessed it...treats! The chair is really handy to put shoes and leashes on ready to go. Behind the double doors hides his food and water bowl on one side and coat hooks and toy basket on the other. With everything in one space it is so easy to get ready for and tidy up after daily walks - a total luxury but we love it and as you can see Clancy likes it too!
Cute