Two-thirds of American households have a pet, according to research from the American Pet Products Association. Mike Wyrock, co-founder of Nistenhaus Design, says his experience bears that out most of the time: “Pretty much all of our clients have some sort of pet needs. Now, how custom we get with that is a whole different story.”
Wyrock helps clients think through how to incorporate pets into the design of the house. This often includes discovering an unused space where a litter box, food and water bowls, or a pet bed can be tucked away. Recently, he designed a pet bed with removable coverings to fit in the space underneath a staircase.
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Most importantly, he counsels clients to work with their pets, not against them. For example, he knows his own dog loves fringe on rugs, so he chooses options that will be less interesting to her. If a client’s cat can’t resist leather or wood elements on a sofa, he’ll recommend alternative options or suggest placing a scratching post nearby.
Randy Renner Jr., co-founder of Period Restoration, says it’s also important to take into account the size of the pet: After all, a toy poodle and a Great Dane have different needs. A few years ago, Renner incorporated a dog shower into the mudroom of a new build because there was room to spare. But not knowing who might ultimately live in the house, he designed the space with a medium-size dog in mind.
His advice is to “focus on functionality,” which includes the size of the dog but also how far the client is willing to bend over to bathe it. “Then pick a tile you like. It’s built just like a human shower, only smaller,” he says.
Channing Krichevsky and Maria Hogrefe of C&M Interiors ask clients about pets up front so they can take those needs into consideration early on. They recently designed a house from the ground up for a pair of dog lovers. Although the clients didn’t have a dog at that time, they knew they were going to get one soon. Therefore, Krichevsky and Hogrefe were able to incorporate the pet into the overall design, including commissioning a custom dog crate built into the cabinetry, as well as adding built-in food and water bowls, and a custom wooden dog gate that retracts into the doorframe.
But not every client is doing a renovation. Some are looking to update their furnishings. In these cases, Hogrefe says, “We get creative and focus on aesthetics.” The designers had custom benches made for a client who wanted her dogs to be able to look out the window.
They also recommend durable materials, such as performance-grade fabrics, because they stand up to wear and tear and tend to be easier to clean.
Says Hogrefe, “A lot of people are afraid to enhance design if they have pets or kids. But we feel strongly that you can have amazing aesthetics while still having practical solutions for your daily life.”
