How to Design the Ultimate Pet Room for Your Home
12 Pet Room Design Ideas from Our Austin Architects
Here in Austin, Texas, we are all about our pets! You can find us jogging with our dogs through Zilker Park, lounging with our cats on our porch, and bringing our puppies to patio bars for a drink. For many Austinites building their first house or planning their first remodel, a designated pet room is at the top of the must-haves list. Our Austin architects share how to design the ultimate pet room for your home and offer 12 “paw-fect” design ideas that your four-legged friends will love.
Here’s How to Design the Ultimate Pet Room for Your Home
In the architecture design process, it is crucial to bring up your specific needs as soon as possible so that your architect can seamlessly incorporate them into the design plan. In Austin, our residential architecture team gets many requests for pet rooms. While a pet room may seem like a small addition to the project, there are many design factors to consider for our furry friends. Here are 12 design ideas to think about when creating a pet room for your cat or dog.
1. Choose the Right Spot to Build Your Pet Room
First, work with your architect to select the right spot to build your pet room. Most homeowners choose to incorporate the dog or cat room within a mudroom, laundry room, kitchen, or transition space into the garage. Practical benefits of these locations include easy outdoor access for walks, the ability to reroute existing plumbing for pet showers, and the opportunity to expand built-in storage and cabinets.
Laundry Room Pet Room
DK Studio
2. Add Built-in Kennels for Dogs
Built-in kennels are elegant solutions for boarding your dogs overnight or when you leave for the day. Since they are custom, they can be tailored to the size of your pets and incorporated into larger walls of built-in storage for a seamless look. Say goodbye to the bulky crates cluttering the living room!
3. Create a Hidden Litter Box for Cats
Cat owners often struggle with litter box placement in the home. Unfortunately, this visual eyesore can also be a stinky nuisance that’s off-putting to guests. One of our team’s favorite solutions is to create hidden and ventilated litter box cabinets in the home laundry room. This design option can keep the cat box concealed from view and vent any unwanted smells outside.
Hidden Cat Box Plan
Photo from DK Studio
4. Design a Puppy-sized Shower for Grooming
Bathing the dog can be a challenging chore if you don’t have a suitable space for it. For example, some dogs are too big to fit in the kitchen sink, and crouching down to bathe them in the tub can be a hindrance. When creating a room for your dog, incorporate a raised built-in dog shower. Shower designs can be customized for the size of your breed. On average, the bench height should be 18 to 36 inches off the ground. Add a hand-held shower head, shampoo shelf, and blow dryer holder to make bath time a breeze.
5. Consider Built-in Food Bowls and Storage for Meal Time
Give your pet a stylish place to dine. Built-in food bowls in the kitchen or laundry room are a perfect home addition for cat and dog lovers. Built-in bowls can be stationary or added to a pull-out drawer to be hidden away after mealtime. Also, consider adding a cabinet or shelf designated for pet food and treats.
6. Add Wall Pegs for Leashes
Walks are one of the most exciting outings for dogs. Don’t keep your pet waiting while trying to untangle or find their leash. Instead, add stylish wall pegs in the mudroom, garage, or near the backdoor for easily accessible leash storage.
7. Install a Pet Cam to Check In
Saying goodbye to your pet when you leave for work or a trip out of town can be difficult. Keep tabs on your cats and dogs when you are away with a pet camera monitoring system installed in your pet room. Pet cams make it easy to check in from your smartphone, no matter where you are.
Install a pet camera to keep tabs on your pet.
Photo by DK Studio
8. Build a Window Seat for Sunbathing
What cat wouldn’t want a window seat built just for them? Adding a window seat to a pet room will allow your animal friend to sunbathe and watch for your return home. Plus, a window seat can serve as extra storage and a place for both you and your pet to relax.
9. Select Scratch-resistant Flooring
Your pets will be spending a lot of time in their new pet room. So make sure to select durable finishes, like scratch-resistant flooring, to keep the space looking great for years to come. Stay away from flooring options like hardwood, carpet, and stone, which can all scratch or stain. Instead, go for durable options like porcelain, ceramic, and scratch-resistant laminate.
10. Add Plenty of Toy Storage
Design an organized pet room with plenty of storage for toys, food, and supplies. Consider built-in storage options like cabinets, drawers, shelving, and cubbies. Cleaning up for guests will be quick and efficient when all the pet toys have a place to call home.
11. Create a Cozy Bed for Naptime
Whether you are building a window seat for your cat or a built-in kennel for your dog, make sure you don’t forget to create a cozy bed for naptime. Select bedding options made with durable materials, like stain-resistant textile covers and memory foam pet mattresses.
12. Design a Pet Room That’s Fun!
While your pet room should be practical, it should also be fun and welcoming. Work with your architect to design a space both you and your pet can enjoy together. What may start as a small room off the garage may become a fun hangout space where all the neighborhood pets will want to gather!
Cat Play Structure Construction
Photo by Amity Worrel