The Best New Home Features for Your Four-Legged Family Members
If you’re a pet lover, it’s important to understand how to keep your pets comfortable. There are many custom home designs you can implement in your home just for your pet. If you’re building your new home or renovating your existing home, consider your pets and their needs and routine. This can also help you save money down the road.
Custom Home Features for Your Pet
Renovate the Laundry Room
Laundry rooms should always be designed to withstand any mess. This includes everything from wet, dripping clothes, to piles of clean and dirty laundry. You can also include some custom features for your four-legged friends, including:
- Built-in kennels with functional counter space on top
- Custom cabinetry with built-in dog bowls
- A Dutch door from the laundry room to the main house, creating a self-contained “pet zone”
- A tiled basin area featuring handheld shower heads for bathing dirty dogs
Include Pet-Friendly Materials Throughout the Home
An excellent flooring option for pet lovers is luxury vinyl planks (LVP). If you want the look of hardwood flooring minus the maintenance, this is for you. LVP is waterproof, so no need to worry about your pet dropping water across your new flooring. It is also scratch-resistant, so if you have a pet with sharp, long nails, it’s perfect.
Additionally, try to avoid wall-to-wall carpeting since it can harbor pet odors, stains, and more for a long time. Instead, try using area rugs since they are much easier to clean and can be switched out when you’re going for a new look.
Keep Your Pet’s Habits in Mind
Maybe your pet likes to watch the squirrels in your backyard. If this is the case, consider adding a full-length window to allow your pet to have a nice view.
Or maybe your dogs bark constantly at anything or anyone they see coming down the street. In this instance, a glass front door is probably not your best option. Whatever you decide, a custom home builder can bring it to life for you.
Add a Built-in Bathing Station
If you’re tired of bathing your dog in the tub because you know how much of a disaster it can turn into, consider a built-in bathing station. This keeps hair from getting everywhere and prevents your dog from jumping out of the tub in the middle of a wash. You can easily have a custom-built bathing station installed in your garage or mudroom if you have one. You might also consider adding a plexiglass screen to help guard against splatter. You can have a custom builder do this from scratch, or you can use a partial or full kit system.