6 Neat Barkitecture Ideas for Pet Storage and Furniture
Did you know that over 48 million households in the United States include a dog? Is your household one of them?
You love your furry friend, so why not make your home as dog friendly as possible by incorporating furniture that's just for them? That's right; we're talking about barkitecture, pet storage options, pet furniture, and all the other "creature comforts" that can make your pet feel like part of the family.
But how do you make your home dog-friendly while keeping it comfortable and stylish for the other humans who live there? We're here to talk about it.
Keep reading for a few top pet storage ideas and more.
1. Build a Puppy Playhouse
If you're looking for a fun weekend (or multi-weekend) project, why not build your canine companion a doghouse that will make all the other dogs in the neighborhood jealous?
This doghouse can go either indoors or outdoors (or both if you make it easily transportable).
Sure, there's nothing wrong with a standard doghouse that's just for sheltering your dog from the sun or rain when it's playing outside, but why not upgrade to a luxury doghouse?
Building a doghouse is a lot of fun, and it's a good entry-level building project that even children can work on. Try to visualize a child's playhouse instead of a typical doghouse and see what you can come up with.
Furnish the house with comfy cushions, a sturdy food and water dish, and a few of your dog's favorite toys.
2. Dog Stairs with Storage
Do you have a small dog whose little legs make it impossible to jump onto the couch to sit with the family? If you still want to let your dog onto your furniture, but you want it to have more autonomy, get (or build) dog stairs.
While you're at it, use stairs with storage options. Many pet stairs now have steps that flip up or steps with drawers so you can store toys and dog clothes inside when your pet doesn't need them. This will free up space and remove clutter with a functional object that your pet will use.
Make this into another project or order some professionally made stairs that suit your home's aesthetic.
3. Food Bowls: Incorporating Them into Interior Design
Is your dog's food dish in the way? Why not make it work for your interior design?
Most dogs don't graze. They eat at mealtime, and that means that you can tuck their food dish away when they're not using it. Make sure that you leave water out so your dog can stay hydrated, however.
Do you have a kitchen island with space at the bottom or low and unused kitchen cabinets? These are great places to store food and water dishes in a way that keeps them out of the way and still accessible to your furry friends.
We recommend putting a placemat or stylish contact paper underneath your dog dishes if your dog is a messy eater. This way, your dog won't ruin the cabinets, the kitchen island, or your floors when it's dinner time.
4. Design-Friendly Dog Crates
Many people think that crating dogs is inhumane, but this isn't true! Many dogs see crates as a place of refuge once they're crate-trained. Their crate is their indoor home where they can get away from you, other pets, or scary noises like vacuums or thunder.
Dog crates can be eyesores, however, so why not incorporate them into your interior design instead?
There are several ways to go about this, and some are easier than others. You may have to turn this into another DIY building project, but don't worry. It's a lot of fun.
First (and simplest), you can place a gate over a furniture item with an open space, like a low TV cabinet, a lifted bed, or even a side table if your dog is used to small crates. You may have to remove a door or drawer to create that space, but this isn't complicated.
Another easy DIY option is to place a surface, like stained wood or plywood covered with stylish contact paper, as a "roof" over the crate so you can also use it to hold items. The crate, in essence, becomes a table.
You could also find or build a table that's large enough to go over a pre-existing dog crate. When you're ready to hide the crate, lower a curtain over it.
Most of these options are also great for dog beds if your dog doesn't like being in their crate.
5. Incorporating Dog Furniture
If you don't let your dog onto the "people furniture," make sure that you bring dog furniture into your living space so the dog can still hang out with the rest of the family.
Dog furniture doesn't have to look ugly or out of place. You can easily find or make a dog bed that matches the furniture that you already have in your home. Small dogs also enjoy comfortable child-sized furniture.
6. Designated Dog Spaces
Does your dog have a designated indoor space? If not, and if you have the space for it, we recommend creating a dog corner or even a dog room for the dog to rest and play in.
Dogs like sharing their territory with their humans, so this can be a space that you also use. Make sure that there's plenty of room for your dog to play and leave a comfortable space for it to sleep.
For this, we recommend a mudroom. This way, you don't have to worry about your dog making a mess, and it's easy to add a baby gate for when you need the dog to stay in place.
Having a room for your dog will also make it easier when you have to be away from the dog or when you can't have it wandering around the house (like when you're cleaning). If the room is comfortable, the dog won't feel like you're punishing it.
Barkitecture and Beyond: Try These Tips
If you want to incorporate barkitecture and dog-friendly storage into your home, try out one (or all) of these suggestions. Your dog is a part of your family, so it should have a comfortable space in your house!
Are you getting ready to move with a pet? Do you need to get rid of some of the pet-related clutter that's accumulated in your home? We want to help you!
Contact College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving or book an appointment today.