Pets are an integral part of our lives, families, and routines. They add personality, love, and often a little humor to our days, and truly make any living space feel like home. Many potential buyers of your home will feel the same way. So, when it comes to thinking about home design and amenities, considering how your pet will interact with a space only makes sense! Floor plans, yard sizes, spare rooms, nooks, and storage spaces can all be important features to consider when selling a property or looking to improve your current one to ensure that pets are happy and comfortable. Whether you are selling a home and strategizing how a buyer's pet might enjoy the new space, or if you are looking to remodel your current home to better suit you and your pet’s needs, this is an important topic to consider!

While many of our beloved pets do not need much, I was curious how our project directors approach remodeling when pets are involved. Dallas project director Alane Beard has a wealth of experience when it comes to remodeling with pets in mind and working with homeowners on their unique needs. We sat down and discussed some of her tips, clever solutions, and ideas for sprucing up home features to ensure that our pets are happy:

To get started, what kind of conversations did you have with the homeowners before beginning these types of projects?

I always start projects by asking homeowners how they actually plan to live in and use the space on a daily basis, and determine which of the existing elements currently meet their needs, and which do not. In the cases of homes with pets, I get information on the types of pets, feeding patterns, whether they want the animals to have free or controlled access to food, and whether the homeowners want to integrate pet food and pet supply storage into their space. I also determine if the homeowners want a separate water source for filling pet bowls.

In other situations, clients have inquired about integrating retractable pet gates (like pocket doors), similar to this one shown in House Beautiful for containing pets in desired areas. And clients have asked about built-in pet crates similar to this one designed by Collins Interiors. In both cases, determining adult pet size would be an important part of project planning.

Can you describe some of the projects that you’ve worked on where you were remodeling with pets in mind?

I recently remodeled both a kitchen and a laundry room for families with pets. In the kitchen, we added a slide-out drawer that can be opened with a toe kick. This feature allows the pets to enjoy the space and be a part of the kitchen when they’re eating, and also offers the ability to tuck everything away when the family is cooking or entertaining!

In the laundry room, we designed an open lower cabinet with space for pets’ bowls, and added plumbing to allow for filling the pet water bowl. We also included cabinet pull-outs for storage and easy access to pet food, while still keeping it out of their reach. These little features can really go a long way when it comes to convenience. They ensure that pets have access to fresh water without the usual hassle of tripping over water bowls that people constantly walk around.

Homebuyers that are “dog people” or “cat people” must be thrilled to see these pet-friendly add-ons when they tour a home—I would be! What are some of your favorite features that you’ve added when it comes to pets?

I am always a fan of adding useful, well-planned storage into any project and like to make use of “found” spaces. So I really enjoy taking advantage of the cabinet toe kick space to hide away pet bowls. They are obviously necessary, but not necessarily something you want your guests to see during your dinner party. So this is my favorite trick.

Do you have pets of your own? What has inspired you to add these special design features when remodeling a home?

I do have pets. I’ve had three dogs and a cat at one time before! And I’m not alone. According to Forbes, 86.9 million American homes now have pets. And most of us consider them part of the family. So it only makes sense that more and more homeowners are asking for home designs that integrate our pets’ needs! In fact, I’m already planning my own mudroom pet remodeling project to make life easier with all my dirty dogs.

Anything else that you’d like to add on this topic?

One final thought is that when it comes to designing for pets, always keep in mind that the materials must be durable, cleanable, safe, and non-toxic to animals. Pets are naturally curious and have been known to lick or chew walls or cabinets. If certain toxic paints get on a pet’s skin, fur, or are ingested at all, this could be dangerous and potentially harmful. Problematic paint ingredients include polyurethane, formaldehyde, ammonia, acetone, fungicides, and biocides, all of which are toxic. Water-based paints are usually the safest bet!