At Compass Homes, your custom home builders in Columbus, Ohio, we know how important your pets are to you, which is why we excel in building pet friendly homes. If you visited our home in the 2016 Parade of Homes, you know how serious we are, since we had a pet shower & built in dog crate in the Mudroom! According to a study from the National Association of Realtors, four out of five animal owners say that pets play a part in the homes they choose. So what should you think about when designing or building a pet friendly home?
Flooring:
Face it, we love beautiful flooring and just because you have pets doesn’t mean you can’t have it! But you do need to think about noise, scratching, and the occasional accident.
- Floors should be scratch-resistant, so tile, concrete, LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile), and hard surfaces that mimic wood or tile might be an option.
- Carpeting is safe for pets because it is non-slip. Carpets or rugs that are non-slip will cut down on noise and give places for pets to sleep. Think about color though, what tone or pattern will show the least hair? A stain-resistant low-pile carpet with a moisture-resistant pad will be easier to clean.
Washing:
A perfect solution is to create a space to clean your pet after coming in from outside. We’ve created some amazing spaces for our clients.
- A Mudroom with a pet cleaning area is smart, and is typically located near the garage and has space for your pet’s needs.
- A Laundry Room on the first floor is another great option.
- Install a low sink or even better, a dog shower, in one of these areas so that you can easily bathe your pet.
- Put in a grooming table to make it easier to brush your dog. The sky’s the limit here, and you can go as simple or elaborate as you want!
Outdoor area:
Your pet needs to be able to get outside & run off energy, do doggy business, and get fresh air!
- Having a fence or electric fence will keep your pet safe & happy.
- Install a pet door to allow your dog or cat easy access to the great outdoors, without your needing to be there. The pet door doesn’t even have to be installed in a door-it can be put in a wall.
- Make sure your yard has a shady place that’s comfortable for your pet, complete with toys, water, and all the comforts your pet desires!
Storage:
Between food, toys, blankets, and everything else that comes with having pets, storage is always an issue!
- Having dedicated drawers or cabinets in the mudroom, garage, or laundry room will give you the storage you need.
- Building a feeding area into a space in the Kitchen or Mudroom gets pet dishes off the floor and out of the way. Feeding areas can be placed in a pull out drawer, the end of the island, or a low shelf.
- Plan to have a cabinet with pull-out shelves to give you a perfect place to keep food & treats.
- The current trend for litter boxes is to hide them in plain sight-in a cabinet, a recessed spot beneath the stairs, or somewhere in the Laundry Room, Mudroom, or basement.
- Stash baskets around the home to corral pet toys.
Indoor area:
Our animals are a big part of our family, so we want our home to be as pet friendly as possible.
- Cats love to climb, look out windows, and hide. Creating a cat climbing area, or having a cat perch (you can make it truly unique & appear to be a piece of art) will make for a happy cat.
- Be sure your cat has a place to hide, with a cat door to the basement (meaning you don’t have to keep that door open all of the time) or another enclosed space.
- Both dogs & cats like to see outside, so have a ledge or piece of furniture that’s eye level for them to view the outside world.
- A built-in dog crate or doggy nook makes all kinds of sense. It can be recessed into a wall, so it doesn’t take up valuable space in a Mudroom or Laundry Room.
- Half height pocket doors placed around the home in specific areas can be used to keeps pets out of rooms instead of baby gates.
- Create a designated sleep spot for your dog in an unused closet with an opened door, a corner of a room, or as part of the built-in crate. This gives your dog a place to call its own and gives you back your bed!
Our pets are part of our families and keeping them safe & happy is as important to you as it is to us when we build new homes in Columbus, Ohio. When you build with us, we’ll create the perfect, “more thought” space for your pets.