When building a custom home, you tailor the home to meet your family’s needs. Sometimes that’s accounting for a fence or a dog run in the backyard. Sometimes, it’s building specially dedicated spaces for your four-legged family members. Furry friends are important to us. They are not only our pets but also family and an extension of your home! Keeping them in mind when designing your new construction home can improve the function of your home and its aesthetics. In this blog, we walk through what a pet station is and why you would want to include one in your new home.

What is a Pet Station?

A pet station is a dedicated area or space within a home designed specifically for pets. It is a functional and organized zone for pets that seamlessly blends in with the home’s interior design. A pet station that’s incorporated into the design of a new construction home offers several benefits. Here are a few:

• It provides a designated space for pet-related activities such as feeding, grooming, and storing pet supplies. Pet stations keep the home organized and prevent pet-related clutter. 
• A pet station promotes convenience by having essentials like food and water bowls, leash hooks, and pet beds readily accessible. It can also incorporate features like built-in pet showers or washing stations for easy cleanup. 
• A well-designed pet station enhances the home’s aesthetics by incorporating stylish elements that complement the overall interior design, ensuring a cohesive and harmonious look. Ultimately, including a pet station in a custom home demonstrates a thoughtful consideration for the needs of both the homeowners and their beloved pets, creating a functional and visually appealing space that enhances the overall livability of the home.

How to Incorporate a Pet Station Into the Plan

Incorporating a pet station in new construction often starts with architectural drawings. Let the architect know that you want to add a dedicated space for your pet so they can add it to the plan early on in the process. Plan spaces for pets to eat, sleep, and play alongside your homely duties. For example, consider including a designated mudroom or pet-friendly room near the entryway for pets to shake off their paws and store their food and toys. A mudroom, laundry room, or garage is perfect for a pet-washing station to make cleaning up after muddy walks more convenient. There are many more options to consider.

Plan the Sleeping Arrangement

If your pet has free range in your home, then they sleep wherever they find their happy place. Some homeowners do plan for designated sleeping nooks for their little ones. When planning for your pet’s sleeping area, think about the location. Hallways, mudrooms, laundry rooms, and bedrooms are some options. Just like homeowners cherish their bedrooms as a place of relaxation, pets also need a cozy spot to rest. Giving your pet a comfortable place to sleep can prevent them from sleeping in areas with high foot traffic, lowering the risk of accidents and injuries, especially for small children.

Pick Pet-Proof Flooring

Hard flooring increases home value and aesthetics, and let’s face it, accidents with pets are bound to happen. Hard flooring can create an impervious surface, making cleaning messes easier. When choosing flooring, opt for scratch-resistant materials that are easy to clean. For wood flooring, extra padded mats can be added underneath floors to minimize noise for pets sensitive to sound or to reduce noise when playing together! Here are four types of flooring to consider for your custom home:

 1. Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring: This type of flooring is ideal for any pet owner because it is scratch-resistant and waterproof.

2. Tile: Tile is an excellent pet-proof option as it is impervious to scratches, dirt, and moisture. Tile provides homeowners with a cool-to-the-touch surface on hot days and can be underlaid with heating elements to make it warm up during our chilly winter season. Choose a beautiful pattern, brick, or dark color for hiding dirt and paw prints.

3. Bamboo Flooring: If you’re looking for a more environmentally-friendly, durable material, look no further than bamboo! It is also resistant to scratches and water.

4. Laminate Flooring: A prevalent type of flooring that is an excellent option for any custom home construction, as many brands make it scratch-resistant and waterproof. 

Put in a Fenced-In Yard

Designing the space outside your home makes it feel put together, increases resale value, and helps beautify your new home. You want to ensure you have enough green space for landscaping, backyard structures like porches or flower beds, and a safe space for animals to roam freely. Having a fenced-in yard for pets is an excellent idea as it keeps them safe and contained and gives them a place to play and explore. Outdoor areas provide your pet with exercise and fresh air, facilitating independence while minimizing their time indoors. 

If you’re a cat owner, consider a “catio”; This is a patio but for your kitties. These outdoor enclosures provide a safe place for your cat to play outside. The structure, with a roof and four walls, protects your cat from outside predators. Catios can range from window-box-sized ones to large enclosures with human seating.

Other Home Elements to Consider for Your Pets

Pets come with a lot of responsibilities but an enormous room for love. You can incorporate your pets into your new home in so many ways. Cats and pets alike love to watch out the windows and lay in the sun. Consider oversized windows for more natural light. Windows create an open and inviting atmosphere and a fun way to give your pet a glimpse into the outside world. Integrated window perches allow them to play and sleep and can be an excellent consideration if you’re a cat owner. Windows also add ventilation and air circulation to ensure good air quality for pets and humans. 

Design Your Dream Home You and Your Pet Will Love

Having dedicated spaces or areas integrated into your custom home helps pets feel safe, secure, and comfortable so they can adjust to their environment. During the design process, you have the perfect opportunity to ensure your new home is also a dream home for your pets. Built-in cabinets, water dispensers, and shelves are great for creating these dedicated pet areas. With pet-friendly considerations, you can provide your home’s design benefits to you and your furry family. 

At Gracious Home Interiors, we love our pets. Lori has two furry babies that inspire her to integrate pet friendly-spaces in her home designs. If you are building a home in the Charlotte, NC, area, we are here to assist you every step of the way. Contact us to schedule an Inspiration call, and let’s integrate your love for your pet with our passion for home design.