Catering to pets is big business for builders, designers

Dear Gail: This is more of just a general question versus a decorating problem. I’m just curious what trends you’re seeing in pet products for our homes. — Stephanie

Dear Stephanie: Boy, has the pet market exploded. Many pet parents like myself consider our pups little humans; they’re our kids. It’s what the pet industry is calling “the pet humanization trend.”

Whether you have ones with paws, hooves, fins or claws, we don’t think twice about taking care of them and wanting them to be as comfortable as we are at home. That’s why Americans spend more than $60 billion — yes, that’s billion dollars — with many of us going to extravagant lengths to ensure their health and happiness.

Over my 25 years of designing, I’ve also found that my clients have become more concerned with their pets’ needs. Whether it’s making it easier for them to eat, sleep, play or get around the house, especially knowing their pets may have special needs as they age. Pets are becoming an intricate part of home design.

One area that is rapidly changing is that the homebuilding industry is offering pet suite options. Why wouldn’t they with well over half of the households in the United States owning a pet? That’s almost 60 million homes.

Irvine, California-based Standard Pacific Homes is one of the homebuilding companies now offering 170-square-foot pet suites as an option. When it announced that it would be offering pet suites, there was a line of prospective buyers at the grand opening.

Some of the featured pet amenities builders are offering are indoor and outdoor washing stations, pet dryer areas, litter box cabinets, automated feeders, toy cabinets, doggie windows, French doors leading to a puppy run and even separate dog stairs and cat tunnels. What? This sounds crazy.

But why not? It makes sense to have it done before you move in, especially for those of us who are not handy and know it would be years before we’d get it done ourselves. It’s really no different than doing that den or loft option. Except some people may think you’re extravagant and crazy.

When we sold our dining furniture and converted the unused formal dining room into a room for our exotic birds, KiKi and Peaches, our friends didn’t understand why. Well, let’s see, we didn’t entertain or have family here, and all it did was gather dust. So now they get to enjoy looking outside from their large window, and there’s laminate flooring for easy cleanup and separate cabinets and a counter for all their food. They’re no longer in another room but part of our everyday comings and goings.

Although not yet requested from my clients, designer Joe Chikamori of architectural studio 07Beach in Vietnam designed a dual staircase for the humans and dogs in the house. The staircase had two levels with a handrail separating it. When you think about it, if you could train your dog to use it, it would eliminate many accidents by not having them under foot as you’re going up and down the stairs.

Then there are the doggie dream homes, no longer called doghouses. They are smaller versions of a real home, castle or fancy resort with all the amenities, such as furniture, artwork, lighting, curtains, heating, air conditioning and, of course, a television playing their favorite program on the animal channel.

Another area which has changed is the pet furniture market. Years ago, all they had was a blanket or pillow, if that. Now we want them to be as comfortable as we are, as well as keeping our homes stylish.

Pets are part of our family, and since everyone else has their own room and special places to relax, why shouldn’t they? We all love to pamper our pets. But we also want to keep our homes neat, tidy and attractive.

There are many furniture products on the market that are attractive yet also functional for our furry family members. I’m sure you’ve seen the cute pet-sized sofas, end tables and nightstands that double as crates and chests which hold their dry food as well as bowls. They all like to have a special hidey-hole and spot to call their own. I know mine do — it’s their safe haven.

Since most cats like to climb, instead of a standard cat tree, place shelves and even this wall-mounted bed from Akemi Tanaka as part of a wall gallery. It gives them a special place where they can jump, lay and not knock off accessories.

For those who have crate-trained their pets, why not dress it up and transform it into an interesting piece of furniture? Add accents from dollhouses or build one out of a crib. Have fun and match it to your decor.

For cat parents, what about hiding the litter box in a dresser or buffet piece? There are many stock pieces you can find at any furniture store.

I love the idea of building a dog bed into a window seat. It’s tucked away, so it’s not under feet, yet it provides a comfy, safe heaven. You can also do this inside a TV entertainment center, desk, coffee table or ottoman.

It’s thought that pet amenities will be taken to a whole new level in future years, so watch for new trends and products to come.

Gail Mayhugh, owner of GMJ Interiors, is a professional interior designer and author of a book on the subject. Questions may be sent by email to: GMJinteriors@gmail.com. Or, mail to: 7380 S. Eastern Ave., No. 124-272, Las Vegas, NV 89123. Her Web address is: www.GMJinteriors.com.