Home renovation projects are meant to make your home more enjoyable, comfortable, and livable. They customize your house to your lifestyle. Since your pet is very much a member of the family, there are plenty of home project ideas that can enhance your pet’s comfort or make caring for them a little easier for you!

If you’re getting ready for some home renovation projects for your home, consider tacking on one of these small projects that can make your house feel more like a home for your furriest family member.

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Dog Washing Stations

Dog washing stations have been all the rage lately. They’re often built into mudrooms, but they can also be made in the basement or as an addition to a laundry room. You’ll need to have a water hook-up added in, so starting out in an area of the home that is already close is a great place to start.

No more bending over tubs or lifting your furry friend into the bath, your dog washing station can be built elevated with stairs leading up so that Fido can walk himself up, or it can be more of a mini stand-up shower situation. Either way, built-in shelving or cupboards for storing all of your washing accessories and a spot to hang a towel make these stations even more convenient.

Climbing Walls

Also known as cat shelves or cat highways, climbing walls are stylish ways to give your feline family members more fun and exercise in the home. Cats love climbing and perching up in high locations. By creating spots for them to climb high on your walls, you can reduce the amount of “cat condos” you need to have on your floor.

Climbing walls can be as small and unobtrusive or as elaborate and exciting as you want! You can incorporate things like bridges, beds, and even scratching surfaces, or you can keep it simple with a few tasteful “shelves” that they can jump around on.

Built-In Beds

Give your pet a cozy spot that is just for them. You can build sleeping areas into the walls, like built-in shelving, or you can build them into furniture. Either way, giving your pet a spot that is totally their own that isn’t just a large pillow on the floor not only spoils them but also helps make your home look and feel less cluttered.

A Litter Box That Isn’t An Eye Sore

While we’re thankful that our cats have their own “bathroom” situation and don’t need to be let in and out all day to relieve themselves, cat litter boxes can be a real eyesore. While we want to hide the litter box somewhere out of sight and out of mind, your cat needs easy access, and if you have a cat with litter box issues, having boxes in multiple rooms throughout the house can help.

By creating your own custom solution you can keep your home looking (and smelling) litterbox-free! Convert furniture such as storage benches, sideboards, dressers, or cabinets to be catbox friendly by cutting a way for Fluffy to easily walk through.

Feeding Stations

Do you get annoyed with tripping over your cat or dog bowl? Creating a feeding area can help keep your pet’s food and water out of the way. You can also customize the station to also store their food and treats.

One feeding station idea is to create a built-in spot on your kitchen island for their bowls to sit nicely. You can even install a watering tap over the water bowl so that fresh water is always just a quick turn of a handle away.  Or, you can create a pet-height pull-out drawer with inserts that hold their bowls. This is a great option if you do timed feedings.

Stairs For Your Bed

If you have a small, elderly, or disabled pet that cannot jump up onto your bed, building custom stairs for them can help them enjoy snuggling with you at night without needing to be lifted in and out of the bed. Match the stairs to the stain of your bed frame for an elegant and seamless look.

An Outdoor Catio

Catios are a great way for your cat to enjoy the outdoors without the risks or dangers associated with being an outdoor cat. Let Fluffy enjoy the fresh air while she watches birds fly by in an enclosed outdoor catio. Catios are a great way to be a good neighbour, as your cats won’t be nosing around your neighbour’s yards or fighting with other outdoor cats. It also protects local wildlife while keeping your cat safe from vehicles, predators and eating something that could make them sick. 

A Mudroom

If you don’t already have a mudroom and have a dog that loves being outside, rain or shine, then a mudroom could be an incredibly useful addition to your home. Mudrooms are an easy space to deal with mucky paws before they get all over the home. You can also have hooks for leashes and storage spots for poop bags and outdoor toys.

Of course, mudrooms are great for the rest of the family as well! You can have storage for coats, boots, winter gear, and even school bags! They isolate the mess of the outdoors to one spot in the home, away from the company’s eyes.

Gates That Don’t Suck

Sometimes it’s just easier to keep dogs isolated to one part of the house for a timeframe. Like keeping dogs in a room if they’re still learning to not jump up on guests, or if you’re cooking and want to keep nosy creatures with big, pleading brown eyes away from the preparation. People often resort to baby gates to keep their dogs confined in a room. While baby gates work, you have to store them and get them out when you need them, and they often don’t really go with the rest of the decor in your home. By creating a beautiful and seamless gate situation you can easily keep Fido away from the kitchen in the most stylish way possible.