Pet ownership is a natural part of life in many American households. Most of us allow our pets to have free roam throughout the house, including the kitchen. We’ve seen some pretty amazing ideas for people who want to implement built-in pet accessories into their kitchen remodeling plans. Let’s take a good look at a few of those ideas now.
- Built-in Food and Water Bowls: Many of us have kicked over a water bowl or sent kibble flying at 6:00 a.m. while stumbling toward the coffee pot. It’s always fun to have to clean up water and change your socks that early, right? Okay, not really. The perfect solution to this dilemma is built-in food and water bowls. Reserve one of the lower kitchen drawers or one end of the kitchen island specifically for your pet’s food and water bowls.
- Built-in Food Storage: Food storage can be an issue for a variety of reasons. You always want to store the food in a cool, dry place, out of the reach of insects and rodents while still out of your pathway. Reserve a kitchen cabinet specifically for your pet’s food. Install a sliding drawer system that allows enough room for a trashcan sized bin so you can always keep your pet’s food on hand yet out of the way.
- Built-in Island Crate: Pets are generally treated as part of the family, and as such, we must always look out for their personal safety. They’re curious creatures by nature, and even well-fed dogs or puppies will often rummage through the trash or get into other undesirable locations when the humans are away. Crate training is not inhumane, and what better place to put a crate than in the kitchen where they will see you as soon as you get home? The kitchen island is a great place to consider a built-in crate because your pet will still feel like part of the pack.
- Built-in Counter Crate: The countertop crate idea is slightly different from the kitchen island crate. It’s also in the kitchen, but it allows you to keep the functionality of the kitchen island. Your pet can still see you and be included in your kitchen time, but they’re safely out of the way. Serious injuries occur in the kitchen whether the victim is the pet or someone else in the household. Knives and heavy dishes are dropped, boiling water is spilled, and the list goes on; crating your pet while you’re busy in the kitchen helps prevent these injuries.
- Built-in Ramps or Shelves: Pet owners understand that the bottom shelf of a bookshelf, entertainment center, coffee table, or any other lower shelf belongs to the pet. Pets enjoy having small areas where they can tuck themselves out of harm’s way or have a little alone time. Create these areas in the kitchen along with ramps to look out the windows or sit in the window seat.
More than 36% of American households have dogs, and more than 30% have cats; and that doesn’t touch other homes with other types of pets. That’s a lot of pet loving households! The designers and builders here at Hendren Construction enjoy the challenges Albuquerque area homeowners present. Give us a call at 505-991-0063 if you would like to discuss your ideas for remodeling your kitchen this year or to start the design process.