Pet-Friendly Kitchen Design and Remodeling

For anyone who is an animal lover, your four-legged friends are more like family! They are beloved members of your household, and it's important to make your home pet-friendly. Whether you’re a cat person or a dog lover, you need to take your pet's safety and lifestyle into account when remodeling, especially in the kitchen.

Today, you have a range of fun and funky kitchen solutions that can perform double duty, keeping your furry family members feel safe and at home without impacting your kitchen's aesthetic design. But remember, it's not all about aesthetics or comfort. Some things we take for granted in the kitchen can be dangerous for pets. 

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A good design-build firm will take your family's needs – including your four-legged family members – into account when designing your dream kitchen. Here are some great design additions that will add to your pet's comfort and keep them safe in the kitchen!

Creating A Pet-Friendly Kitchen Design

Creating personalized spaces for cats and dogs has been proven to help them relax and lowers stress. It's a great way to reward them for their unconditional love, devotion, and the natural stress relief they provide for us. Here are some great features that can help turn your kitchen into a place where you can both hang out safely and comfortably.

Consider Your Flooring Choice

Pets can be hard on floors, and vice versa depending on the material you choose. Their nails can leave scratches in wood or soft stone like marble. Accidents can cause staining or leave behind odors that won't dissipate. Shedding means extra sweeping and cleaning. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of flooring options that look beautiful, are durable, and will stand up to your pets, keeping them safe in the process. While wood and soft stone are not the best choice, ceramic or porcelain tile or stone-like slate or granite can stand up to your pets. Other materials to consider are cork, bamboo which give you the look of wood, but is much more durable, Luxury Vinyl plank or tile flooring, or engineered hardwood.

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All of these materials are waterproof, or water-resistant, scratch-resistant. Stain-resistant and easy to keep clean.

Create a Dedicated Feeding Station

Do you find yourself tripping over the food dish next to the island? Consider creating a designated spot in your kitchen for feeding your pets. A feeding station that stores bowls underneath the toe kick of your cabinetry or a dedicated area at the end of the island mean no longer having to worry about navigating around hazards in the kitchen!

Hide Away Your Pet Toys, and Other Items

If you're a typical pet owner, you've probably got many items just for your fur babies, from toys to treats. Think about the common pet items used in your kitchen and how to work them into your work triangle. One solution is to dedicate storage cabinets for your pets. For example, pantry cabinets are a great choice to hide away large bags of food in your remodeled kitchen. 

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Create a Comfy Place For Pets to Sleep

Most dogs love being the center of attention, particularly in the kitchen. If you're creating a pet-friendly kitchen, consider incorporating a space for a built-in bed so they have a place to hang out when you're in the kitchen. An integrated dog bed is a great space saver, and it keeps your pet in the center of the action! A hidden cubby is a great place for cats to hang out and watch the proceedings!

Pet Safe Appliances

Cooking is the core activity in every kitchen, but it is also one of the most dangerous activities for pets. Cats can easily jump up onto a hot stove and sustain burn injuries to their delicate paws. Consider installing an induction cooktop. It only heats the pan, and the surface cools down quickly. It's a great alternative that keeps both your pets and your kids safe.

Add Safe Knife Storage

A kitchen full of sharp objects like knives and cutlery can be dangerous to pets if they fall off the counter or unsafe drawers. Consider adding child-proof latches to the drawers and keep sharp knives in a knife block away from the counter's edge to prevent accidents.

Non-Toxic Cleaning Products

If you have pets, keeping your kitchen clean is a must! When setting up your kitchen, take care to avoid cleaning products that are poisonous when ingested by our furry friends. Most clears like household detergents will have a childproof lid, but a puppy can easily chew through the plastic. Make sure to keep all cleaning supplies safely stored away when not in use. 

Keeping your furry friends safe, comfortable, and stress-free is easy if you think of them when designing your pet-friendly kitchen. Your pets are valuable loving members of your family, so when you're ready to remodel your kitchen, spend some time with your design-build professional and let them know about your entire family! They can give you all of your options when designing your pet-friendly kitchen.

If you live in the greater Madison, Wisconsin area and are considering a kitchen remodeling project, give the award-winning design team at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel a call at (608) 846-5963. We can help you make the right pet-friendly choices to meet your needs and fit any budget. Call today for a free no-obligation consultation to discuss your project. 

This article was updated by Abe Degnan on 9/13/2022.