Regardless if you’re a dog lover or a cat person, pets are valuable members of our families and important parts of our homes. They’re always there to give you love and attention or greet you with excitement when you walk in the door, so it’s only natural to take them into consideration as you’re designing your custom home in Northern Colorado. Here are a few tips to help you keep the furriest members of your family in mind as you make design decisions and selections.
Keeping Them At Home
One of the first things a dog owner looks for in a house is a fenced-in backyard where dogs can be let out without worry. When you’re building a custom home, the possibilities for attractive design extend into the landscaping of your yard and even into options for fencing making it possible to have the security you need for your pets without being limited.
- Invisible Fences: With an invisible fence system, an electric wire is installed underground along the perimeter of your yard or property. This wire transmits radio signals between a transmitter within your house and a receiver on your dog’s collar. As a dog approaches this perimeter, a warning tone, vibration, or static correction is emitted keeping your pet from escaping. Invisible fences are both safe and humane giving your pet only enough correction to stop their movement, not enough to hurt them. They are a great option for peoplewho don’t want to maintain a physical fence, obstruct the view or layout of their landscaping, or for those living in a community that prohibits traditional fencing.
- Attractive Fencing: If you would prefer a physical fence, there are many attractive fencing options that can provide security and privacy without sacrificing on style. From horizontal wooden slats to metal panels, there are countless possibilities to secure a beautiful backyard for your furry babies to play.
Keeping Them (And The House) Clean
A big consideration for any pet-friendly custom home is how to keep both the house and pets clean. You will invest a significant amount of time and money into creating the home of your dreams making it important to protect it from muddy paws, scratches, and pet odors.
- Dog Wash Station: In-home dog wash stations can easily be incorporated into your floor plan whether in the laundry room or a mudroom giving you a convenient place for baths. A dog wash station will keep your bathtub clean and keep dirt or mud from making its way through the house
- Designated Storage Area: Pets can quickly accumulate toys, treats, blankets, and more. To keep your pet’s stuff from taking over your living room, make sure you have a designated cabinet or closet built in where you can conveniently store and access anything they need.
- Feeding Station: Carving out a pet feeding station in your kitchen can be one of the best ways to save space and keep the area tidy. You might have this built into your kitchen island or designate a wall for a custom-built feeding station.
- Pet-Friendly Flooring: With any pet, accidents are bound to happen, whether you’re house training or if nails are due for a trim. To prevent frustration from scratched floors or stained carpeting, be sure to choose your flooring carefully. Rather than carpet or hardwood floors, you might opt for floors that are scratch and water-resistant such as laminate or tile.
Keeping Them Comfortable
Building a truly pet-friendly home goes beyond keeping your pets clean and contained, it also means keeping them comfortable and cared for. In addition to love and snuggles, you can give your pet the comfort and luxury they deserve.
- Custom Pet Bed: With a custom-built bed, your pets of any size can have a cozy place to sleep that doesn’t take away from the décor of your home. Pet beds can be double as a piece of furniture in the living room or be made to complement a bedroom set.
- Doggie Door: Dog doors give your pup the freedom to go out when they need to regardless of where you are and allow them to come back in whenever they’re ready. Doggie doors are available with smart technology connected to their collar or microchip, but they can also be custom installed to keep with your interior design.
At NoCO Custom Homes, our dogs (Winston and Gus) play an important role in the choices we make for our own home and we look forward to helping you design the home of your (and your pets) dreams.
