Barkitecture Pet-Friendly Interior Design

Have you ever heard of the term Barkitecture? Pet lovers will do anything for their dogs and cats alike, so it’s not hard to believe that designing a pet friendly spaces is a trend. In the past, Barkitecture referred to the construction of dog houses, but pet parents have taken this to new heights. More and more people are looking to include stylish spaces for their furry friends and create the ultimate pet-friendly home.

Pet owners, myself included, consider their dogs and cats to be true family members. We want our pets to have a comfortable space, but we want that space to look nice. This has brought about a whole new category of products that are animal-first designs.

Online searches for luxury dog rooms have increased by 115% in the past year! That being said, it is no wonder that this trend has sparked a ton of creative ideas from luxury dog rooms and private cat walls to pet furniture and more.

In this post, we will talk about some of the most popular elements of Barkitecture and how you can incorporate these pet-friendly elements into your home, if you are a crazy pet owner like me. You might also be interested in this post about pet friendly couches.

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Dog-washing station

Let’s face it, our four-legged friends can be messy with muddy paws and lots of hair. One of the most popular elements of Barkitecture is a dedicated, built-in dog shower.

A dog wash station can be added to a mud room, laundry room, garage, or bathroom so you can conveniently give your pup a quick bath after an outdoor adventure.

These can be as simple as adding a sprayer to an existing tub or shower to a full addition of a dedicated shower space just for your furry companions.

The most elaborate dog wash stations are built with an elevated platform with an easy step up to make bathing easier. They can be equipped with a flexible hose and sprayer for quick clean-up.

You can also purchase a stainless steel dog washing unit that can be installed in a mud room or laundry room or simply buy an elevated tub.

WSSEY Dog Washing Station

Flying Pig Portable Pet Tub

Built-in Food and Watering Stations

Another popular Barkitecture trend is built-in or hidden food and watering stations. This may be a spot in the kitchen island or kitchen cabinets that houses water bowls and food bowls that keep food and spills off the floor.

Built-in feeding stations can be integrated into existing cabinets to complement your home decor. For an over-the-top feeding station add a pot filler to easily top off the water bowl with fresh water and include a space for food storage.

Stylish Pet Beds

People are no longer content to have ugly dog beds just sitting on the floor. The trend now is to have a pet bed made to look like furniture or even to have furniture converted into stylish beds.

In addition, dog owners are replacing ugly metal crates with design-forward, built-in crates that complement the decor of your home. With these innovative solutions, your pet is truly part of the family.

Hidden Litter Box

Litter boxes can be unsightly and stinky. A hot trend is hiding the litter box in a piece of furniture that has an entry for your cat. This can be added to an existing piece of furniture (with a few adaptations) or you can find furniture pieces built just for this specific purpose.

Catios

No, this is not a typo. Catios are all the rage among dedicated cat lovers. These are cat patios designed to keep your cat safe while enjoying the great outdoors.

There are a wide variety of outdoor enclosures and cat house designs on the market with a huge range of price points.

Aivituvan Outdoor Catio – This catio outdoor enclosure is on wheels and is waterproof.

Aivituvin Cat House Outdoor Catio Kitty Enclosure with Super Large Enter Door – This is a larger, stationary catio.

There are also a number of DIY catio plans available

Cat Playgrounds

Many cat owners are taking advantage of wide open spaces to add cat playgrounds. Whether it is using floating shelves or creating your own unique cat scratch pole, cat tree, tunnel, or bird-watching station, this is a great way to put your DIY skills to good use.

MAU Modern Cat Tree

Cat Scratch Post

Pet Bedrooms

You can take advantage of a spare room or large closet in your home and make it a dedicated space for your furry friends. It can include pet-friendly features like custom dog beds, a feeding station, toy storage, and plenty of cozy nooks and crannies for them to explore.

Ecoflex Dog Bunk Bed

As this fun trend continues to grow, we can look forward to even more creative and design-forward options to make our homes look and feel decorated and pet friendly at the same time.

Whether you’re a budget minded DIYer like me or someone who prefers to have a custom solution, there are countless ways to weave Barkitecture into your decor.

Before you go, if you liked this post you might enjoy how to disguise a litter box or the best dog beds to match your home decor.