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  • Gina Everett

Doghouse dilemmas - Interior Design for Dogs



Whitehouse dog

This is Bo. He's Barak Obama's family dog. He certainly know's a thing or two about a stylish doghouse. After all he's lived in all the best neighbourhoods!

Your dog is an integral part of your family. A faithful friend who is always by your side, adored by the kids and makes your house a home. For some the doghouse is simply a dog bed under the stairs. However if you have a grand design in mind, with some clever planning the dog’s place in the home can be stylish as well as functional.

Dogs are dirty!

First let’s get practical. Dogs can get messy, dirty and smelly. If you live in a country home with a large dog, as you reach the end of a lovely long walk you’re plagued by thoughts of “MUD”, “TONS OF MUD”. For most of the year in the UK dog walks go hand in hand with mud. What's the solution?

A - get your dog a super chic Barbour coat (cool but not that practical).

B - wrap him up in one of those awful zip up plastic mac suits (effective but dog hangs head in shame as he bumps into the rest of the pack).

C - Create a purpose built dog shower in a utility room.

Utility rooms, boot rooms and mud rooms are purpose spaces for hiding practical things that no one wants to see. No one wants to see (or smell) the dog having a bath! The rooms are usually plumbed for appliances such as washing machines or dishwashers so a large utility room is an ideal space to place a dog shower.


This american home features a dog shower built into a utility room. The tiled area keeps the mud off the walls and is also useful for washing muddy wellies and football boots.

A kitchen for dogs

When designing a new kitchen with a dog in mind integrate feeding stations and dog food storage into your design. Build feeding stations into cabinets.

Underneath the overhang of a counter top on a kitchen island is an ideal space. It’s important to consider the size and age of your dogs. A larger or older dog may need their food bowl raised from floor level to give them more comfortable access. Alternatively if you have a small dog simply leaving a space where a floor level kitchen cupboard would be can give enough space to house their food and water bowls.


In this kitchen design cabinets feature low drawers offer a place for dog food bowls which hide away when not in use. Deep drawers store dog food conveniently.


In the Doghouse

Upgrade your pet from a basic dog basket to their own luxury abode. Under the stairs is a traditional place for a dog but in this home the doghouse has been integrated into the building. Dogs like a private, enclosed space to relax so this is a perfect home for a pooch.


In this home the space under the stairs is really well utilised by creating a small office space as well as a doghouse both with woodwork to match the staircase.

As previously mentioned kitchen cabinetry creates purpose made spaces for a doghouse. UK kitchen designers Dovetail Workers created this space underneath a shelving unit which is perfect for a small dog. A custom sized cushion under a cabinet space with a washable cover is a practical solution for a home. Dogs love being around their owners so being in the heart of the home around their family keeps them happy and healthy.


A dog around the house

Built in solutions are less practical for other rooms in the home such as living rooms and bedrooms. However you don’t have to compromise on interior design style. There’s a wide range of dog beds available in so many colours, fabric finishes, shapes and sizes. Whether your room is modern or traditional use a bit of research to find a stylish solution that will literally become part of the furniture.


lounge with luxury dog bed

We love these Scotts of London luxury dog beds. They have a great range in a variety of styles and fabrics. For the ultimate in doggy luxury, spoil your pet with this leather dog bed. A traditionally made chesterfield style that will never date. Bo would certainly love this one!

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