Pet-friendly home upgrade ideas: building a home that your tailmate will love

As the new year begins, many of us take it as a chance to upgrade our homes, renovate that room we’ve been meaning to get to or give our home a bit of a tidy up. But when our pets are involved, it’s important to integrate them into our grand designs, too!

And no: that doesn’t mean sacrificing your home’s vibe for plastic gates and carpeted towers everywhere. Modern pet-friendly design is about 'invisible' updates that prioritise spatial flow, smart ventilation, and lighting, helping your pets thrive without compromising your home’s aesthetic.

Here, we share cat and dog-friendly home design ideas that ensure safety, maintain style and make all pets feel at home, whether it’s your high-energy pup or your wise old cat. Let’s get renovating (with your tailmate in tow).

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Pet-friendly home design, explained

So, what do we mean by “pet-friendly home design”? It’s essentially creating a comfortable, functional living space that works for you, your family and your pets.

In reality, that’s easy-to-clean materials, designated zones for rest and play and modern features that encourage safety, while still giving you that “at home” feeling. It’s a design that supports your tailmate and their lifestyle without it encroaching on your own sanity!

When recommending cat or dog-friendly interior design, we’ll stick by these principles:

• Cleanliness

• Comfort

• Durability

• Practical materials

• Safety (but not the boring kind - we promise)

• Style

Practical upgrade ideas to keep your home clean

Muddy trails, ruined carpets and paws that just won’t clean - we get it, our pets bring us so much joy, but sometimes they’re impossible to clean up after!

Thankfully, pet-friendly design means you can update your home to proactively solve these problems. Some practical ideas include:

• Creating dedicated pet cleaning stations near an entrance.

• Filtration, like air purifiers, which can help capture dander.

• Getting a better vacuum, especially one that effectively nabs allergens, dander and fur. Pet terrified of vacuums? Read our guide on how to solve vacuum fear.

• Hard flooring, which is easier to clean, considering ones with textured or matte finishes.

• Lots of washable mats and rugs.

• Scratch-resistant upholstery (especially if your cat likes to scratch your furniture).

• Washable paint, so you can wipe away marks and muck (opt for low-VOC paints to not irritate your pet’s sensitive nose).

But outside of home upgrades, you can also fine-tune your cleaning routine, groom your pets regularly (which you’re probably doing already) and use pet-safe, enzyme-based cleaners to eliminate odours.

Creating a “transition zone” between the outside and inside

This will only work for certain homes, but if you have a big back garden or a porch area, you can turn this into a “transition zone” where your pet can come in, get clean and then enter the house. This stops that familiar feeling of our tailmate rushing into the house while covered head to toe in muck.

Safety ideas (especially if you need that front door airlock)

Here are some pet-friendly home design ideas to consider if you want to improve your home's security:

• Building a porch extension near your front door creates a physical “airlock” (you can even use this space as a cleaning station). This is especially helpful if your tailmate is the type to run and explore the moment the front door opens.

• Conceal and tidy up electrical wires, using cord covers.

• Design specific pet zones for play, rest and eat, which makes things easier to manage.

• Microchip-controlled pet doors.

• More secure cabinets, using things like childproof latches, or better doors made up of composite and hardwood materials.

• Safety gates near front doors (a cheaper way to get your “airlock”), kitchens, rooms undergoing renovation and staircases.

• Secure bin areas, especially if your cat or dog loves to sniff around in them. Use tight-fitting lids and keep them closed.

Creating cosy corners and places to unwind

Sometimes, our tailmates want somewhere to unwind and relax, and unfortunately, not all homes have the space to do this, especially if we’re part of a busy, growing family.

Thankfully, if you’re in the headspace of updating your home with your furry pal in mind, there are some easy interior design hacks to give your pet the quiet zone they need.

To give your pets some space for “me time”, you can try:

• Creating an under-stair hideaway beneath the stairs, adding a comfy bed, some blankets and other things so your pet can have their own personal “den”.

• Finding a quiet corner and adding a blanket, some toys, a cushion and something that smells of you, like an old shirt.

• Prioritising noise cancellation, like using sound-absorbing materials near your pet’s rest spots to make sure they stay undisturbed. Situating your pet’s bed away from noisy appliances, like the washing machine, will also help.

• Using window perches on safe windows (cats are obsessed with windows!)

• Consider crate training your dog so that they have their own cosy den to retreat to. A crate may also help when you are travelling with them.

• Teach children and other family members to leave pets alone when they are resting in their quiet area.

Pet-friendly plants and garden ideas

We’ve covered this in more detail in our pet-friendly garden guide, but if you’re updating your home, then consider giving your garden a spruce up too - your pet will appreciate it.

Some pet-friendly plants you can add include:

• Flowers - African daisies, calendulas, cornflowers, impatiens, pot marigolds, snapdragons, thornless roses.

• Herbs - Basil, dill, lemon balm, rosemary, sage, thyme.

• Shrubs and trees - Bottlebrush, camellias, clumping bamboos (non-running), crepe myrtles, magnolias, ponytail palms.

These can give your cat or dog areas for sensory exploration, and places like shrubs are ideal hiding spots if you’re playing with your pet outdoors.

Now, if you’re looking for some bigger ideas, you can try:

Dens

Sunning spots

Water stations

Storage ideas to keep pesky paws away

Airtight storage for kibble and treats

Having dedicated jars or boxes for dry kibble and treats cuts down on clutter and secures them from pesky paws. If you still have big sacks of dry food sitting around the house, consider separating them into neat containers and storing in a drawer or cupboard.

Built-in storage

You don’t need to completely change your home’s design to have more storage for your tailmate’s things; picking furniture with built-in storage, like putting toys in your coffee table’s storage drawer, can be enough.

Grooming supplies basket

Put all of their grooming supplies in one place, like a neat basket that’s out of reach. Then you can grab it quickly and neatly put it away, instead of searching through your home for those runaway nail clippers.

Hang hooks behind doors

You can find fairly cheap plastic hooks to put behind doors where you can store your pet’s lead, waterproof coats for muddy walks and anything else out of sight.

Keep pet supplies in one spot

If possible, keep almost all of your pet supplies in one spot. This prevents the feeling of your tailmate taking over your home and allows you to quickly see when something needs topping up or replacing.

Pullout dry food storage

Consider building a pullout drawer just for dry food storage that you can scoop out with a trowel. This cuts down on how many food bags you’ll have, and it’s a neat way to keep your pet food tidy and secure.

Storage bench for leads, toys and other odds and ends

Add a storage bench to a place where you clean your pet after a walk, like in a porch or by the back door. You can use this as your “storage bin”, putting leads, treats, poop bags, toys and any other odds and ends you may need, like a pet jacket, for easy access.

Future-proofing: Designing for senior pets and accessibility

When our pets get older, we may need to change things up to make our homes more accessible and easier to move around in. Our tailmates are very similar to us as we get older in that sense! Even if your pet isn’t quite senior yet, futureproofing while you’re renovating your home isn’t a bad idea.

Most of these senior pet-friendly design ideas have to do with proprioception, which is how a body naturally orients itself. As our pets age, this skill worsens, and when you add in other potential health issues, like arthritis, declining eyesight and muscle atrophy, it’s essential that our pets feel supported and confident moving around our homes.

When designing for older pets and accessibility, you can try things like:

• Adding navigational aids, like LED lighting outside and different floor textures indoors.

• Blocking off access to stairs with gates if your pet struggles with climbing them.

• Building ramps to access elevated areas, like your sofa or bed.

• Buying orthopaedic or specialist beds to support uncomfortable joints.

• Decluttering pathways for easier access.

• Elevating food or water bowls.

• Improving your heating system, like adding triple-glazing or minimising draughts. Older pets struggle more in the cold.

• Installing night lights in hallways to help your older pet get around in the dark.

• Modifying litter boxes, like having low-sided or zero-entry, for easier access.

• Using non-slippery floor surfaces, like non-slip rugs on a hard floor.

Vertical living: look up for cat design ideas

Cats adore vertical space, so even if you’re living somewhere smaller, like a flat, there should still be room for them to explore and play. Vertical space appeases your cat’s evolutionary instincts, giving them a sense of control and novelty while satisfying their hunting instinct.

Here’s how to incorporate more vertical space for your cat to climb:

Cat trees

You already knew we’d recommend these, but they don’t take up too much horizontal space, and cats go crazy for them.

Wall-mounted exploration

Now, we’re not saying for you to turn a wall into something that’s more suitable for bouldering, but you can install cat shelves and walkways. These “cat walls” are essentially smaller, staggered steps on your walls, often installed with studs, that allow for safe climbing, jumping and exploration.

This only takes up a small amount of space, and your cat will appreciate somewhere new to hang out. You can even create a wall “pathway” for them onto cat trees or safe furniture!

Window perches

These commonly use suction-cups and are super easy to install. They’re essentially a little hammock, seat or tree that affixes to your window, giving your kitty a fresh spot to nose on the neighbours and watch the world go by.

We’ve covered before why cats love windows, and with a perch, you can provide a space-efficient area that’ll keep them entertained.

These are very popular, but you should only do it near windows that are secure, and your cat can’t climb out of. You should also check the weight capacity of the product to ensure it is suitable for your cat’s size.

Beyond the litter box: cutting down odours with design

Now, we all know our tailmates can get a bit stinky sometimes, but you can cut down odours with smart, modern home design. There are fancy terms like “negative pressure” and “mechanical ventilation” that explain this, but in simple terms, it’s simply choosing a design that helps wick away odour while maintaining heat and comfort.

Custom litter box cabinets

Some pet parents have built custom litter box cabinets with silent extractor fans to disperse any odour. To do so, you should:

• Find a custom cabinet with no door or build one yourself. Pick somewhere with safe, comfortable access to your cat and make sure it’s on an exterior wall.

• Install a low-voltage, silent exhaust fan, a bit like a bathroom fan but smaller.

• Add the litter box to the cabinet.

• Enjoy a smell-free litter box!

So, how does this work, exactly? Well, it uses one of the fancy concepts we mentioned earlier: negative pressure. Air is constantly cycled out, meaning stale air is wicked away by the extractor fan instead of moving into other rooms.

However, always keep your cat in mind. Some designs are simply not suitable. A litter box needs to be large enough to be at least 1.5 times the length of your cat, allowing them to turn, dig and squat comfortably. Some cats may also need some positive association training to feel comfortable using a new litter system, which could take time and patience.

Non-porous materials

Pick materials that don’t absorb bacteria, smells and uric acid over time - it’s why things can sometimes smell “musty” when they get old. You can pick non-porous surfaces, like high-pressure laminate (HPL) or PVC, to negate this.

Strategic placement

Don’t place litter boxes or dog beds in “dead air” corners or zones - make sure they’re near natural air crosscurrents, like between a door and a window. But similarly, don’t place them too close to doors or windows, either, or your pet may end up cold!

Ventilation

Putting a quiet or silent extractor fan near your cat’s litter box can remove smells quickly. Just make sure it’s not too loud, or it may put your cat off using it - nobody likes being disturbed when sitting on the throne.

This upgrade provides consistent mechanical ventilation, replacing stinky air with fresh, filtered outdoor air, without losing too much heat.

Remember: the best way to cut down on odours is always through cleaning your cat’s litter box regularly, whichever design you choose.

Best pet-safe materials to pick (cheat sheet)

Always check for non-toxic, low-VOC, and pet-safe labels when choosing materials, especially with paints or treated fabrics.

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