7 Home Design Ideas for Pet Bowls

When I say there is nothing quite so unpleasant as stepping in a dog’s water dish, I speak from experience (no thanks, Augie). Like a good pet owner, I keep my pup’s water bowl filled with fresh water. It’s located in the kitchen, where I inevitably get busy and distracted and step in the drink. It has happened a lot, which goes to show you really can’t teach an old dog new tricks. When I next remodel, I’m going to plan for this condition, using the clever ideas from these fellow pet owners as inspiration. In this project, by Buckenmeyer Architecture, finding a space for the dog dishes was a key design consideration. “A recess at one end of the island keeps the bowls out of the way,” says Marty Buckenmeyer. Judging from the gray around his or her muzzle, I’m guessing this sweet dog is a little long in the tooth. I’m sure the elevated bowls are appreciated. The designers at Haddad Hakansson employed a similar strategy in this kitchen, but they placed the bowls at the end of a cabinet run as opposed to an island. It’s a smart move in a kitchen that has the room. “One of the highlights of this space is the custom dog dishes,” the designers write. They are “inset into a small slab of white quartzite. The cabinet above has a tilt-out tray for dog treats.” Perhaps the feature helped the space win first place in the 2014 NKBA northern New England kitchen design competition. And, as you can tell by the blur running toward the eating area, it clearly has won the popular canine vote too. In this kitchen, by Shannon Ggem, the lucky dog can pretend he or she is eating in the wild, thanks to a dining niche lined with artificial turf. A closer look reveals the other features. Not only does the space have bowls printed with a grass image, but it has a faucet with an above-counter control. As the designer says: “No bending!” This niche, like Plain & Fancy by Dandamudi’s, is outfitted with a pullout drawer and an easy-to-clean stone surface. Hire a Kitchen Remodeler, like Plain & Fancy by Dandamudi’s Some smart and space-endowed homeowners take the dog dishes farther from the kitchen triangle. In this project, by Kathleen Donohue, Neil Kelly, the eating area is under the command center. This mudroom, by Dreamstructure DesignBuild, is outfitted for everyone — four-legged and two. Due to the recessed and elevated nature of the bowls, you’d be unlikely to step in them — but if you did, you might be wearing your boots. Room of the Day: Laundry Room Goes to the Dogs This article is part of a collaboration between Pets Best pet health insurance and Houzz. We’ve teamed up to provide you this series of articles focused on pet-themed home design. Enjoy!