Today I was thinking a lot about dogs. I lost my best friend, my sweet Murray the black lab mix, right before Thanksgiving – so this time of year is bitter sweet for me. I am so happy for this holiday that brings families together but I will always remember that Thanksgiving right after he passed away. It was such a sad time. I was so thankful that my family was by my side to help keep me sane after this loss.
So I started to assemble some great ideas for our dogs that give us so much happiness during the year. Why shouldn’t we give them comfort and joy during the holiday season?I’ve done some fun projects for people who love their dogs – one of which I will share with you today, I always advise pet owners on the types of fabrics, wall and floor finishes that will help keep your home looking beautiful while living with these furry balls of love! Some fabrics will attract and other will repel fur. The more polished a fabric – the better it will repel the hairs that you don’t want to see on your sofa or chair.
But today – I wanted to show you some of the really unique ideas for our 4 legged friends – especially those that help them feel protected, loved and safe. Maybe one of these will pique your interest to make or buy.
Who wouldn’t want to sleep here!
What a great idea – it’s functional and beautiful. From Cook Architectural, this could even be used for kids who would want a reading nook.
Here’s a project that I did for one of my clients who had just installed a gorgeous kitchen. She had a closet left over from the renovation and she didn’t know what to do with it. I suggested that we create a lower section for a dog house for her lovely pup and have the upper portion reserved as a bulletin board/calendar section for her 4 children. I had my contractor cut and install some sheetrock to create an arc for the entrance of the house. I primed, painted and then did a faux cobblestone on the structure to blend with her beautiful floor. The thing that took the longest to do was taping off the “blocks” of cobblestone. Other than that – the project went very quickly. If you would like to read more about it, go here.
I could have used this for my very first dog who was injured
This is such a great idea for dogs who have been injured – like my first dog who was nearly killed when he jumped out of our family car when I was a kid. Dogs, like people, want to be independent and this product, from Amigo, is just the ticket for that.
Now, if you would like to over-indulge your pup, there are now so many ways to do that. Thanks to some creative minds that have come up with structures that rival our own houses (or imitate them – if we’re lucky!)
How about an English Cottage for your dog? If you have an English garden in your backyard, I could see this blending in beautifully!
If you have a Spanish or Mediterraniean style home – wouldn’t this look great in your backyard! I love how architecturally perfect this doghouse is.
I came across the website, Architecture for Dogs, when I did a search for Julia Szabo who I know writes a lot about dogs and design. This website, created by art director and designer, Kenya Hara, features breed-specific structures that you can make (blueprints available on the site) or buy.
Hope you enjoyed this post about pampering the dogs who give us so much love and happiness. Have you created something special for your best friend? Let me know about it!
Linking this project to: C.R.A.F.T., Making the World Cuter, The Girl Creative, It’s So Very Cheri, Setting for Four. Three Mango Seeds