SPECIAL SECTION: HOME DESIGN TRENDS: INSPIRED UPGRADES
PET AMENITIES
Four-Legged Luxury
A rising trend for homebuilders is pet amenities and a residential
paradise built for man’s best friend. From step-in wash stations
featuring handheld sprayers and designated drying area, to rooms
dedicated to your dog or cat, pet considerations are one of the latest
elements in home design. Your pet is a part of your family and petfriendly design can accommodate up to 170 square feet of your home.
For some homeowners this designated space for a pet can also be
shared space in the mud, laundry or utility rooms. Using space as a
goal from the kitchen redo, creating space in the laundry room for
your pet can be easily attained by purchasing a stacked washer and
dryer unit. This space saver can help expand the options for your furry
friend’s tub or basin, toys and bed.
Carpeting and flooring are also a top consideration—the more
durable and easy to clean, the better. The list of must-have flooring
includes laminate, stone, marble, bamboo and cork. For homeowners
leaning toward hardwood, bamboo or carpet, each will need to be
properly pre-treated to protect from soiling. If you want to provide
your pet with the ultimate in luxury, there is furry-friendly furniture
that will make your dog sit—and stay—including chic, fur-lined
chairs, cool cat trees and exercise or pop-up playpens. While pet
pampering is all the rage for inside, it doesn’t stop at the screen door.
When it’s time to gather the family outside for a backyard picnic,
lemonade on the deck, or a dip in the pool, your dog or cat can stay
cool shaded under a pavilion pet gazebo, a way to keep pets close by
without the worry of them getting away or having to be put in the
doghouse.
INDOOR-OUTDOOR
CONNECTIVITY
Decked Out
Your living space doesn’t have to be contained within the four
corners of your home. Discover the flow of open-concept living
that expands from beyond the kitchen and den and into the great
outdoors. Creating an all-in-one space—where there is an indooroutdoor connectivity—is more on trend than ever. From a design
perspective, you can start at the door with a grand entrance. If you
don’t already have a suitable entryway, consider building French-style
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