Pet-friendly homes: Designing for your furry family

Sometimes, a pet can become an “unofficial client”. Lim recalled a site visit where his client’s cat spent the entire session by a bay window, watching the view outside.

“Our initial plan was to build a floor-to-ceiling storage cabinet across that exact wall. Seeing how critical that sun-trap view was to the cat’s daily routine, the owners immediately chose to alter the layout,” he said.

In the end, Homescape pivoted the design to engineer a low-slung, floating credenza that kept the cat’s favourite sunbathing spot while shifting the main storage components elsewhere.

The growing attention to a pet’s needs in home renovations has created a niche for specialist firms.

When Taf Huang, 41, was planning the renovations for her home in 2025, she expected an interior designer to understand the needs of her dog Kumo, a West Highland terrier. Instead, she found herself repeatedly explaining Kumo’s routines and mobility needs.

“Most of the advice was incredibly basic,” she said. “In the end, we had to design the layout ourselves and micromanage the renovation.”

The experience prompted Huang and her business partner, both pet owners, to launch Kinoko Spaces in 2025, focusing on pet-integrated interior design for both residential and commercial spaces.

“We realised there was a massive gap in the market,” said Huang. “With pet ownership shooting up over the last few years, there must be plenty of other pet parents facing the same struggles.”

She admitted that they were not sure if their niche focus would take off, but Huang said 80 per cent of their clients are pet owners.

Instead of beginning with colour palettes and finishes, the firm starts by understanding a pet’s daily routines, movement patterns, hygiene needs, safety considerations and even orthopaedic health before proposing a design.

One home owner who had two dachshunds specifically sought out Kinoko Spaces because she wanted a designer who understood the reality of living with pets. Her renovation, which was completed earlier in 2026, included a dedicated dog shower sink for post-walk clean-ups, so caring for her dogs became part of the home’s everyday flow rather than an afterthought.

For a couple with multiple pets – two pomskies, four ginger cats and a betta fish – Kinoko Spaces approached the home as an integrated ecosystem, as each occupant, human and animal, had different needs.

What the team did was to consider movement flows and incorporate functional items like rest areas and ample hidden storage. Specific materials were chosen to facilitate easy cleaning of shed fur, while invisible grilles were installed to prevent the cats from falling off the balcony and windows. They also included waterproof door frames and doors and incorporated three litter boxes into the design around the house.

Other client requests, said Huang, included secure “catios” on balconies for indoor cats, dedicated feeding stations, hidden storage for bulky equipment such as dog prams, and a doggy door connecting the bedroom to the balcony so the dogs can let themselves out at night.

Planning for pets from the beginning can actually save money because home owners can avoid buying unsuitable pet furniture later, or having to redo parts of the house, said Huang, adding that they design within clients’ budgets. For example, if someone wants a built-in dog shower, they might recommend cutting back on custom carpentry elsewhere.

But while such features may appeal to owners, veterinarians caution that the best pet-friendly homes are not necessarily the ones with the most elaborate customisations.

Emmanuelle Titeux, a board-certified specialist in behavioural medicine at Beecroft Animal Specialist and Emergency Hospital, said good home design should allow pets to express their natural behaviour.

Cats, for example, benefit from elevated spaces where they can observe their surroundings, multiple quiet sleeping areas where they can rest undisturbed and opportunities to climb.

Not every popular design trend is beneficial.

Concealing litter boxes inside cabinetry may create a cleaner aesthetic, but enclosed spaces trap ammonia and reduce ventilation, making cats reluctant to use them and potentially causing respiratory irritation, said Titeux.

Likewise, slippery flooring such as untextured tiles or marble can make it difficult for ageing pets or those with joint conditions to move around safely. Older pets need non-slip flooring like textured vinyls or matte-finish porcelain tile, ramps and easy access to resting places.

Moreover, home owners should be mindful when choosing decorative plants.

Stephanie Johnnides, a board-certified specialist in emergency and critical care at Beecroft Specialist and Emergency Hospital, warned that many popular ornamental plants can be toxic to pets.

Lilies can cause acute kidney failure in cats, while sago palms may trigger fatal liver failure in dogs. Even common houseplants, such as pothos and philodendrons, can cause mouth irritation and vomiting if chewed.

Ultimately, experts noted that designing a home around pets is less about following trends than understanding how animals experience the spaces they live in.

For Ang, the biggest lesson from renovating was not discovering the latest pet furniture or home trend. It was learning to see his home through his cats’ eyes.

“Before, we thought about what looked good,” he said. “Now we think about how they live. If the home works for them, then it works for us too.”