I have two fluffy and squishy Persian cats and I absolutely adore them! Having them at home is a delight, a fact I’m sure all pet owners can attest to. Another fact that all pet owners can attest to as well – sometimes, just sometimes, our pets can be a little annoying (No, we’re not horrible people for saying this). They’re like children, they have their mood swings, demands, tantrums, and an intense need for attention. They also love leaving our homes in a mess, with no consideration for our belongings. And the few pet products that I do add in my home to keep them entertained and comfortable, often turn out to be complete eyesores, having no respect at all for my interior decor and theme. The secret is to integrate furniture designs in our homes that our pets can rest on, relax, and keep themselves busy with, but also designs that manage to harmoniously merge with our interiors, seamlessly becoming a part of our living space and also providing us with some functionality. We can cast aside the bulky pet products that stand out in our homes awkwardly without even really catering to the needs of our pets. This collection of interesting, multifunctional and not to mention fun furniture designs will keep both you and your pet satisfied!
Designed by Ben Hansen, this simple yet innovative dog house uses excess water from watering plants and filters it into the dog’s water bowl! Rattan with green accents gives it a light, airy feel. The minimal dog house will brighten any corner of your home – hard not to when it holds a cute plant and pet! It’s an adorable piece of furniture that not only serves as a home for your pet but also doubles up as an elegant plant holder, harmoniously merging with the interiors of your home.
The idea behind the Gatrimonial bed frame by CatLife is that it should be a comforting space for the pet and owner. The cat gets a secure, comfortable den, and does not feel as if you are invading his/her space. The furniture also provides plenty of stimuli to keep him/her entertained. I can already hear my roommate’s pet darting through his maze while I lie on the bed above him. Perhaps this cat-friendly furniture will encourage some casual bonding time between the two of us.
Seungji created the Dog House Sofa “to enhance the harmony between humans and their pets”. Created out of solid wood ash and fabric upholstery, the sofa can seat two people. The entire piece is draped in neutral shades of beige and mocha, so no jarring colors to alarm your pet! The wooden armrest also doubles as a cozy hideaway for your pets. It’s a private section where they can laze around, with an opening in the armrest, allowing them to sneakily cuddle up to you! Such a design enables the two of you to interact but also provides sufficient personal space, without your pet destroying your beloved upholstery (for a change).
Industrial designer Jong Hoon Yoon from Seoul, Korea pondered over the unique idea of thinking from a pet’s perspective and designing an intuitive TV stand. Christened “With”, the space-saving TV unit doubles as a cozy spot for your cat to never let go of. All this while being considerate of the kind human too. Yes, With considers the positioning of the cat and the fellow human, so that they both are in their comfort zone and don’t bother each other. For us, the TV is a mere source of entertainment as well as lousy around on our couch binge-watching streaming content. On the other hand, the heat produced from the TV and the accompanying electronics is an opportunity for your pet to curl up and enjoy in their own space.
People in small living spaces use low furniture (such as rugs, floor chairs) to build intimate relaxing areas while cats prefer covert spaces, but due to the limited space, there are not many places to hide or play. CatYou in a Circle by Jack Dogson (ironic huh!)didn’t want to separate the pets from their owners so it is designed to cleverly bring them together while also maintaining boundaries. The hollow armrests and backrest offer cats a playground and hiding territory while the coffee table provides a place to sleep. The woven bamboo texture makes it possible for owners to see their cats even when they are hiding and play with through its holes. The size of holes is different in different parts of the furniture to adapt to the needs of the pet as well as humans. The backrest holes are smaller to make the cats feel more secure. But holes above are bigger so that when people lean on the sofa, they can see through the backrest and find their cats underneath.
In all the desk designs I’ve seen over the years, this is a first for me! It’s called ‘Ascend’ and it’s been created by Dan Devine for all the cat ladies and fellas out there. Like any cat person will tell you, the moment you give attention to anything but your furry friend, they’ll find a way to lounge on your keyboard or knock over your utensils until it’s back on them! Designed with this in mind, the wood desk has been crafted with multiple ramps and landings for cats to perch up and play. If you can’t fight ’em, invite ’em!
Named after the acorn nut and clearly inspired by its curvaceous form, the Acorn Leisure chair boasts of a similar voluminous design, with a seat above for you to rest on, and an area below that’s ideally sized for a pet, or a makeshift magazine-rack. The chair’s unique design is instantly eye-catching, with the lack of traditional details like legs, or a backrest that’s attached directly to the seat. Instead, the chair builds itself out of a wooden platform on the base, with a wrought-iron enclosure above it, topped off with a seat. The backrest, instead of emerging from the seat itself, mounts directly onto the base platform, making for an incredibly unique chair that your eye naturally gravitates towards! The wooden parts of the chair are CNC-machined to perfection, and the wrought-iron pipes on the base give the chair its sturdiness while allowing your pets to see your legs as they sit inside their safe-space, providing a unique connection between both occupants! Alternatively, you could use the space under the seat to store books, toys, and pouf pillows too!
The latest piece to catch our eye has been the Kyali cat climber by MADE for its almost human furniture-like design because usually, a cat climber would stick out but this one just blends in like a cozy stool! The climber has a warm inviting vibe because of the woody tones and the soft fabric cushioning that will instantly draw your cats in for a nap. It is a blend of a bed and a dynamic game for your pets. Featuring three shelves or levels, Kyali’s goal was to provide plenty of fun for your feline friends without taking up too much room. It has a modular structure that lets you adjust the shape to create more space for cats to explore or to make it more compact to store.
Grid functions as a comfy resting spot for your pet. With a cozy lounging spot at the bottom and a slanted roof on top, it manages to provide a very homely feel, a safe haven of sorts for your furry friend. The gridded structure at the entrance allows your pet to slither in and out, allowing them to have their own little adventure! On the other hand, the roof also functions as a magazine stand. You can place your magazines on the roof, where they will be supported by an almost inconspicuous shelf.
This particular piece of cat furniture is extremely easy to set-up and seamlessly integrates with your current home setting minus the bulkiness of a conventional cat tree. In 2020, it is all about how modular the product is, and that applies to pet furniture too. With Catssup you can create a DIY jungle gym by simply clamping the different parts onto existing furniture and changing the set-up whenever ‘you’ (read: your cat) need. The best part is that it doesn’t require any floor space so if you want to lie down and WFH – you absolutely can with the extra room! The Catssup set includes a Dot Step, a Sleeping Pill, a Space Ball, a Cloud Lounge, and a Climbing Tower – I would just like to say that I strongly believe human furniture should also have fun labels like this and maybe we would be more invested in it.
