Did you know that according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), just under half of the American households have a dog? And as home to many fine pooches over the years, my wife Kelly and I fully understand why.
After many wonderful years sharing our mountain home that I designed in Lake Tahoe for my family – which included Dexter who we recently had to put down – we now have a new pup, Jasper (pictured above), who is just getting to know his new digs.
As I walked around our home in Incline Village with my new pal in hand, I realized that there are new opportunities for me to add some innovative or just plain appropriate features into my architectural designs for mountain home in Truckee and lakeside estates at Tahoe.
Here are a few of the top tips that I will recommend to my future clients who seek my architectural design services in North Lake Tahoe and the Truckee region. Regardless of what my clients will request for their furry friend, I will certainly make sure the design is practical as well as aesthetically pleasing.
Top Ideas for Pet Friendly Architectural Home Design
- Ceiling to Floor Windows – With the views the come with owning a home in the High Sierra, big windows are pretty much a given. Jasper likes to pretend he’s our new watch-dog, and I can tell he enjoys sitting by the large floor to ceiling windows in our living room. As I design pet friendly homes in the future, I’ll make a special note to ask my clients about where they spend their time; and make sure there are plenty of floor level windows, so their pet can enjoy the views as well.
- Mud Room – Most of the mountain home entries are tiled to take the beating that comes with wind, sleet, snow and such. In this situation, I’ll also add a drain in the center so it’s easy to hose down the dirt that a dog (and owners) will inevitably bring into the home.
- Dog Wash – This might be an addition to the Mud Room or a separate small room close to the garage or other outdoor entry. The convenient Mud Room will include plenty of storage for towels, shampoo, dryers, and include a good-sized sink for bathing and rinsing out the food and water bowls.
- Lower Ventilation System – For home with wooden floors, I’ll review options for a floor level vacuum system that would make the task of sweeping up dog hair a much more efficient process than a good old-fashioned broom.
- Pet Accessible Entrances / Exits –As humans we come and go in and out of our home at a variety of locations; why not the pet? I will suggest several pet-accessible options as long as they blend into the architectural design of the home.
- Organic Materials – Although this is not part of the architectural design, I’ll work with my wife Kelly who owns Kelly Borelli Interiors and has been providing exceptional design services to Lake Tahoe resort homes and commercial clients for over 20 years. She will have some excellent insight on low-volatile-organic-compound-containing paints, among other assets like resilient flooring and stain-resistant fabrics.
There are many additional architectural design features to make a pet feel right at home and a good fit into your own personality and desires as well. When the time comes when you are ready to build a pet friendly home in Lake Tahoe or throughout the Truckee region, I’d be honored to help your furry friends have a home that they deserve.
Call or contact me at any time!
James P. Borelli
Founder/Principal
Borelli Architecture
Truckee / Lake Tahoe
jim@borelliarchitecture.com
775.831.3060