Building a Pet-Friendly Barndominium: Tips and Ideas
A barndominium offers wide open spaces that pets love, making it a great housing choice for pet owners. When designing and building your barndominium, there are several things you can do to make it as pet-friendly as possible. Here are some top tips:
Flooring
Concrete floors may be durable, but they are cold and hard on pet joints over time. Choose pet-friendly flooring options like luxury vinyl plank, hardwood, bamboo, or cork. These materials are softer underfoot for pets yet still durable enough to handle claws and accidents. Waterproof luxury vinyl works especially well in high traffic areas.
Consider radiant floor heating to keep floors cozy for pets without dangerous hot spots from space heaters. Heated floors help ease arthritis and keep older pets comfortable.
Pet Room/Area
Designate a pet room or area just for your furry friends. Fit it with easy-to-clean flooring, pet beds, food/water stations, toys, scratching posts, etc. Gate it off if needed so pets have their own defined space. This keeps the rest of your barndo less cluttered with pet paraphernalia.
Mudroom Entryway
A mudroom entryway helps corral mess from muddy paws or fur. Include a bench for removing muddy boots, pet gear cubbies, draining floor grids, wash station with hose sprayer, and sink. These features simplify cleaning up pets before entering the main barndominium living area. Strategically placed dog towels, mats, and crates make clean-up easier too.
Deck/Patio
Every barndo should have a covered outdoor deck or patio where pets can hang out with their humans. These spaces give pets fresh air while keeping them safely contained when owners want doors/windows open. Consider an outdoor pet washing station to simplify bath time. Building a catio enclosure also lets cats enjoy outdoor time safely.
Smart Features
Include built-in pet amenities like a recessed pet food station with storage, designated water station with automatic refill, wall-mounted leash hooks near doors, and a vacuum system with tools designed specifically for pet hair.
Indoor/Outdoor pet cameras
Wireless or wired these cameras can give you a 4k view of your pet while your away giving you peace of mind knowing where and what your pet is into at every moment of the day, with the popularity of indoor and outdoor security cameras on the ride the prices for these cameras can expect to level out in the coming year. New versions allow for you to even speak to your pet through the camera which could be helpful in calming your pet till you can arrive.
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Storage solutions
like slide-out bins with pet gear, cabinets with pull-out brush holders and treat jars, and tall closets for bulk pet food bags all help keep clutter at bay. Dog food containers can be bulky consider a dispenser, there are many on the market today, you can fill it once a month and it automatically dispenses your pets food on a set schedule.
Access
ย Rolling pet gates for doorways and adjustable doggy doors and stairs can aid safety and access control throughout various living levels. Gates confine pets or block them from unsafe areas just make sure they are tall enough.
Pet-Technology
Smart home technology integrations like the smart pet feeders we spoke of, smart litter boxes, pet monitoring cameras, microchip pet doors, and integrations with home automation platforms simplify pet care through automation and mobile app access/notifications.
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Focusing on pet-centered design elements like these from the start when building your barndominium creates the ultimate pet paradise tailored to your furry family members’ needs! They will love all the built-in amenities and comforts designed just for them. And you will appreciate how a pet friendly barndo makes caretaking and cleaning up after pets far simpler.
