For the dogs (and cats, and rabbits). How to create a pet-friendly home?

Let’s not romanticize it. Pets are adorable, but they come with mess. Good design acknowledges this without turning your living room into a kennel or your kitchen into a vet’s office.

Think durable finishes, closed storage, seamless flooring. Materials that hide fur and forgive scratches. Fabrics that can survive a sneeze from a golden retriever. This isn’t about settling. It’s about surviving — beautifully.

Top picks:

Perennials Fabric – stain-resistant, UV-safe, and basically bulletproof (in a soft, linen-y way).

Heath Ceramics tile – textured enough for traction, chic enough for the foyer.

You don’t have to advertise that you live with animals. In fact, the best pet-friendly homes hide that fact in plain sight. Integrated feeding drawers in the kitchen. Custom millwork with ventilation for the litter box. Built-in dog crates that double as credenzas. (Yes, really.)

Architects and designers are increasingly treating pet zones the way they treat powder rooms: necessary, discreet, and a chance to show off a little.

Top picks:

Whisker’s Litter-Robot – the Tesla of litter boxes, and it even looks like one.

Modkat litter box – clean lines, top entry, almost too elegant.

Wall-to-wall carpet? No, thank you. Even rugs can get dicey if they aren’t low-pile and easy to clean. Go for hard surfaces with soul: oiled oak, honed limestone, microcement. These stand up to claws, absorb sound, and feel great under paws and bare feet alike.

Layer smaller rugs in pet-frequented zones — not just to catch the fur, but to warm things up. And remember: wool beats synthetic every time when it comes to hiding a little chaos.

Top picks:

Nordic Knots low-pile rugs – gorgeous enough for the living room, tough enough for a terrier.

Pets don’t need their own rooms — they need zones. Think of them the way you’d think of a reading nook or a mudroom. Where does your dog sleep? Where does your cat hide? Where do they eat, drink, sunbathe, and judge you?

Design accordingly. A built-in bench with storage underneath doubles as a dog bed. A sunny corner with a sheepskin becomes a cat’s throne. These little moves make a big difference — to your pet, and to the way your home flows.

Top picks:

MiaCara pet beds – mid-century minimalism, sized for dachshunds.

Tuft + Paw shelving – cat furniture you’d actually Instagram.

Here’s a hard truth: even the most angelic animals come with scent. So think about air circulation as much as aesthetics. That means whole-home HVAC with purification systems, designated venting for litter areas, and, when in doubt, candles that don’t smell like desperation.

Top picks:

Molekule Air Purifier – quiet, effective, and surprisingly chic.

Maison Louis Marie No.04 Candle – vet-approved, dog-tested (not really), and human-loved.

Designing for pets isn’t a limitation. It’s just another layer of good architecture — another user to consider, another need to anticipate, another reason to get the details right.

At United Elite Group, we don’t believe in compromising on beauty for practicality — or vice versa. Whether you live with a sheepadoodle, a sphynx, or a dozen rescue rabbits, your home should feel intentional, tailored, and — yes — completely yours.