The Design District

Posted By Rachel DeSchepper on 03/27/2008

For those of you that know me well, you knew this was coming. It’s time to look at design for dogs and cats. I’m convinced you don’t need those gaudy cat trees in your houses/apartments or schlumpy dog beds that take up a ton of space. Really. But there’s one caveat: You’ll probably have to pay a little bit more for it. So without further ado, here’s the best in pet design.

There are a few Portland companies that make some great cat furniture. Kattbank is a litter box that could be mistaken for a stylish piece of furniture. I was on my way to buying it, until I realized it’s $2,200. My cat can keep her plastic box, thank you very much. That said, it’s a well-designed piece that keeps your cat from tracking litter all over the place, and it’s well vented to keep the surrounding area completely odorless.

And Square Cat Habitat is another Portland company that makes some great bamboo perches and scratching mats that can be attached to the wall.

Speaking of scratching posts, the design of these cat trees at Branch are pretty clever and colorful. Beats the blah brown posts you get at pet stores. There are three shapes and three colors, and they claim the posts were influenced by the work of Frank Gehry.

I’m really smitten with FatBoy’s dog and cat beds. The round cat bed comes in six colors, and the (small or large) dog beds come in eight. They’re bright, cheery, and best of all, durable.

Not sure how practical this is, but I get a kick out of this Magis orange dog house. It has a whopping $900 price tag, though, so I’m just going to imagine if a dog would actually climb in.

Pre-Fab Pets has dog and cat furniture that are definitely more stylish than a lot of pieces I own, including this dog day bed with a modern platform frame. And the architectura house, inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, is an enviable little home for your critters.

Design Within Reach also carries well-designed products for our furry friends. Their dog beds are fairly traditional but come in great patterns. Plus they’re stain, water, and bacteria resistant. Also, the Charlybox is a good solution for dogs who hike. It’s a boxed lunch for Fido.

I’m actually tempted to buy this Kittypod at Vivavi. It’s made primarily of recycled materials. Or maybe this Prrrounge is a little more practical. I could use it as an ottoman or extra seating if Rigby isn’t so fond of it.

And if you’re in an eco-friendly mood (and why shouldn’t you be, especially for things your dogs are chewing on) try these Recycle Ball and Bone made from the rubbery scraps of other dog toys.

And finally, although large, this Cheeky Chaise also has some great lines, and I wouldn’t be ashamed to have it in my apartment.

So there you go! Have some extra change and feeling like your pets need to be spoiled a bit? Go forth and buy. And did I miss something? Leave a comment and let me know the other great pet products on the market.