If you have kids or pets in your home, don’t forget about them when you start a remodeling project. We want to help you think through some common design items to consider when your home is full of all kinds of living beings. Below are some tips that help take everyone into consideration – both two-legged and four-legged…

The Kitchen

Add a step stool in your kitchen so your kids can reach the sink. This allows for easy access to rinsing dishes or washing hands. When some children are at mom and dad’s height, they really enjoy participating in the family chores and doing things for themselves. A gourmet kitchen is certainly appealing to many homeowners, but what happens when there is a house full of kids? Since the kitchen is often the heart of the home, it is important that the kitchen be a space that works for the hectic daily lives of the entire family. This means accommodating everyone – kids that might make their own snacks, parents that will need space to organize dinner, and pets may eat inside. A majority of the countertops should be at waist height of adults, but it’s nice to have a separate, lower counter space for the kids – with rounded edges of course. Or, consider building a breakfast bar for that added workspace and a place for the kids to have snacks and do homework while Mom and Dad cook.

Pet Friendly Feeding Stations

When we have four-legged furry friends, there seems to be a unanimous problem — where do you put the pet bowls? If you’re fed up of kicking over pet feeding bowls during your daily routines, Put in a feeding station in your remodel. Architects and kitchen designers have smartly addressed this concern by integrating pet feeders directly into the kitchen layout using custom cabinetry. Building a recessed area under a counter or under cabinets where the pet dishes are out of the way is a great solution.

Pet Nooks

When you own a pet there is a good chance they tend to follow you around the house. Create a perfect nook for your pup or kitten so they won’t mind chillin’ by themselves. Pets really aren’t picky when it comes to where they sleep. As long as they have a soft, warm spot to rest their head they’re happy. Place their beds in a safe, low traffic spot that’s close to where the family hang out. A suggestion would be under a window seat, or under a staircase.

Pet Spa

Pet grooming can be expensive, think about creating a stainless steel tub in your laundry or mud room. The perfect time to install a dog-washing station is during a remodel or new-home build, but putting one in an existing mudroom or laundry room is not that daunting as long as plumbing is already in place.

Nature Indoors

Bringing nature into your home can be easier than you think. It’s not about planting trees in the middle of your hallway, but more about creating that feeling of freedom you have when you are somewhere out there and that is what kids and pets and even parents like. Add french door to the kitchen so the cook can look out and see the kids and the dog playing outside. Put in windows in strategically placed areas in the home where you have good visibility of the outdoors.

Creating a Fresh New Look to The Kids Bedroom

Sit down with your child and discuss how he envisions his new room. A kid’s favorite activities, hobbies, or passions make great bedroom themes that can add design and unity to a bedroom remodel. Maybe it would be sports, music, cars, ballet, cheerleading, trains, planes, animals, and a zillion other possibilities. Talk to your child about the colors he would like to see in his room. If it’s important for him to have lime green walls, remember it’s only paint and can be covered inexpensively and quickly at any time. A small sofa, bean bag chairs and funky ottomans can accommodate older kids and their friends. Create a few new niches for the kids also. Kids love special spaces scaled just for them where they can hide. Maybe under the staircase or if you have a dormer room instead of storage in the eves carpet the entire space add some pillows for a special space.

Creativity makes all the difference in remodeling your home! Becraft Plus has completed many full home renovations over the years. Contractor experience makes all the difference. 

Contact Us (301-929-3401) For a Free Consultation!

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About Becraft Plus

Since 1989, Becraft Plus has provided customized design and construction services to customers in the Washington, D.C. area. We specialize in custom home building, additions and remodeling, and whole house renovations with a focus on creating living spaces that are tailored to the needs of our clients.
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