Pet-Friendly Homebuilding with Cottonwood Custom Builders

Cottonwood Custom Builders is a prominent general contractor based in Boulder, Colorado. They specialize in “green” custom homebuilding and remodeling, and pride themselves on the ability to bring any vision to life.

We interviewed Hannah Finch Phillips (Marketing Director) and Kimberly Neill (Project Manager & Estimator), and combined their comments below.

Marketing Director Hannah.
Photo copyright: Cottonwood Custom Builders.

Project Manager/Estimator Kimberly. Photo copyright: Cottonwood Custom Builders.

Does your team have pets? 

Founder Jeff with his dog, Karma. Photo copyright: Cottonwood Custom Builders.

Do we ever!  We’re a pet loving community.  

Most days at the office, we have our friendly and very enthusiastic greeters: Beatrix (cattle dog mix) and Apollo (Boston terrier).  Both are rescue dogs that belong to our Marketing Director, Hannah.  When we are really lucky, our founder Jeff Hindman brings Karma the Portuguese water dog to the office, too! Karma doesn’t visit as often, as both of her humans work at pet-friendly offices, so we have to share her! 

Outside of the office, our team members have many more dogs, cats, and other animal companions!

Have your experiences with pets affected the way you think about functionality in home design or construction?

Certainly! As pet owners, we know how central they are to families and how much joy we find in pampering them.  As pets age, they need different considerations. Our goal is to build homes that pets are safe and happy in, from youth to old age.  

We love getting to build “wish list” amenities for pets in our homes, such as dedicated washing stations and built-in litter boxes!  It keeps the home clean and beautiful, and makes it easier to care for our furry (or scaly) friends. 

What makes your company a pet-friendly builder?

Dog wash station in a mudroom. Photo copyright: Cottonwood Custom Builders.

As a fully custom builder and remodeler, our homes are never “one size fits all.”  That doesn’t just apply to the humans! On each project, we work with the homeowners to make sure that everyone is happy with the final result, including their pets. 

Over the years, we’ve enjoyed coming up with clever solutions to make the humans’ and pets’ lives better!

Have you worked with clients whose pets were a major consideration in the project?

We’re working on a fun one now!  Our client has a dog and two cats.  Since the dog and cats don’t get along, and the owners don’t want the cat’s litter box in their bedroom (can’t blame them there!), we needed to create a way for the cats to travel from the second floor bedroom to the first floor mudroom. The solution? A secret cat tunnel between the two rooms. We’re currently working with the homeowners and their cats to determine the best finishing materials to allow the cats to feel comfortable and travel easily. 

How can builders help their clients live more comfortably with pets? What custom home options facilitate pet-keeping tasks?

There are so many options, it’s hard to know where to start.  We like to think about ways to make the humans’ lives easier, such as pet washing stations, automatic pet doors, and ventilation systems to reduce litter box odors. For the pets, we think of ways to add more delight to their lives.  Cozy window seats, heated tile floors, and built-in, raised eating dishes seem to be some pet favorites!

Pets need mental stimulation and exercise; otherwise their boredom can lead to destructive behavior. Do you have suggestions for home options that can help keep dogs or cats busy?

By creating things like cat tunnels and automatic pet doors, we enable our pets more space to move around and explore.  Since they spend so much of their lives in our homes, it’s essential that they have room to roam & play! Even better, when pets have a designated area that is built to withstand their rougher play (claws, mud, etc), it gives them an area to “blow off steam.”  

Speaking of destructive behavior (e.g., dogs chewing furniture or cats pushing figurines off shelves), do you have advice for clients whose pets are home alone all day?

Creating a designated space that the pets stay in when left alone is great for pets and humans.  Pets enjoy having a routine and places where they feel safe.  By creating a designated area that meets their needs (access to the outdoors or a litter box, sunshine, food, etc), it sets the pet up for success (and protects those family heirlooms). 

Kitchen with a honed concrete, radiant heated floor. Photo copyright: Cottonwood Custom Builders.

What do you see as the major considerations for building a pet-friendly home?  

The major considerations center around creating what YOUR pet needs to thrive, while balancing that with your design goals for the home.  Any style home, from traditional to modern, can be pet-friendly with creative thinking!  And of course, throughout the whole process it’s important to choose eco-friendly building materials that promote healthy indoor air quality and protect the environment. 

What type of floors do you recommend for households with large dogs?  

For durability and modern style, we suggest honed concrete.  After finishing, it is quite gorgeous and if you pair it with radiant heat in the flooring, it's a pet's dream!  Luxury vinyl tile is another durable option.  We feel that the honed concrete is a greener option, although both products have their shortcomings. 

What are your favorite pet-friendly luxuries?

Jeff’s cat, Mikki, enjoying a radiant heated floor.
Photo copyright: Cottonwood Custom Builders.

If we could give a gift to every dog owner, it would be a washing station.  It’s less stressful for the dogs and saves your back from having to lean over a tub!  And for cat owners, a heated tile floor. Cats love to lounge on the warm, relaxing surface. 

Many people think of "pet-friendly" as a design consideration that only applies to rich or eccentric clients. What do you think? Are pet amenities out of reach for the average homeowner?  

Not at all! Of course, there’s a range.  Not everyone has the time, energy, or resources to do custom framing for creating cat tunnels.  But there are many simpler things that are achievable.  We love looking online for clever DIY ideas. If you’re just getting started, it’s a great place to start!

Many pets live in apartments, and landlords are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of allowing pets (larger prospective tenant pool, happier/more loyal tenants, etc.). What tips would you offer to property managers who want to accommodate pets? Are there options that benefit families with pets as well as children?

We are huge believers in the value of time outside.  When communities create shared resources, such as off-leash areas for dogs, it doesn’t just benefit the pets. It also benefits the humans and often helps them meet more of their neighbors. A true win-win! Patio space is also great, but it’s essential that the railings and decking are safe for children and pets. 

Do you have any specific examples of pet-related challenges that you would like to share?

It can be hard to predict how a pet will react to a new environment. Sometimes, you might build something you’re sure they’ll love and then discover that something about it makes them uneasy.  With that in mind, we encourage people to beta test ideas before fully building them out. 

We had a great “learning moment” on this a few years ago. We crafted a cat tunnel that led to a custom litter box enclosure. It was designed so that when the cat was visiting the litter box, a ventilation fan would automatically turn on. Turns out, the cat was terrified of the fan. In the end, we disconnected the fan and the cat thoroughly enjoys the luxury litter box in peace.

Animals are unique creatures; listen to them as you’re designing their spaces. 

Do you think that pet amenities will ever be offered as standard "options" for homebuyers?

Especially with how people are thinking about home differently during the pandemic, we say YES! Buyers want their homes to be an oasis from the outside world.  Anything that makes life more comfortable and easier is a huge value-add!

A few pandemic-era photos of the Cottonwood team and their furry co-workers. All photos property of Cottonwood Custom Builders.

Decorating Around Kids, Cats & Dogs

Guest Post by Kathia Emery, NWSID

Kathia Emery owns Emery & Associates, a design and decorating firm based in Portland, Oregon. She has worked throughout the Pacific NorthWest, California, and Hawaii. A design veteran of 35 years, Kathia says that pets are a significant consideration in most of her clients' projects.

Designer Kathia Emery with grand-dog, Rudy.
Photo copyright: Emery & Associates.

You can have great interiors with kids and pets if you take into consideration during your planning stages the special challenges posed by living with the little critters.  Here are some of the ways I’ve discovered through my own experience and that of my clients.

For Colors, Think Medium Tones.  Very dark and very light solid colors show a lot more dirt than medium tones.  A couple with no children and no pets, who don’t serve a lot of red wine at parties, can get away with all white sofas.  You can’t, unless it’s white leather, and then only if you have children and dogs past the teething stage (cats have been known to shred leather). Light colored flooring shows every footprint and Playdoh dropping, but hardwood flooring in a medium tone stain (not bleached, pickled or stained very dark) hardly shows any dirt and costs about the same as the highest quality inlaid vinyl. Medium-toned fabrics and carpeting show less lint and pet hair than very dark ones, so stay away from solid navy, forest green, burgundy, and black for broadloom carpeting or you will be vacuuming every day.

Sample mood board for planning an interior design. Photo copyright: Emery & Associates.

For Fabrics and Carpeting, Think Pattern.  Patterned fabrics, especially random, all-over patterns, are my favorites for hiding slobber, stains and spills. Slipcovering your sofas and chairs in medium to dark background patterned fabrics is the most practical kind of seating to have—when the dirt finally does start to be apparent, you can remove the slipcovers and launder or dry clean them. Although the current generation of nylon broadloom carpeting resists stains so well that even pet accidents and muddy footprints can be cleaned up quickly and easily, my all-time favorite carpets for hiding the kind of hard wear kids and animals do to floors are Oriental rugs. Before you insist you can’t afford them, compare what you would spend for broadloom, and then multiply it by the number of times you will have to replace that broadloom. Then compare the figure to what an Oriental rug costs. I’m sure you will realize they make wonderful lifetime investments and can be passed on as heirlooms to your children. Because they are portable, they can move with you; they can go over broadloom carpeting or on bare wood or tile floors. I even have one in my kitchen in front of the sink (over my hardwood floor). The ornate patterns hide dirt, dust, spills, and make dog bones look strangely at home! When they finally need a good cleaning, you simply roll them up and take them to the rug cleaners.

 For Walls, Think Vinyl.  I know, I know—it’s not classy to live with plastic, but for families with little jam smearers it will repay you many times over to install beautiful vinyl wallcoverings rather than paper or paint.  Don’t ever put grasscloth or any organic, textured wallcovering on your walls if you own cats; something about these textures seems to cause otherwise sedate felines to commit violent acts of vandalism. Not all wallcoverings need to be patterned as long as they are washable vinyl or vinyl coated. Wallpapers come in a wide variety of washable textures, from fine and filmy to coarse and homespun, which add richness to your room without adding pattern.

Kathia’s husband, Jim Kahan, who makes the BEST cat furniture! Photo copyright: Emery & Associates.

For Windows and Accessories, Think “Above Their Heads.” Except for cats who enjoy climbing up draw draperies, most window treatments and accessories are impervious to children and pets if they are above windowsill height.  If you know your cat is a curtain climber, substitute another form of window treatment, either Roman shades or blinds. Newer blinds and shades are mostly cordless these days, but if you have window treatments with cords that hang down remember to clamp, clothes pin or tie the cord to itself to prevent toddlers and pets from becoming entangled in or chewing the cords. Patio door windows are continually smudged if you have toddlers (or dogs who think it’s entertaining to catch flies). The only solution I’ve found to this dilemma is to gate off the room, or to install deep louvered shutters (my Airedale dented the daylights out of metal miniblinds, but so far the painted shutters remain unscathed).

Art and accessories need to be above windowsill height.  Toddlers are usually incapable of  keeping their hands off things that interest them, so don’t even try to keep your beautiful objects displayed on the coffee table or floor until the child is developmentally ready.  However, if you can’t put your porcelain on the coffee table, you can display an Oriental screen on a sofa table or hang anything you love on your walls. Toddlers and pets might nibble on small house plants, but large tree-like plants in tall baskets have more impact anyway and are kid and pet-proof. Just to be safe, wedge chicken wire into the pit over the soil of any indoor plan to keep cats from thinking it’s another litter box.

Just because you have young children or pets doesn’t mean you need to sentence yourself to a life without style. Is there anything more appealing than a tabby cat curled up on a chair cushion, or a puppy asleep in a basket in front of the fire? You already value the warmth and coziness that children and pets bring to a home, so go for the rest of it! You can have great style and kids and pets, too!  

Original art by Kathia Emery featuring her dearly departed Labrador, Emma. Artwork property of Kathia Emery.

An Interview with Interior Designer Julia Newman Pedraza

Julia Newman Pedraza owns Julia Adele Design, a custom furniture and interior design firm based in Los Angeles. She was trained mostly in London, although she has extensive design experience in both the U.K. and the U.S., and has also lived in Spain. Julia holds academic degrees from Loyola Marymount and the University of Cambridge.

As an animal lover and believer in practical living solutions, Julia is an avid proponent of pet-friendly design. Scroll down for our interview with her:

Julia with her husband, Dr. Antonio Pedraza Reales, and their dog, Blue. Photo copyright: Julia Adele Design.

Do you have pets? If so, have they affected your personal design choices?

I have a chocolate Labrador, Blue, and fosters that come and go! I am also married to a veterinarian so there is always a lot of pet hair in the house! As we welcome pets on the furniture, I am mindful of the types of materials and fabrics I choose, as well as the height of certain pieces. In addition, I make sure that places in which I store cleansers and other items harmful to animals is secure.

Client’s dog, Oliver, on a custom-designed sofa by Julia Adele Design. Photo copyright: Julia Adele Design.

Have you worked with clients who have pets? If so, were the pets a significant consideration in your design proposals? How so?

Most of my clients have pets, which I love! I try to take into account my clients’ lifestyles, including how they like to live with their animal companions. I ask details about the pets such as: What type of animal? How old is the pet? Are they allowed on the furniture? Do you need a space for daily grooming? Do you need cabinets with locks to protect the animals from harmful substances?

What do you see as the major considerations for designing a pet-friendly interior? What are the biggest challenges?

That depends on the pet. However, the biggest challenge tends to be finding pieces that are durable and easy to clean. Other challenges are finding ways to hide pet food and toys, as well as create a space for washing. If there is an exterior space involved, a major consideration is how to ensure that the pet can be safely and humanely contained.

Do you have favorite solutions for resolving these challenges? Do you have favorite pet-friendly amenities or luxuries?

For durable, easy-to-clean pieces, you have to think about materials.  For example, woven materials are not great for cats’ claws. Instead, consider something like a micro suede or velvet. With all pets, it is important to consider how easy materials are to clean (especially if you aren’t interested in slipcovers). With this in mind, go with synthetic materials.  Cotton and linen stain easily and are difficult to clean. Indoor/outdoor and performance fabrics are always a great option too. I also love wool rugs! You have to vacuum them, but they are easy to clean. 

To hide pet food, toys, and leashes, a built-in cabinet is great option. This hides what you need to in a beautiful way and makes it easily accessible.  There are also some great decorative food bin options out there, and baskets make a great option for holding toys. 

For bathing pets, of course it is ideal to have a mudroom with a dedicated wash space. However, there are lots of options for shower & bath attachments to make it easier even if you don’t have a mudroom.

What advice would you give to someone who is designing an interior for a family with dogs, cats, or other pets?

I would keep several things in mind, such as access — is there a need for a dog or cat door? Is there an area needed for cleaning muddy paws before entering the rest of the living space? What rooms do you spend the most time in with your pets? Are there areas that are off limits to your animals? Then if so, how do we make these easily inaccessible without interrupting the flow and feel of the living space? 

What do you think is the biggest mistake people make when designing an interior that needs to accommodate pets? 

Thinking they have to sacrifice style in order to accommodate pets!

Julia Adele Design project for a home with a white dog. Photo copyright: Julia Adele Design.

Do you have an example of pet-friendly design that you would like to share?

In one project, we used a great chenille fabric for home with a dog. In fact, the color matches that dog’s fur! This is important, as I have had clients who love white and cream but want their chocolate or black Labrador to have run of the house. In other words, it’s important to pick not only the right fabric, but also the right color.

Why do you think pet-friendly design is important?

Taking on a pet is a big responsibility and lifestyle change. People shouldn’t have to be worrying about their home and furniture; instead they should be able to make a home that they can relax in and enjoy the company of their pet.

Do you think that the interior design industry typically takes pets and pet-care tasks into consideration? Do you have comments about what the industry does well, and what it needs to improve? 

I honestly think there are some great options out there, you just need to know what to look for! 

Safe at Home, Looking Out

Nobody appreciates windows and balconies like dogs and cats. Our pets can spend hours gazing outside. It’s like pet-TV.

When we bought our home, the big windows with wide sills were a major selling point. So too was the backyard deck where we often sit with our dogs. Sunny windows, porches, decks and other outside-oriented spaces are perfect examples of home features that benefit pets and people alike. As the human world hunkers down to ride out the global pandemic, many of us are taking a cue from our pets and feeling grateful for the small comforts of sunlight, fresh air, and a peek beyond our own walls.

Lately when the constraints of social distancing make me feel like a restless cat who has to stay inside for safety, I try to be thankful for having a home to be safe in. More than ever, I also appreciate the companionship of pets who are always glad to snuggle beside a window while I read, or to sit on the porch together and listen to the birds sing.

Thanks to modern technology, I also have a “window” of sorts into people’s lives all over the world. Across the globe, people are finding ways to make the most of their time at home, and also to connect with the world outside. Pets have been doing this all along.

Dreaming of Catios

Copyright: Pet-Friendly Planning 2015

I don’t have a catio. At the moment, I don’t even have a cat. When I did have cats, though, I longed to give them a safe outdoor space where they could enjoy the view and fresh air without the threat of being attacked by coyotes or hawks, or hit by a car. In addition to the many dangers faced by outdoor cats, I was concerned about the impact of my cats on birds and other wildlife*. So they stayed mostly indoors.

When the cats were older and a bit more sedentary, I started letting them spend time on the second-floor balcony of my bedroom. They loved sitting in the sunshine (or watching the rain), but eventually one of them started wandering further onto the roof and I had to rescind her privileges.

Copyright: Pet-Friendly Planning 2017

We moved into our current house soon after that, and the cats were now spending most of their time in a big, sunny basement. (See blog post from 4/16/19.) My husband built a window box for them out of wood and screen so that they could look out and feel the breeze. Still, we were tempted many times to let them sit on the patio with us and explore the backyard under supervision.

Copyright: Pet-Friendly Planning 2016

We toyed with the idea of adding a screen porch just outside the basement so that the cats could be “outdoors.” That prospect turned out to be too expensive, but our research led to all kinds of creative ideas that people are using to keep indoor cats safely connected to the outdoor world. You can see some of these ideas here. My favorites are “catios” (screened-in enclosures that range from simple lean-to structures, to elaborate cat houses with built-in climbing equipment) and “catwalks” (mesh tubes or tunnels that cats can walk through; usually attached to the house or laid across a yard/garden). In our search for pet-friendly amenities, indoor-outdoor spaces for cats tend to be among the most interesting. If you have found a great way to let your cat have controlled access to the outdoors, please share it in the comments or on our social media pages.

*Do you know of an outdoor cat or feral colony that kills birds? Click here to read about an easy solution.

Our Pet-Friendly Basement

Copyright: Pet-Friendly Planning 2019

I am lucky to live in an area where basements are common. A basement is handy for many reasons, but it has been especially useful for solving my family’s pet-care challenges.

We first decided that we wanted a daylight basement when we were dealing with two cats who were wreaking havoc on our furniture and wall trim. We tried providing a variety of scratching posts, keeping cat claws trimmed or even covered, and countless other solutions that seemed to work for everyone but us. Sadly, our cats were determined to destroy the house in an apparent conspiracy: one was in charge of ensuring that every sofa, chair, curtain, or other soft surface was tattered and frayed, while the other one handled the destruction of wood surfaces such as baseboards and door trim.

When it was time for us to move, an unfinished basement was at the top of our house-hunting priority list. In addition to the cats, we had three dogs. We wanted them to have a damage-resistant area where they could be safe and comfortable if we had to leave them unattended for a few hours. A daylight basement (not to be confused with a cellar, which is typically smaller and has no windows) can be an ideal place to leave dogs and cats when you are not home, assuming that the area has been checked for comfort and safety.

As tempting as it is to convert a basement into extra living space, leaving it at least partly unfinished can be more practical in homes with pets. Concrete floors are a breeze to clean when there’s an accident, and cats can scratch exposed beams to their hearts’ content. Pets are our main reason for leaving the basement unfinished, but it has other benefits: arts and crafts, as well as children’s play, are enhanced by the light streaming between beams rather than being blocked by walls, and bare concrete floors take the stress out of messy activities. The only “finishing” we did was to cover the walls around the perimeter so that the insulation would not be exposed. We happened to have a beat-up old couch from our previous house that was perfect for the new space. As we added heavy-duty shelves, doggie gates, and other improvements, we kept all the surfaces rustic. To keep dogs from entering storage or arts and crafts areas, we created half-walls using old pallets. Any improvements we make in the future will continue to match the unpolished, utilitarian style. We want this to always be a place where no one worries about paint spills or muddy foot/paw prints.

A basement is also a great place to keep smelly or unsightly pet supplies, such as cat litter boxes and bags of dog food. We have designated one area of our basement for all pet-care tasks, including feeding and grooming. Someday we will add a bathroom with a utility sink and a dog-washing tub.

We no longer have our cats (one passed away and the other went to live in our son’s multi-cat household), so we installed a doggie door from the basement to our fenced backyard. Now our dogs can safely go in and out when we are not home.

If you are house-hunting and have pets, and if your area and budget permit, I highly recommend looking for a home with an unfinished daylight basement.

Cat-feeding shelves with recessed bowls are a good way to keep cat food away from dogs. Copyright: Pet-Friendly Planning 2019.

Rustic dog pen with wooden gates and pallet half-walls. Copyright: Pet-Friendly Planning 2019.

Copyright: Pet-Friendly Planning 2018