Pet Projects: Custom Furniture for Your Animal Friends

Your faithful animal companions have carved out a special place in your family’s home.  They claim their favorite chairs, man the best posts to watch for visitors, and know the best places to hide.  Maybe your animal companions are a bit wilder, coming and going as they please.  No matter. That’s just the way it has to be.  You treasure your pets’ idiosyncrasies and loyalty.  Since you’re already lavishing them with your time and affection, going custom for your pets should be a natural step.

If you have an idea for a piece of custom furniture perfect for your little friends but worry no one will take your request seriously, just take a look at the following works by CustomMade artisans designed for a variety of creatures great and small.  Each unique item was created with the same craftsmanship and care you would expect for any fine piece of furniture and with the individual animal, and human, in mind.

This custom pet diner by Hammond Bay Furniture Studio is not only fit for your dining room but also has clear advantages for you and your pet.  You’ll have an easier time cleaning up after meals, and your dog or cat will eat and drink more comfortably and healthily.  The Arts and Crafts inspired diner shown here was made from cherry and includes stainless steel bowls and a personalized inlay of the canine’s own paw on the tabletop.  If you custom order your own table, furniture maker Robert Waddell will size it to your pet and their favorite bowls.  You can also choose the style and wood.

Pet Diner by Hammond Bay Furniture Studio at CustomMade.com

A CustomMade customer commissioned Kens Woodcraft to build this cat cave because nothing commercially available could do the trick.  What started as a chest for an unusually big cat and a kitty litter pan 12” tall became something else.  Artisan Kenneth Ewald writes: “So, I designed the box to include an inside stairway to allow the cat to get over the top of the litter pan easily. In doing that design, I decided to provide another opening to allow the cat to have a place under the stairs. When the clients saw that plan, they dubbed it the Cat Cave.” If you have a feline with huge privacy needs, contact the artisan and discuss your situation.

Interior Plan and Finished Cat Cave by Kens Woodcraft at CustomMade.com

Our cold-blooded friends need custom love, too, though sometimes people are wary of them.  Customer Audra approached Hardwood Artisans tentatively hoping she could commission an attractive and functional enclosure for her turtles.  “Luckily, she ran into Greg Gloor, the person who started Hardwood Artisans 35 years ago. And equally lucky for her, he had also kept turtles (and an iguana and a corn snake) as pets. He knew he could design and build exactly what she needed.”  Her custom turtle cage features a special pull-out drawer system with a removable front so the turtle habitat can be accessed and cleaned easily.  Audra’s reaction: “I can’t say enough about how great this cabinet turned out.  It was 100% what I wanted plus tons that I didn’t even know I could have.”  Check out the project gallery page for more photos of this special piece.  Whatever kind of pets you have, contact Hardwood Artisans and someone will surely be able to accommodate your custom pet furniture requests.

Custom Turtle Cage by Hardwood Artisans at CustomMade.com

Perhaps the animals you love are more visitors than pets, and you’d like to ensure they continue to visit and thrive for generations to come.  A bat house constructed by P&S Country Crafts will provide shelter for these often misunderstood but ecologically important creatures.  All bat houses built by artisans Paul and Susan Sodano have received “Bat Approved” certification from Bat Conservation International.  Each house is constructed with rough-cut New Hampshire pine boards and sports 20-year roof shingles.  These structures are designed to provide appealing and safe seasonal roosting places for bats while keeping out bees and squirrels.  Your custom ordered bat house will be built and finished specifically for your environmental zone, which you can identify on the map on the project gallery page.

Bat House by P&S Country Crafts at CustomMade.com

There are, indeed,  local custom furniture makers who share your passion for animals and can create quality, one-of-a-kind custom pieces for your pets that will meet both your and their needs.  Find a CustomMade artisan near you and start planning your special custom furniture project today.