LOOKBOOKS
International fairs and furniture giants such as IKEA turn the spotlight on the littlest members of our new-age families.
By Mrin B
21 October 2024
IKEA recently launched a collection of furnishings and products geared towards pets | Image Courtesy of IKEA
It’s far more common for people with disposable incomes to talk about fostering pets than buying a house today. From acting as emotional support companions to being the first step to taking care of a living being apart from ourselves, pets are an essential part of our lives. Recent studies have also shown that owning pets influences home decor decisions to a great degree. After all, choosing to buy a dog bed or cat tree will significantly alter how a space is furnished.
A number of factors apart from aesthetics influence decision-making when one buys furniture and furnishings for the smallest members of our families. Given the compactness of apartments and homes today in major cities, multifunctional furniture is more popular than ever. There’s a lot of interest in health-centered innovations such as orthopedic and temperature-controlled electrical heated beds as well with evolving wellbeing benchmarks.
Capitalizing on a trend that will only grow with time (after all, who doesn’t love scrolling through pictures of cats and dogs), here are six home products designed for pets — from a series by IKEA that includes pet beds and blankets to experimental projects that integrate outdoor furniture with pet needs.
Choo Choo by Ricardo Sá
A console designed by Ricardo Sá’ doubles as a space for cats to sleep in | Image Courtesy of Ricardo Sa
Designed with cats in mind, Portuguese designer Ricardo Sá’s console is functional yet sleek. Inspired by the form of bullet trains, the use of wood and cane webbing for the design gives it an earthy, minimal aesthetic that would fit nicely in any home.
Apart from the fact that cats can use the shelves to hide and sleep in (as they do with most cabinets), the console’s plinth incorporates cat-friendly fabric that can be used as scratch pads. A compartment to fit a litter box out of sight from visitors is also part of the console’s multifunctional design.
Quella by Dhiraj Choudhari
The cavity in Dhiraj Choudhari’s chair design is perfect for cats to hide in | Image Courtesy of Dhiraj Choudhari
Playing into the theme of multifunctional furniture, this graceful plywood chair breaks away from conventions. The C-shaped silhouette incorporates a cavity that runs throughout the chair’s body. Designed with feline companions in mind, this cavity provides a cozy cranny for them to sleep in, while at the same time serving as a functional chair.
The chair’s sophisticated curvaceous form is constructed from hardwood veneers. The material was selected for its quality and flexibility, ensuring durability and structural integrity.
Co-Habitable Object by Atelier Alter Architects
The Co-Habitable Object is designed in modules to allow for different configurations and uses | Image Courtesy of Atelier Alter Architects
This conceptual furniture design by a Chinese design studio was conceived to allow pets and humans to coexist in a space. Composed of adaptable modules, it offers endless configurations for different needs. Each module is made up of subtractive spheres that can serve as spaces for pets, while the outer surfaces are designed for human use.
Apart from creating nooks for pets to rest in, the project also considers pet ergonomics in its design — each module is designed with a height of 450 millimeters — while the outer curved facade conforms to the curves of a human body.
UTSÅDD Collection by IKEA
The UTSÅDD Collection by IKEA not only includes furniture and toys but also utilitarian objects | Image Courtesy of IKEA
Recently, leading Swedish furniture brand IKEA launched a collection specifically catered to the needs of pets. The 29-piece line consists of pet beds, blankets, food bowls, toys, tools, and decor, with inputs from veterinarians, pet product experts, and of course, a panel of canine and feline friends. With no set benchmarks, the IKEA team established their own testing panels and lab to ensure the highest quality for every product.
Ceramic bowls in various colors and sizes showcase decorative patterns outside for visual appeal and feature plain, muted shades inside to help pets focus on food | Image Courtesy of IKEA
“Our goal was to develop a collection of products that our cats and dogs love, and that their human parents can feel good about and truly enjoy having as part of their home,” said Julia Rosenberg, Product Design Developer at IKEA of Sweden AB. The materials, colors, and patterns in the design thoughtfully consider pet ergonomics and behavioral habits, providing a variety of surface finishes and sizes. Apart from developing eye-catching and pet-friendly products, the collection also focuses on safety and ease of maintenance, with each product tested thoroughly before the launch.
Dwellings by Computer Room + Flock Together
An exhibition centered on birdhouses was conceived by the design studio Computer Room (founded by Andu Masebo, Jesse Butterfield & Charlie Humble-Thomas) | Image Courtesy of Computer Room
While we most often think about the aesthetics of large objects such as litter boxes or beds for dogs, design equally concerns the homes of our feathered friends. With birds on the brain, 23 designers recently created bespoke birdhouses for an exhibition at South London Gallery in the UK capital, which was on display from 1 August to 1 September, 2024.
The designers, ranging from ceramicists to glassmakers and even photographers, had a unique spin on "what it means to build a house for a bird," a theme conceptualized by design studio Computer Room and birdwatching collective Flock Together. This resulted in quirky, playful objects including a birdhouse that resembled a metropolis, a sleek metallic design that resembled a bird itself, and even a design specifically tailored to ostriches.
London-based furniture maker Rio Kobayashi’s design, The Guest House For An Ostrich, presents a playful take on the conventional bird box | Image Courtesy of Computer Room
Multifunctional Pet Furniture at Melbourne Design Week 2024
Shiro by Colin Chee and Yee Keong Leong is a pet bed that doubles as a storage unit and table | Image Courtesy of Melbourne Design Week
Colin Chee, creative director of the YouTube channel Never Too Small, organized an exhibition at the recently concluded Melbourne Design Week to showcase flexible prototypes of multifunctional pet furniture. The exhibition displayed works by 11 designers who were challenged to create each product with a single sheet of plywood. Australian designer Matt Reynolds developed a tower for cats with rotating parts that doubled as a table, while Netherlands-based designer Koen Fraijman designed a night stand that incorporated a hammock for pets to sleep in. CavyHaus by Australian studio Like Butter was another notable design. The hutch, designed to pair with compatible shelving units, provided guinea pigs with a three-level space to roam and sleep.
A guinea pig hutch designed to be compatible with an existing bookshelf designed by Like Butter | Image Courtesy of Melbourne Design Week
