Architectural features in my home for my cat

In a high-design, non-cat lady way—and how to achieve the same effect.

the lady of the house, karlie.

I believe a house becomes a home when it is actually suited to the way that you live. We've all seen immaculate #interiordesigninspo photos with not a thing out of place, and while gorgeous, these spaces feel more like museums than places where people actually sleep, eat, and exist each day. Where are their phone chargers, piles of shoes at the door, and pet toys?

I'm much more interested in the in-between moments of design. Whether you eat dinner at the kitchen island, dining table, or in front of the tv. Do you do work at a desk, or if you're really honest, mostly in bed? And of course, if you have a pet, how they dictate the pieces and materials that you choose.

Below, I share three architectural features in my Venice home that blur the lines between form and function—for my cat.

Heated tile bathroom floors

an action shot of enjoying her radiant heat tile floors.

Living with Los Angeles weather, there is little to no need for heated tile floors. That is, of course, unless you live with a cat like Karlie who prefers her bathroom to have the effect of concrete warmed by the sun.

For a less permanent option, before a shower try heating your bath mats in the dryer for your cat (and I guess you too) to enjoy.

Peekaboo staircase

assessing the vibe of the room to see if she’d like to join us or not.

Like many cats, Karlie prefers to be near the action but not part of the action. A peekaboo staircase above the kitchen allows her to survey the scene from a high vantage point so that she can freely judge from a safe distance.

If you can’t implement a peekaboo staircase, try the Nami or Pebbles wall shelves from Mau.

renter-friendly options from mau.

Raised wood panel podium

Similar to the kitchen, Karlie prefers to lord over the living room on her raised wood panel podium, which we keep clear of objects for her.

Tuft + Paw makes a mid-century modern-inspired portable option, which you could place in your cat’s preferred room and corner.

a portable variation from tuft + paw.

Which is your favorite cat-forward design feature? Tell us in the comments.