PublishedSep 1, 2022 2:35 PM EDT
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Domino Reno: Before + Afters, DIYs, and Advice From the Pros
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Cats are basically tiny roommates who pay no rent and insist on having a private bathroom in the middle of your living space. Most of us rearrange furniture for their food bowls and build entire shelves for them to judge us from, yet the litter box usually gets shoved into the saddest corner like an afterthought. Let’s be honest—it’s not winning any design awards. But it still has to be easy to reach so you can scoop it before your guests notice the smell. Fancy litter box furniture helps, but if you’re feeling crafty, you can hide the kitty commode even better. These three designers planned their litter box locations from day one, and their cats have never looked more sophisticated.
Jen Brake, design consultant behind Half Painted House, was tired of her cat Aslan’s litter box sitting on the floor like a plastic monument. She and her husband had tried every room, including by the back door, which turned their entryway into a litter-snowglobe situation. Then they adopted Polly the dog, who decided the litter box was an all-you-can-eat buffet. Something had to give.
Their solution? A mudroom cabinet with a sneaky cat door disguised as a Shaker-style panel. It swings open on hinges and closes itself, so Aslan can do his business in peace while guests remain blissfully unaware.
Amy Thiessen, founder of Hello Victoria, shares a small Victorian with her husband and cat, where floor space is more precious than the crown jewels. A plastic litter box would clash with her 19th-century details like a neon sign at a tea party. So she built a secret cat door leading to the closet under the stairs. The original door wasn’t paneled, but she copied the ogee molding from the rest of the house. The shadow lines hide the swinging section so well that even Sherlock Holmes would need a magnifying glass.
Karen Knox, designer at Making Spaces, wanted a first-floor litter box so her cat would stop staging midnight meowing protests outside her bedroom. The living room seemed ideal, but it was already packed with a play kitchen and seating around the fireplace.
She designed built-in cabinetry to match the existing open shelves, then designated the far-left cupboard as the cat’s private water closet. The rest stores craft supplies, because why shouldn’t the cat and the glitter glue share a wall? A square cutout across two doors gives both pet and human access, with room to stash extra litter and bags. It’s basically a studio apartment for one very lucky cat.
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