Contemporary kitchen designs are all about convenience and functionality. Yes, of course, looks play an important role, but one of the most important focuses for homeowners is choosing a layout, materials and finishes that will work well with their lifestyle, require minimal maintenance and that will continue to hold-up to a busy household's wear-and-tear.

While kids and their friends are certainly a factor, families are increasingly tailoring aspects of their Chicago kitchen remodeling plans to accommodate pets. This may seem frivolous at first, but consider the statistics; according to the ASPCA, as many as 47% of American households have a dog and 37% have a cat.

Integrate Pet-Friendly Features Into Your Chicago Kitchen Remodeling Project

Pets require food, water and a place to sleep - as well as the company of their human family members. Since the kitchen is an extension of the living space, and one of the most used areas in the household (not to mention kitchens have the easiest surfaces to keep clean), it makes an ideal space in which to accommodate your furred and feathered friends.

The following are ideas for integrating pet-friendly features into a kitchen design.

Easy-Access Food Bins. Pet food can be cumbersome, taking up a significant portion of the pantry or cupboard space. If you have a large dog, or multiple dog(s) and cat(s), you may be dealing with large, heavy bags of food every day, multiple times a day. For this reason, many homeowners use a pull-out bin in the lower-cabinetry to store pet food. The over-sized drawers are lined with metal so they're pest-resistant and are easy to access on a regular basis.

Feeding Stations. Feeding stations are another design possibility. With this, however, you need to keep two things in mind. Hard-surface flooring is often slippery when wet, so make sure that pets' water bowls (which typically experience some amount of perimeter splashing and/or dribbling action) are removed from high-traffic areas.

Also, you want to use flooring that can handle constant exposure to moisture. If you opt for hardwood or engineered wood, use an anti-microbial mat underneath the bowls to protect flooring from dribbles and drops. Pull-out drawers, customized to hold food/water bowls, are also an option. However, these can create an obstruction - or can be inadvertently closed, preventing your pet from having access to water and food. For this reason, we don't recommend them.

Comfortable Nap Spots. Pets are professional nappers, and they typically prefer to be in the presence of their family members. This can make for some uncomfortable options in the kitchen, which typically has hard-surfaced flooring. With some smart, organizational planning, you can eliminate blind kitchen corner cabinets altogether and install a stylish alcove that matches your cabinetry. Depending on the size of your kitchen, the peninsula, a perimeter cabinet end or the space below built-in seating can also be used for a pet bed alcove.

Visit the design team at Kitchens & Baths Unlimited to explore pet-friendly features for your Chicago kitchen remodeling project.