How To Create A Pet-Friendly Kitchen Just Like The Property Brothers

If you've got a furry little friend or two, you might also have a wish list for making your kitchen more pet-friendly. No? Well, then, you probably missed the "Celebrity IOU" episode where the "Property Brothers" helped Emma Roberts transform the most utilitarian room in an honorary aunt's home into a pet-friendly paradise. Yes, Drew and Jonathan Scott lived up to expectations when they added features like a fully-equipped pet watering station and a pull-out storage area for food and pet supplies to this particular kitchen remodel. 

As you know, if you've been following these HGTV stars, the Scott brothers are renowned for going all out with their total kitchen makeovers. It's not completely necessary to add some of these pet-conscious features to your home; however, you can replace a cabinet for food storage, explore watering station alternatives, or upgrade flooring and still reap pet-friendly benefits on a smaller scale.

Taking inspiration from the "Property Brothers," one great way you can transform your kitchen to make it more pet-friendly is by updating your island. On "Celebrity IOU," the Scott brothers added a pull-out drawer in the island to hold pet food on one side and pet supplies the other side, with hooks to hide away leashes and collars for the homeowner's dogs. If that wasn't enough, they also installed a fitted watering station with a durable quartz base and backsplash on one end of the island. The highlight is a repurposed pot filler (the kind usually found above the stove in an upscale kitchen) that makes refilling bowls a breeze. If you already have a sink in your island, adding plumbing for a bowl filler is a definite possibility.

If you don't have an island, you can still think about replacing an underutilized cabinet with a pull-out bin to hold dog food and/or supplies. Adding a low backsplash and base made of easy-clean material in the area where you keep your pet's water bowl is also an idea you can implement without heavy construction. Small additions like these help keep areas where pets can make daily messes much tidier.

Even if you can't justify a complete remodel — or even a partial one — to accommodate your fur babies, you can still take the wear and tear they impart into consideration with your next flooring upgrade. When the "Property Brothers" assisted Emma Roberts in updating her honorary aunt's kitchen, they did just that. The floors they selected as part of the makeover are lovely light-colored oak hardwoods. The wood offers a durable alternative that complements the medium green cabinetry of the modern farmhouse redo. And, believe it or not, high-quality wood flooring is surprisingly resistant to damage from pet toenails.

Worried about the cost of hardwoods? Another alternative that works well with pets is porcelain tile. In addition to being resistant to liquids and easy to mop without the worry of water damage that comes with laminates, tile can also offer more traction for paws while still being scratch-resistant. With a little forethought, you can come up with a plan inspired by HGTV's Drew and Jonathan Scott to make your own kitchen more pet-friendly.