The days when it would do to have just a bed and bowl are gone. Zjawinski reports some pet owners are even past simply searching out quality design in pet supplies.

The modern pet’s family calls on interior decorators and architects to build in pet accommodations. Home designing for dogs doesn’t have to take a lot of money or effort. It adds whimsy and functionality to your home.

Interior decorator Kristi Linauer of Waco, Tex., converted an old secretary desk into a food and water station for her two cats and dog.  The cats dine on the upper level, the dog on the lower one.  No more food stealing.

Architect Keiji Hirose of Kobe, Japan, has a firm — Fauna+Design — that specializes in designs for living with pets.  He designed a wall-to-wall cabinet in a client’s dining room that hides the resident basset hound’s crate, food and water bowls, relief station and other pet supplies.  Bill Hilgendorf and his wife Maria Cristina Rueda built a bright yellow staircase for their two cats to exercise on in their tiny apartment.