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26 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | October 2015 L ions and tigers and bears, umm no, but it's likely that you'll come across dogs, cats, fsh, birds or even a snake or two on your upcoming projects. Pet owner- ship is on the rise in the U.S., and pet features are showing up in remodels everywhere. In fact, they showed up in the top 10 trends in the 2015 NKBA National Kitchen & Bath Style Report. "The increasing amount of money spent on pet care and pet products tells us that people want to provide them with comfort features like never before," notes John Troxell, director of design for Wood-Mode Fine Custom Cabinetry. Manufacturers, contractors, build- ers and designers are all taking note. "The American Pet Products Asso- ciation puts this industry spending at over $58 billion annually," adds Troxell. While much of that money goes toward Fido's collar or Mufy's fea powder, some is being invested in pet features for the home. And that trend is likely to continue growing. SCOPE OF TREND According to the same APPA survey that Troxell quoted, the $58 million in 2014 was $17 million in 1994. Part of the explosive growth is due to more households taking on pets, part is due to households adding a second or third animal, and part is due to attitude changes about pets being family members rather than property. APPA says that close to 68 percent of Americans now have pets and 70 per- cent of prospective homebuyers do. That 70 percent is a signifcant num- ber for any professional working in the residential construction industry. Pet ownership is a driving factor in home ownership. Put another way, the dream home often comes with a picket-fenced yard for the fam- ily dog. National builder PulteGroup spokeswoman Valerie Dolenga shares, "First-time buyers say pets provide a compelling reason to buy, and many say the dream of owning a pet was a signifcant motivator in their new home purchase." It may also factor into remodeling purchases, both for new pets and the changing needs of existing ones. BEYOND THE BASICS Yvette Gonzales, president of the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS) and the owner of As You Wish Pet Sitters in Highlands Ranch, CO, has seen numerous pet- related remodeling features in her 11-year practice: "I have seen what I call 'raw kitchens' where the cli- ent keeps and prepares the animal's [raw food diet including fresh meat]. I've heard of people incorporating the animal's crate into the cabine- try of their laundry room. [We have] clients who are building an entire kit- ten wing in their new house, which Trend Spotting By Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS Pet Features Trending Photos: Wood-Mode Fine Custom Cabinetry Wood-Mode promoted its new Pet Parlor and pet charity tie-in at KBIS. This kitchen sink accommodates large pet bathing with a special faucet. Many pet features include custom built-ins.