When Richard and Anne De Wolf went to the animal shelter to adopt a cat some in 1993, they fell in love with an Afghan hound.
He was the most tolerant creature, Anne says of Salvador Dogi. He was at work with us every day.
So it was devastating for the De Wolfs when their beloved pet died on Christmas Day 2008. A friend hosted a wake, and 25 people attended.
Salvador Dogi and their current brood two silken windhounds, Finney and Archer, and a kitty, Maya have had a profound emotional effect on the De Wolfs, who own Arciform design/building firm. But their affection for animals is also showing up in their work. For example:
New windows in an old farmhouse were repositioned to a lower spot so the owners' dog could look outside. It looked really elegant, Richard says.
When planning cabinets for a kitchen remodel, the De Wolfs included a space for large bags of dog food. You get into your dog food twice a day; it needs to be convenient, Anne says.
In a rear entry, they added a paw-washing station. (The homeowners also use the space for potting plants.)
Yet, Richard says, the phrase pet-friendly is a euphemism. We say its for the pet, but we do it for ourselves so we don't have to look at the cheap plastic pet door; we dont have to smell the kitty litter; we dont have to look at the cat's scratching post.
Of course, this is all done in consultation with their clients.
I always start by asking what they like and dislike about their home, says Anne, who has a degree in interior design from Marylhurst University and leads the firms design work; Richard is in charge of construction. People often mention things like floors scratched by pet claws or storing unsightly bags of dog food, and that sparks a conversation.
People will design a kitchen around a turkey platter they use once a year, but won't think about storing that big bag of dog food they use every day, says Richard who, by the way, makes his dogs' food from scratch.
PET-FRIENDLY TOUCHES
Among the amenities in the De Wolfs own home:
A Dutch door that can be left open at the top to catch the summer breeze but is closed at the bottom so the dogs won't get out.
Wood floors finished with OSMO Polyx-Oil, a natural product that leaves a matte finish that helps hide scratches and pet hair.
A feeding and kitty-litter station thats out of sight inside a cedar-lined window seat.
Their European-style bed thats so low its almost level with the two doggie beds at its foot. This way the dogs can see them without being in bed with them.
Kitchens
