A NORTH East housing development has taken canine comfort to the extreme – by creating a special pet friendly feature in one of its newest show houses. And the hope is that animal lovers will find the designated doggy space just one of the many reasons to buy on the Miller Homes Longshore Village site at Blyth, Northumberland.

The company recently opened the four bedroom, detached Sherwood show home which has interiors inspired by its coastal location – an added bonus for walking pets.

Miller Homes worked alongside Newcastle-based Q Interiors to come up with the perfect place for the family pooch – in the open space beneath the stairs which not only has been created with easy clean tiles but also has space for a dog bed and toys.

The team used research which showed that dogs find being in the vicinity of their owner rewarding and so the close proximity to the main family areas of the house results in a happy pet.

Karen Randles, senior interior designer at Q Interiors said it was an important factor to design a place which the pet could call their own.

“Gone are the days when dogs were relegated to the utility room or a kennel outside, so we wanted to give them a dedicated space where they felt included and part of the family, but also safe and secure,” she said.

“It was important that the space was near the front door of the home, where a dog can relax but still feel like they are protecting the property.”

Karen believes utilising this area in this way is a great use of the space.

“Under the stairs can often become a dumping ground for all sorts of clutter,” she said.

Designing this area allowed us to be playful, while still making strategic choices to make the most of the space at hand.

“The shape of the area, with its sloping ceiling and three enclosed sides, is very comforting for a dog as smaller spaces help them relaxed and feel safe, especially if there is a lot going in the home with children or other pets.

Having their own space to retreat to gives them some peace and can stop anxious behaviours like barking. The room includes a wicker bed with washable pillow and an aesthetically pleasing basket for toys, as well as practicalities such as food bowls and hooks for leads and harnesses.”

Miller Homes has also created a number of incentives available in January to help people secure their new homes on the estate.

Details are available at

https://www.millerhomes.co.uk/new-homes/north-east/south-newsham-blythe.aspx

Aisling Ramshaw, sales director at Miller Homes North East, added that the inclusion of the dog “home” also highlighted the versatility of the new properties.

“This new development is a fantastic location, right by the sea but with easy access to Newcastle and the wider Northumberland area,” she said.

“We create homes for every member of the family – and that includes much loved pets. We hope visitors to the show house will be inspired how this could work for them.”

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