Before and After: A $30 Cabinet Hack That’s Purr-fect for Cat Owners
Attention, pet parents: If you love to DIY and you love your furry friend, don’t forget to design and upcycle with them in mind. To get your creativity flowing, check out this DIYed mid-century-style litter box, this royal setup for a pet bunny, or this office bench that has room for a furry coworker for stylish inspiration for how to make your pet feel at home.
And cat parents, add Lauren Hood (@ourfawncollective)’s $30 cabinet flip to your inspiration board, too. Lauren was facing a problem that many cat owners face: “Although I love my cat, Louis, I do not love having a litter box out for everyone to see,” she says. Lauren was previously keeping his litter box in the bathroom, but wanted a better fix.
Enter the perfect solution: a cabinet she purchased on AptDeco (she purchased a set of two for $200) that was “the perfect size to hold his box and that could make a functional and beautiful solution in my new home,” Lauren says.
Lauren took a few hours over two or three weekends converting one of the cabinets into a litter box hideaway for Louis. She removed the shelf from the inside, cut an opening on the left side of the cabinet for Louis to climb in and out, placed a rubber mat and the litter box and scoop inside, and voila!
“I was able to complete it myself with a jig saw, sander, some black paint, and a clear coat,” Lauren says. (For a list of pet-safe paint recommendations, click here; Lauren said she didn’t paint the inside of the cabinet out of extra caution for Louis.)
Lauren says the process went smoothly for a first-time DIY and that she was surprised by how effective adding clear coat was. “I did a little research online to find a good option and applied three coats; it made the piece feel so much more durable,” she says.
The best part, though, is that Louis was an instant fan: Lauren says once everything was dry and set up, he started using his new litter box right away.
“Once I got the decor on top, it felt like the first ‘finished’ corner of our house,” Lauren says. “This was my first major furniture flip, and I’m so pleased with how it turned out! It really made me motivated to tackle some other pieces I’ve been a little nervous to start on.”
Inspired? Submit your own project here.