Barkingham Palace? British firm makes luxury homes for pampered pooches
British company touts doghouses that match owners’ lifestyles of the rich and famous
T he regal Great Dane requires a manor for its aristocratic stance. The fussy visage of a Standard poodle begs for air conditioning and good lighting. And the devoted Labrador retriever would certainly appreciate a conference calling system to chat with its owners at the drop of a paw.
Pet owners will tell you that nothing’s too good for their loving fur babies. We shop for bedazzled collars and fine wool winter sweaters, and we carry bags of treats everywhere to continually remind our four-legged friends that they’re ever-so-loved.
Texans take it to another level in everything they do, so it will be interesting to see if they give their Gucci-clad pooches a mansion of his or her own.
This month, British company Hecate Verona launches its exclusive line of luxury dog homes with smart-house technology, ready to ship anywhere in the world. The houses come with heating and air conditioning, indoor/ outdoor lighting, cameras, food and water feeding systems, along with treat dispensers,
sound systems, TVs and the ability to connect with their owners for a bark-talk chat whenever they need a warm fuzzy.
And for all of that, these doghouses will cost a fair amount of kibble — $40,000 to $200,000, depending on size and swank.
At a time when homes of the rich and famous are designed with
climate-controlled wine rooms, massive kitchens, glorious game rooms, polo fields, bowling alleys and in-home theaters, why not?
Hecate Verona creative director Alice Williams says her firm’s new products tap into our love for fine living.
“Why wouldn’t a dog house be as elegant and beautiful as its owner’s?” Williams asks. “What if it had miniature engravings, windows, doors all in proportion with the doghouse?”
Of course this assumes dog owners want their pets out of the home, not in it. Maybe it’s so they have a nice place to go when we run out to a Pilates class or a bit of couture shopping. Or slip out for a weekend in the Hamptons.
Hecate Verona’s doghouses are, indeed, custom homes designed by architects. They’re divided into bedrooms and living rooms, with windows fitted to the dog’s height for panoramic outdoor views. Materials include beech, oak and larch hardwoods, as well as marble and dolomite stone. Interior walls are water and moisture resistant, so there will be no musty or moldy smells.
These are substantial structures, weighing 1,400 to 3,100 pounds and requiring a two- to four-month construction phase.
So if you thought that nice monogrammed pet bed would make Fifi feel special, think again. Baby wants her own pad.