Where Do the Rich Put Their Kitty Boxes?

Dispelling the myth of clutterless kitchens and cable-free living rooms

The question about kitty boxes is a little misleading, although I am going to show you some cool ways people are concealing their cat bathrooms. My main point is about the disconnect between well-designed interiors and life’s more unattractive necessities.

The fact is that most high-perfection homes you see are in print, digital spaces, or film—magazines, art books, Instagram, HGTV shows—and the bad stuff is edited out. The seemingly perfect homes you actually visit have very likely been cleaned aggressively before your arrival.

There are good reasons we expect interiors in magazines and design websites to look perfect. Interior design is an art form and as such, it should be curated for maximum impact just as an exhibit would be in a museum or gallery. When you walk into an upscale shop, you enjoy its carefully styled vignettes and are stimulated by the harmonious bounty.

No one is impressed with clutter and chaos.

Houzz reveals kitty box solutions that require modifying or redesigning cabinet space. Apparently the latest cat door trend is to make cute shapes like this one. (Photo: Houzz)

The darker side of perfectly curated spaces is the frustration we have knowing that our own home looks nothing like them. Call it social media-induced inadequacy, FOMO, or an inferiority complex, we react to our reality in ways that don’t help our joy levels at all. No matter how smart we are about the artificial nature of a staged home, it doesn’t always stifle the small voice inside whining, “Why can’t my home look like that?”

When this happens, just remember that the only way to maintain a perfectly composed home is if:

1. You don’t have any excess furniture, books, or clothing

2. You are childless

3. You are wealthy enough to have space for all your possessions and well-designed storage

4. You are an OCD type who spends hours every day cleaning and putting everything back where it belongs

I do know people in all of these categories but since none of them apply to me I need to find my own way. Not by dismissing their success but by recognizing the rich life I have, the benefits of which often eclipse the “no kitty box in sight” prize.

And by the way, I do not imply you must be wealthy to have a beautiful home. I’m simply acknowledging that many significant home improvements, like the kitty box storage ideas shown here, involve modifying your home, whether it’s cabinets or enclosed space underneath a staircase. That means you not only own your home, you also have the discretionary income to make structural changes. These things are out of reach for many people.

This high-end laundry room not only has a built-in pet washing station, but it also hides a cat bathroom directly underneath. Better hope the dogs and the cats get along. (Photo: Houzz)

What it takes to stage a home

Between my years as a photostylist and acting as my own home stager, I know pretty well what lengths you must go to to make an ordinary house look extraordinarily good.

About one-quarter of your furniture—especially the small stuff—needs to disappear. Cords and electronic devices must be completely hidden or put away. One framed photo instead of five. Ample negative space in your bookshelves. Mismatched rugs: out. Calendars, poster art, indoor twinkly lights: out. Remove shoes, coats, keys, shopping bags, sports bottles, the weekly pileup of mail—everything must go.

Kitty box contained in a cabinet beneath the staircase. (Photo: House and Garden)

To make yourself feel better, keep in mind that once the cameras go away or the open house is over, all that stuff comes creeping back. And in photos and videos like what you see on Instagram, only the best angles are captured. You’re not getting the mudroom debacle and that is very intentional.

A modernist interior designer in China came up with this cat box concealment that is part of a shoe cabinet. (Photo: Abso Studio for Ca Wen Studio)

There are fun ways to teach yourself the artful techniques of making a nice home even nicer. Try taking on a small piece of your home environment and improve on it. Whether it’s moving the kitty box into an underutilized closet or reorganizing the furniture to encourage nightly interaction with your kids (or favorite books), you will love how significant these domestic accomplishments can be.

Don’t forget to take a picture of it.