In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of people who own dogs in Toronto and the GTA, including those who live in condos. In the past three years, people have fallen in love with dogs more than ever before. And they have needs! For the condo community, more dogs can mean more challenges – along with more cute fuzzy faces and wagging tails.
Condo living often means being located in a more urban setting, which can be great for people who want easy access to amenities like parks and walking trails. Suburban condos have their own perks such as more grassy areas. Some condos have designated dog parks on the premises.
Regardless of the setting, it’s important to address the elephant in the room: dog pee accidents. While some dogs are tiny and a balcony will do, this doesn’t work for everyone (or every dog), so our schedules have to work with their bio breaks. In a perfect world owners need to get the dog out before it’s too late! That’s not always easy in this world where we are distracted and busy, and we have to design for the world we live in, not the one we wish for. It’s also where we come in as refurbishment designers.
Fortunately, many condo buildings are already taking steps to address this issue. One common solution is to replace the carpet in front of elevators with tile as part of the corridor refurbishment, as this is a high-traffic area where many dog accidents happen. Tile is easier to clean and more resistant to stains and odors than carpet, making it a more practical choice in these areas.
For buildings where carpet is the desired choice at the elevator landings, there are impermeable, fused carpets that are a kind of hybrid between broadloom and carpet tile – no liquid seeps through to the floor slab, and so clean up is a piece of cake – as long as you follow the maintenance recommendations. But any high quality carpet should be able to take a deep cleaning and last for at least 15 years with high use.
In addition to addressing the flooring challenges, condo refurbishment time is an opportunity to address other dog friendly amenities such as grooming stations and designated exits. A comprehensive condo refurbishment project can breathe new life into these spaces, creating a welcoming atmosphere for residents and their furry companions. With the expertise of a condo refurb designer who specializes in the unique requirements of pet-friendly living spaces, and a condo refurb contractor who can advise about what is possible, the transformation can be seamless and tailored to the specific needs and desires of the residents.
If you are considering condo refurbishment in Toronto or the GTA, call Folio Interiors. It is essential to collaborate with a knowledgeable and experienced team like ours that understands the condo community specifically – not just for its knowledge of trends in demographics and lifestyle, but for its experience working in the condo environment. There is no pleasing everyone, but finding that compromise requires a team that knows how to find the balance.
