The Property Brothers Reveal a Home Feature Every Pet-Friendly Home Must Have

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Drew and Jonathan Scott are accustomed to finding homes that suit their clients’ highly specific needs. However, in the latest episode of “Property Brothers,” the Scotts are challenged to meet the needs of some furry, four-legged clients, too.

In the episode titled “Owning an Oasis,” Las Vegas couple Mike and Sophia have a family that’s growing—by one canine member. Though they already have a dog, they’re planning on adopting another, and the small backyard they have in their rental is hardly enough space. They need to get into a new, dog-friendly home with a big backyard.

Will the brothers be able to get this couple, and their pets, into the right home—and on schedule? Here’s what they do to make this family feel right at home, and some lessons we can learn from this renovation.

Leveling the floor creates better flow

When Mike and Sophia first tour their future home, they hate the big step down from the entryway to the living space. The step is awkward, so Jonathan decides to raise the floor of the living room to give the house a better flow.

Sure enough, Jonathan’s plan works. With the floor raised and the rooms level, the former living room, now dining room, doesn’t feel so strangely separated from the rest of the house.

When Sophia and Mike finally see the finished product, they love the change.

“This works a lot better,” Sophia says.

An updated fireplace makes all the difference

A fireplace will usually add value to a home, but most buyers probably wouldn’t be too excited about the outdated fireplace that comes in Mike and Sophia’s new home.

With light brown tile and shiny black doors, the fireplace drags the whole house back to the 1980s. Luckily, Jonathan knows just how to fix it up. He changes out the dated tile with some geometric gray and white tile and puts in a larger mantel.

And in the end it’s all worth it.

“The fireplace really turned out well,” Mike says. “I love the big mantel, and even the tile work is really cool.”

This fireplace’s white and gray tile is modern and chic.

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Tile is perfect for pet-friendly floors

So what’s the one thing every pet-friendly home must have? Floors that can withstand the scratching of a dog’s nails! Jonathan knows the house’s original dark hardwood floors aren’t going to work, so he replaces this surface with porcelain floor tiles with a wood-grain finish.

“I love these floors because they look beautiful,” Jonathan says. “They bring the warmth of hardwood, but they are completely puppy-proof and they will last forever.”

These floors are not only puppy-approved, but they also look great!

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Skip the shower door

To stay on budget, Jonathan looks for ways Mike and Sophia can save during renovation. One spot where he sees money-saving potential is the shower door, or lack thereof.

Instead of installing a shower door, Jonathan suggests simply putting in a fixed glass panel. He explains that this glass wall would keep the water from leaking onto the floor just as well as a traditional door, but would save the couple about $800 to $1,000. They agree to try it.

By the time the shower is finished, it’s clear the couple made the right choice. Not only is the shower functional, but it also looks great.

“You don’t need to have a door when a shower is this big,” Drew says, “and it’s actually more stylish to have that open flow to the shower.”

This shower is stylish and cost-effective.

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Wall-mounted faucets are less expensive than free-standing styles

Sophia and Mike’s master bathroom needs some serious work—and part of that means a new bathtub.

They decide on a modern, free-standing tub with a free-standing faucet, but they later change their mind. When Jonathan points out that a wall-mounted faucet would be less expensive than the free-standing one, Mike and Sophia decide to take his advice. They choose a faucet with a brushed-gold finish, and the result gives a lot of character to the room.

“Going with a wall-mounted faucet is saving them money but not sacrificing style,” Jonathan says.

These gold fixtures look great over the modern tub.

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A kitchen island trumps a peninsula

Sophia and Mike’s home comes with a strange kitchen feature: a peninsula. It has an unsightly rock design, and it takes up a lot of space. So of course, the Scott brothers plan on taking the peninsula out and replacing it with an island.

When the work is done, Drew admires the now more open space.

“You don’t need to block off a walking path,” he says, “This is better flow overall.”

Mike and Sophia are also pleasantly surprised by the finished product.

“This kitchen is really exactly what we needed,” Mike says.

While a peninsula doesn’t leave much room for walking around, this island leaves plenty of space

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Transom windows add more light

French doors may brighten a house, but Jonathan has an idea to make these stylish doors even better: He adds a transom window above the doors.

“It’ll just let in even more light, and it raises the height of the doors,” Jonathan says.

Of course, the result is beautiful. Paired with floor-to-ceiling curtains, these doors are perfect in this space, and the extra window brightens the space up even more.

These French doors, with a transom window on top, let in plenty of natural light.

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Do the Scott brothers deliver?

With a great living space, a gorgeous kitchen, and a stylish master bathroom, it’s hard not to be impressed once the brothers have finished their work. And sure enough, Mike and Sophia are excited.

“This is stunning,” Sophia says upon seeing the interior.

Mike is excited, too, saying, “This is just amazing.”

In the end, it’s the perfect home for this couple—and their pets.

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