Pet Palaces

Alice Williams, creative director at Hecate Verona, based in London, creates dog houses fit for canine kings. These abodes range in price from the $40,000 Colonial Villa to the outrageously extravagant $200,000 Colonial Villa Grand. โ€œThese masterpieces are designed for those customers who appreciate quality and beauty, similar to other handmade products such as furniture, cars and yachts,โ€ says Williams.

It took three years of development for Hecate Verona to complete its first dog house, because so much planning went into it. โ€œArchitects are accustomed to working with residential house proportions and choosing materials from already established solutions,โ€ says Williams. โ€œCreating and building a dog house with all its miniature components and materials that align together proportionately and accurately is complicated, time consuming and hard work.โ€

HecateVerona-Colonial-front-brown-dog

The dog houses are divided into two rooms: a bedroom and living room, with the latter giving panoramic views of the outside. โ€œWindows have been lowered accordingly to the dogโ€™s height which gives the dog a clear view of the surroundings and its territory,โ€ says Williams. It takes about four months to make each custom-designed house (nothing is off-the-rack). There is a range of amenities customers can add, including heating, air conditioning, indoor and outdoor lighting, cameras, food and water feeding systems, treat dispensers, sound systems, TV sets and a conference calling system where the dog and its owner can communicate with each other.

Spanish-Palacio-3D

The designers follow architectural themes depending on the market. โ€œIn California, for example, we created a Spanish style dog mansion. In the UK, the colonial style is quite popular,โ€ says Williams. For flooring, customers may request hardwoods (beech, oak, larch), as well as natural stone, such as marble and dolomite. Interior walls are water and moisture resistant. โ€œThe terrace and shelter have been coated with weather resistant and scratch resistant Line-x alloy mixture, that is easy to clean and durable against dog scratches,โ€ explains Williams.

The target audience for the dogs are upscale dog lovers who want only the finest for their furry friends, says Williams: โ€œWe have built a beautiful and elegant product that is also practical. This house will become his personal palace, his safe, quiet spot for when he needs a break from visitors at your house.โ€
Pet Palaces

 

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