Living with pets: renovated house features a staircase for dogs

One dog-loving couple has taken living with their pets to an entire new level by building a staircase just for their canine companions.

And it could just be the solution to the amusing but heart-wrenching experience of seeing your pets struggling to get up the stairs. 

As a part of a home renovation in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, Joe Chikamori​, principal architect of 07Beach, designed a special, narrower staircase that runs parallel to the existing stairwell.

The pet-friendly passage with smaller steps and miniature railing is painted white along with the main stairs and walls to create a minimalist look.

Curving elegantly around the living area, the structure allows the dogs to trot more easily between the open-plan living room area and the upstairs master bedroom, complete with a doggy door. 

Mr Chikamori​ said the client was also his friend and that the special staircase was a part of a project that took 17 days to design and another 26 days for construction.

In a note to the client, he said: “I designed [the home] so that your house can represent your affection for your wife and two dogs, and I designed it with the image that this house will be like a gift to your family.”