Space-Saving Apartment in Japan Doubles as Purrfect Cat Playground

cat friendly apartment

When you think of a cat friendly apartment, the mental image probably isn’t pretty. Much of the feline furniture (think scratchers and perching posts) that's on the market is made from carpet that seems to clash with any decor. An airy 915 square feet (85 square meters) unit in Japan, however, defies this convention and marries beautiful interior design with the types of furnishings cats love.

Called the Nionohama Apartment, it was renovated by ALTS Design Office in order to suit the family’s lifestyle—living with a newborn. At the same time, they also had their furry friend in mind; the interior is lined with custom-built floating shelves, cabinets, and planks that allow the cat to easily traverse the perimeter of the room and survey its kingdom below.

Of course, these additions have benefits for the family as well. The design maximizes their space by thinking vertically. They’ve lined the shelves with bright flora, interesting knick knacks, and things they undoubtedly use, but don’t need all the time. For those who have a small space to work with, this is an ingenious way to utilize the entire square footage. And with these storage systems off the floor, the young family has more room to play.

The Nionohama Apartment was newly renovated, specifically for the family's feline friend.

cat friendly apartment

It's now a cat friendly apartment that allows the friendly feline to easily traverse from room to room.

cat friendly apartment

cat friendly apartment

cat friendly apartment

cat friendly apartment

cat friendly apartment

cat friendly apartment

cat friendly apartment

ALTS Design Office: Website
h/t: [Design TAXI]

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met and Manager of My Modern Met Store. She is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art where she earned her BFA in Illustration and MFA in Illustration Practice. Sara is also an embroidery illustrator and writer living in Seattle, Washington. She runs Bear&Bean, a studio where she stitches pet portraits and other beloved creatures. She chronicles the creativity of others through her website Brown Paper Bag and newsletter, Orts. Her latest book is Threads of Treasure: How to Make, Mend, and Find Meaning Through Thread, published in 2014. Sara’s work has been recognized in Be Creative With Workbox, Embroidery Magazine, American Illustration, on Iron and Wine’s album Beast Epic, among others. When she’s not stitching or writing, Sara enjoys planning things that bring together the craft community. She is the co-founder of Camp Craftaway, a day camp for crafty adults with hands-on workshops in the Seattle area.
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