Custom Dog Feeding Station Ikea Hack

Of all the things I've made for my dogs this was one of my favorites! My house flooded during Hurricane Harvey and as I was planning the repairs I decided I wanted to build the house back better than it was before. One thing I knew I wanted to incorporate was a built in dog feeding station. Since I had to tear out the drywall this provided a unique opportunity. With the water pipes exposed, it was relatively easy to add plumbing for a built in water fountain! Since the refrigerator hook up was right beside the planned location, I was able to branch out from that for the doggie water fountain. I decided I wanted the actual spout inside the cabinet but the handle to turn the water on/off above the cabinet so the dogs couldn't accidentally turn it on and flood my house! Here is what the plumbing looks like.

With that step complete, I turned to Ikea for cabinets. When looking at the available options I knew I wanted a drawer on the top and bottom. Here is what the installed cabinet looks like without any drawers.

Having a drawer on the bottom was important for a variety of reasons. First, it elevated the bowls which reduced strain on my dog's neck while eating and drinking. Additionally, a drawer would allow me to add a countertop surface so that the bowls could be sunken in. One of the great things about Ikea cabinets is that they are extremely customizable. I was able to buy a standard existing cabinet, the size drawers that I wanted and due to the modular nature of Ikea cabinets, the holes were already in place such that I could easily install the drawers on the top and bottom. I used extra countertop material I had from the rest of my kitchen and cut it to size such that it could fit inside the cabinet and cut two holes for their food and water bowl. I then applied a water proof membrane on the inside of the holes to prevent any water damage. I then used brackets and 4x4 pieces to prop up the countertop inside the drawer and this is the final result.

One of the steps I hadn't accounted for was that the spout I had purchased did not extend far enough for the water to reach the bowl! Luckily, that was easily remedied by using a faucet extender originally meant for children. Here you can see Luna enjoying her new feeding station, where the cabinet sits within the kitchen(on the right) and a video of it in action.