![LACK Wall shelf - white 11 3/4x10 1/4 \](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1633020796-lack-wall-shelf-white__0675547_pe718390_s5.jpg?crop=0.651xw:0.651xh;0.176xw,0&resize=980:* "LACK Wall shelf - white 11 3/4x10 1/4 \")
When designer Tammer Hijazi and his wife, Caitlin Mociun, started talking about getting a Bengal cat, they found themselves falling down a rabbit hole of design requirements. "From all the research we did about the breed, it seemed as if these cats were going to be bouncing off the walls, and they loved having high places to jump to and whatnot," recalls Hijazi, a partner at Bower Studios. A standard beige cat tree was not going to cut it, but designing and fabricating custom shelves just for the soon-to-arrive cat seemed... a bit of a stretch. So Hijazi took matters into his own hands and decided to create a hacked version some using a set of floating IKEA shelves.
Nevermind that the cat, Cleo, turns out to prefer burrowing in a pile of dirty laundry to pouncing from shelf to shelf overhead. ("Tip for designing for pet: Meet your pet first and find out what they like," says Hijazi.) The install turned out beautifully and saved the couple both time and money. Here's how Hijazi pulled the look together, in case you're looking to upgrade from a pet-store cat tree—and already know that your cat loves bouncing around above eye level!
- Buy Pre-Made Floating Shelves "I purchased the longest floating shelves you can get from IKEA," says Hijazi. "It was a time-saver." Check the weight maximum before purchasing so you know your pet can safely climb onto them.
- Cut Them to Fit Your Space The sliver of wall that Hijazi selected was narrow and ended at two corners. He trimmed the shelves so they would stagger slightly on the wall. This is what makes them look so custom, and allows Cleo to hop from one to the other. (Hijazi used a doweling jig to precisely line them up, too.)
- Hang Them Up! Mount shelves according to the brand's directions, taking care to make sure they're super secure for the safety of your pet.
- (Optional) Add a Cover If you really want to pamper your pet, protect their paws (and the shelves's surfaces!) by adding a cushy faux fur throw.
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Amanda Sims Clifford is the executive editor at House Beautiful. She oversees content creation for the brand on all platforms. She formerly held editorial positions at Architectural Digest, launching the brand's Millennial-focused blog Clever, and at Food52, where she served as the founding editor of the design department. She is based in New York.
