Stylish Dog Crate Solutions: DIY Ideas and Ready-Made Options

This post was inspired by a reader who was struggling to make her dog crate blend with her home decor. We brainstormed some practical and attractive solutions, came up with a simple DIY approach of our own, and looked around for crate options that are already designed to look at home in stylish interiors.

First, a quick look at our personal setup. We happen to have an empty guest-room closet and a very small dog, so we slide the crate inside the closet and leave the door open when our pup is relaxing. The crate stays discreet yet accessible, and the closet door keeps things tidy when the crate isn’t being used. This approach won’t work for every home, but it’s a great reminder that thinking vertically and using unused spaces can make a crate feel integrated rather than intrusive:

For those who don’t have a spare closet or who use a larger crate, a skirted dog crate that doubles as a side table is an elegant and practical solution. Fabric slipcovers designed to wrap around a crate are widely available, but this is also a very approachable DIY project for anyone comfortable with basic sewing or upholstery. Choose a fabric that complements your bedroom, living room, or wherever the crate lives, and you can significantly reduce the visual impact of the crate while making the area feel cohesive.

If sewing isn’t your thing, a local tailor or seamstress can create a custom cover to match your decor. Inside the crate, a coordinating pillow or cushion adds comfort and pulls the look together. For a more polished finishing touch, lay a stained or painted piece of plywood cut to the crate’s dimensions across the top to create a small tabletop. This surface can hold a lamp, a plant, or a few decorative objects, turning the crate into a functional piece of furniture beside a bed or sofa.

When designing a skirted cover, consider practicality as well as style. Add a discreet fabric flap or panel to serve as an entry point for your dog, or leave the opening visible but angled to be less prominent. Choose durable, washable fabrics for easy maintenance, and consider using Velcro or snaps for panels that need to be removed for cleaning.

For those who prefer to buy rather than make, there are attractive, furniture-quality crates on the market that are already built to blend with home interiors. These options often use wood or wood-style finishes and are designed to look like cabinets or side tables, removing the need to disguise a crate entirely. They tend to cost more than a basic metal or plastic crate, but they also serve as long-term furniture investments that can remain stylish for years.

When evaluating ready-made crates, prioritize dimensions that suit your dog’s size, ventilation and safety, easy access for cleaning and bedding changes, and a finish that works with your existing furnishings. A well-chosen crate can be both a comfortable den for your pet and a tasteful element of your room’s design.

We hope these ideas inspire you to give your pup’s space a makeover that feels like part of your home. Whether you choose a DIY skirted cover, a closet-hiding trick, or a furniture-style crate, a little creativity goes a long way. We’d love to see before-and-after photos of your transformations, ideally with your dog happily posing in their upgraded quarters.