Give your pets their dream sanctuary
Mihai, KC and Chuihua of Uncommon Goods in Singapore will make it for you
Is it weird to want to give your pets the world? No?
Or maybe “the world” is just too ambitious and unrealistic. We can start with good food, attention, lots of cuddles and…
A well-designed hangout, I’m thinking. The best pet furniture that fully meets their needs (and quirks). A true pet abode that’s made just for them.
We want them to feel comfortable at all times, right? I don’t think that’s too much to ask, do you? In fact, I’d love for all pets to have exactly this – their own cosy house inside the house. Their own little world, even.
See? It’s possible. Kind of.
If you feel the same, there are shops with services that can make this pet project a reality.
If you’re in Singapore, there’s Uncommon Goods.
Led by three
Established in mid-2021, Uncommon Goods is run by friends Mihai Szabo, KC and Chuihua. Together, they use their skills and background in design, cabinetry and carpentry to create one-of-a-kind homes, furniture and safe spaces for pets. Their animal clients include dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and birds.
Oh, and they hold woodworking classes too. (It’s like this, they tell us: Mihai is the founder of Little People Woodworks, which “focuses on designing, building and installing customised furniture”; KC is the founder of Uncommon Goods, which “focuses on conducting woodworking classes, and helping people design and build their own projects”; while Chuihua is the “manager of odds and ends on both sides”.)
And it works: Through their collaborations at Uncommon Goods, pets get carpentry services meant specially for them, which can sometimes be hard to find – and humans get woodworking lessons, which can also sometimes be hard to find. It’s a win and a cool thing to have for both.
A sample
We have three, actually. It’s amazing how far (and how cute) one can go to create a unique piece or station to ensure their pet’s well-being. Because ultimately that’s the most important thing. For pet owners, at least.
Just look at Mihai, KC and Chuihua’s personal favourite projects for proof.
#1 Zuko’s ramen shop
“Zuko is a Shiba Inu for whom I designed a house and an agility station,” KC relates.
“When I took on the project, I thought, wow! A Shiba! The theme has to be Japanese. The owner gave us the dimensions for the space in her home, and I was given free rein for the design. Immediately, I drew inspiration from my travels in Japan and decided on a ramen shop theme for Zuko.
“The detailed artwork is definitely one of the key highlights of the project, from the customised noren banner with Zuko’s name, to the cushion with a Shiba design, to the handwritten menu, to the bluish-grey roof and design accessories.
“I also created a top lid cover so that Zuko’s humans can easily open the box and clean the house. Small storage units are built in the steps on the side to store Zuko’s toys and blankets.”
#2 Chopin’s cat run
“Chopin, a Maine Coon, is definitely one of the friendliest, most people-oriented cats I’ve ever met,” Mihai says.
“Creating a cat run for him is one of my favourite projects, not just because of the challenge of designing for a big cat (they can easily grow up to 80cm!), but because of the design of the cat run. Chopin’s owners like curved and cloud shapes, so the final result has an interesting look.
“I designed a continuous cat run around the room where Chopin plays, with different shelves and modules to create more interesting experiences for the cat. There’s a cloud-shaped platform where he can perch and spy on the humans below, a curved cat house for him to hide, and an S-shaped ramp to create some gradient in the cat run.
“One of my favourite works is a pair of small bookcases that double as cat shelves for Chopin.”
#3 The duo trees at The Luxe Meownor
As Mihai and KC explain: “The Luxe Meownor is a special project for us. Brenda, the owner, is a cat rescuer – a cause near to our hearts – and this hotel is one way for her and her community to continue their rescue work.
“The furniture was created through a close collaborative process with Brenda. She gave us her sketches and ideas for each room, and we helped her realise her vision, with lots of problem-solving along the way. For two of the rooms, she gave us free play to design. In one room, she asked for a natural cat tree, and in the other, it was a blank slate.”
“I enjoy using natural branches to create furniture,” Mihai adds, “and since Uncommon Goods started, we have been sourcing branches gradually to build up a collection.
“Every branch has its own unique twists, turns and curves, and creating something with them is a process that I really like.
“So when Brenda said she would like a natural tree in one of the rooms, I knew which branch would fit immediately – this starfruit branch that dips and reaches to one side. And of course, Brenda chose that branch for the room.
“One of the highlights for me is making this small rustic ladder tucked behind the cat tree for the cat to climb up the tree. My family cat used to climb up our ladder to the attic all the time, so that is in a way a small tribute to it.”
“For designers, such opportunities are rare, where owners allow designers creative control,” KC remarks.
“With Mihai’s natural tree in the adjacent room, I decided to create a modern interpretation of a cat tree as a counterpoint. Inspired by the silhouette of our local raintrees, I designed the tree’s outline on the wall, with solid cherry shelves for the cat’s journey. The cherry colour accents really made a difference to the effect.
“For the cat houses, I took inspiration from the geometry of The Luxe Meownor’s shophouse location, and created boxes with slats that play with the lines and light.
“For the final playful touch, I added a couple of birds and a squirrel to complete the look of a garden in a room.”
Kindred spirits
I have to say, it’s good to have pet resources like these.
“All of us are or have been pet owners, so we know the frustrations of getting safe, well-designed pet furniture to meet the needs of our pets,” Chuihua says.
“Given that the majority of pet owners in Singapore live in apartments, good pet furniture is one way to help alleviate the psychological stress and boredom of urban life for domesticated animals.”
Intrigued? Here are just some of the things the team keeps in mind before and when their project with you begins:
#1 With the owners
“For example, we need to know which spaces in the home pet owners want to reserve for their pets, and help them assess if those areas are suitable,” Chuihua says.
“We also try to integrate features to help them clean the pet furniture more easily, and where possible, include small storage areas for display or for keeping their pets’ items, such as brushes or treats.
“Sometimes we get owners with a specific design theme in mind, so we would collaborate with them to co-create and develop the design.”
#2 With the pets
Chuihua cites “their specific behavioural needs” as a factor.
“We also try to understand the animals’ preferences from the owners. For example, if you have a dog who likes to jump on sofas, then a house with a platform where the dog could rest on would likely be a hit with the dog.”
Are you brimming with ideas? Because now it’s your turn. Here are some of the things you need to share with the team to help them prepare, create and customise your pet furniture:
#1 Your pet’s details
“We need to know the type and number of animals they have, their sizes, and their quirks and likes or dislikes,” Chuihua says.
“What works for one dog or cat may not work for another. In some projects, we have tiny cats; in others, the cats are too big to fit into your regular off-the-shelf cat condo. So giving us a brief of the end-user is very useful to get us thinking about the project.”
#2 Your pet’s space
“We also need to understand which areas in the home are marked by the owner for the pets, and having the plan or drawing is useful. For owners who want a specific look or feel for the pet furniture, we need sample images to get a sense of their design preferences.”
#3 Your budget
“Most importantly, we need to know what the budget of the owner is! We tend to get carried away with proposing designs, so it takes some effort to remind ourselves that we should design and build within the client’s budget,” he admits.
“I would say the process is quite collaborative, as we would need rounds of reiteration to figure out what would work for both pet and humans, and balance the various concerns of space, practicality, design requirements and budget.”
Case in point
Going back to “specific behavioural needs”, because I feel like we can’t stress it enough: Breeds and species may share similarities, but we always have to remember that each animal still has a distinct personality. It’s the reason why we order custom.
What other types have the team come across that influenced how they designed a piece?
• Cats
“Designing for pets can get quite complex and tricky,” Chuihua says.
“First, you need to consider the species and animal type. We are not animal behaviourists, so much of what we know is based on first-hand experience with animals, second-hand information from pet owners, and pet forums or books (ha!).
“Generally, the type of animal already pre-determines what should be designed. Cats like to climb, perch, hide, spy and scratch. That is their nature as predators. So pet furniture that allows all of these behaviours to be exercised is important in keeping them engaged psychologically and physically.
“But that’s just the starting point. When you start to design for specific animals, it becomes more challenging. For example, one of our first projects was to design a cat gym for five cats, all of them with different needs and preferences.
“One cat, Honey, loves soft surfaces, so we designed a hammock for her to snuggle in. Another male cat fancies himself her knight, and likes to be near her. She puts up with him sometimes and gets annoyed other times. So we created two perches near Honey’s hammock, so that he could be near her and get away safely if she gets upset.
“Another cat, our favourite, is a three-legged cat. That doesn’t stop him from staking out his territory and exploring the cat wall. He also gets competitive with another male cat in the house, so we built two cat houses at a height to limit the competition for the top perches.”
• Rabbits
“Rabbits are prey animals, and in their natural habitats, burrowing and digging are what keep them active and happy,” Chuihua observes.
“So what works for them are tunnels and boxes to mimic rabbit burrows and warrens, with multiple entrances and exits to be comforting.
“The project that got us on rabbits was for a bunny named Babat. Babat’s owner contacted us, suggesting that we look into building modular rabbit systems since most of what is available locally is actually unsafe for rabbits. Most are made of cardboard, and can make rabbits very ill if they chew on them. So building a system for Babat was a learning journey. For example, we learnt that removable bases are important for rabbit furniture, so that owners can easily clean up if the rabbit chooses to pee or poop in their warrens.”
Next up
Given what Uncommon Goods can do, maybe we can hope for something out-of-this-world for their next project then? A huge castle? An actual tree house?
Just kidding. (Or are we? You could be the client they’ve been waiting for to ask for these.)
If there were no limitations, if the sky’s the limit, and if they can let their imagination run wild, who knows?
“There are too many! Mihai has been wanting to build a Tiong Bahru walk-up flat-inspired cat station sketched out as an idea by one of our friends, an architect,” Chuihua answers.
“KC is still designing a Gothic-themed cat tree using this salvaged trunk of a felled Juniper tree we found. We also wanted to create this miniature cat-sized dollhouse for a client complete with details such as beds and chandeliers, so that would have been quite exciting. Sadly, the owner opted for another simpler design instead!
“Besides pet furniture, Mihai and KC also have their own dream projects that they want to embark on, if they ever get a break in between projects and woodworking classes – such as an apocalyptic-themed lab bench that is actually a plant station.”
Now who wouldn’t want to see that?
Find Uncommon Goods here and on Facebook and Instagram.
Wood care
The team is proud to use materials such as:
#1 A variety of plywood
“Birch ply remains our favourite because of its low emissions of formaldehyde (some plywoods and engineered wood have higher ratings of formaldehyde), and it is a strong, sturdy, beautiful ply with great technical specifications. Another ply we use occasionally is marine ply if the project is meant to encounter occasional weather elements, e.g. if it is located in an exposed balcony.”
#2 Solid wood
“We use solid wood as well in some of our projects, and as far as we can, we try to use locally harvested wood. For example, we get some of our solid wood from local timber yard, Timber Actually, as they turn locally felled trees into planks.
“African mahogany is a particularly beautiful wood that we like. We also source for natural branches pruned from local trees and turn them into cat trees or home furniture.”
#3 Coatings
“We try as best as possible to use water-based coatings to protect our works – water-based because they are low in or have no VOC (volatile organic compounds), which makes them great for animals and kids. We also use varnishes and oils for solid wood, but those would require a longer time to cure and be done with VOC emissions.”
Looking after your pet furniture can be simple and straightforward.
“We actually give our clients a care document so that they know how to take care of their furniture! We mainly use birch plywood in our works; with care, they can easily last 20 years,” Chuihua maintains.
“So the thing to watch out for is to make sure there is no prolonged water contact, and that water is promptly cleaned off. We use a no-VOC water-based coating for the furniture, so regular recoating goes a long way in protecting the wood.”
Photos by Uncommon Goods/Little People Woodworks