During our kitchen renovation, the sheltered area we had used for our dogs’ raised bowls was taken over for more storage. We have two large golden retrievers—rescue dogs Cody and Jake—who eat best when using a raised bowl. Since their bowls would now be out in plain view at the end of a cabinet run in the kitchen, I decided a built-in dog bowl set would keep everything neat and tidy. I designed a three-bowl, pie-shaped, 12-in.-high stand to accommodate two food bowls and one water bowl, with a faucet directly above.

While the design was mine, I went to a longtime acquaintance, Bob Stafford, a builder I have worked with who also occasionally provides steel components to kitchen designers; he agreed to produce the design. The dog-bowl stand had to fit several criteria: It had to fit exactly within the cabinet width; it had to accommodate standard stainless-steel dog bowls purchased in any pet shop; and it had to be securely anchored, but also able to come apart easily for cleaning, including underneath the raised pie-shaped section. Finally, the new faucet had to be located directly over the center water bowl, and swivel away so that the bowl could be removed easily for washing.

Bob was able to accommodate all of my requests. I smile every time I use the convenient faucet to fill up the water bowl. The bowls sit in their openings, held in place by the bowl lips. The stand comes apart simply by removing the bowls and several screws, then sliding the stand off its mount. The entire area below is empty, which makes for easy cleaning. The design works great, and I wouldn’t change a thing.

Photo: Terri J. Cummings