PAW SEASONS

TREAT YOUR POOCH TO A HAMPTONS HOTELINSPIRED RETREAT: A LUXURY DEN FOR THEM THAT ALSO LOOKS GOOD IN YOUR HOME

Project and photography

RYLIE MAYFOSH

Rylie, Bunnings Workshop member

window bars was not as difficult as it looks, he says: “The secret is to drill the holes at the top of the window frame deeper than the base.”

Rylie has the skills to build the cabinet and door from scratch and his finished cabinet measures 1100mm wide and 650mm deep, with a 40mm-thick benchtop making it a standard kitchen counter height of 900mm. However, pretty much any kind of cabinet could be upcycled as a den – just make sure that the proportions are appropriate for the size and habits of your pet, and reinforce the structure if necessary so it’s sturdy enough for the task.

Here’s how you can re-create Rylie’s warm-toned timber benchtop, a cute viewing window and clever slidingdoor mechanism. Finish with petfriendly water-based, low-VOC paint, tinted in store in a colour to suit your interior scheme.

Tools & materials

n Safety equipment (gloves, ear and eye protection) n Cloth n Tape measure and pencil n Drill with 3mm, driver and 16mm bits n Hacksaw n 40mm-thick FJ panel, cut to 40mm longer and 30mm wider than cabinet top• n 120- and 180-grit abrasive paper with sanding block n Timber oil n Upcycled or purposebuilt cabinet n 20mm x 20mm white round angle brackets n 8G x 20mm white button head screws n 16mm black curtain rod n Side-mount cabinet barn door track set n Upcycled or purpose-built door n 75mm x 32mm barrel bolt set with extra catch

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Keep in mind...

n Always wear the recommended safety gear when using power tools, and work in a well-ventilated area.

n The finished cabinet will be heavy, so enlist a second pair of hands to help move it into position.

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Look how great Nala’s posh pad looks in situ: workshop.bunnings.com. au/luxury-dog-crate

Read it!

LEFT Placing an extra catch in the centre means the door can be securely bolted open or closed

Viewing window Cabinet benchtop Sliding door

1 On the hardwood panel, round over the edges and corners with 120-grit abrasive paper, then smooth all over with 180-grit. Seal with timber oil, applying and buffing with a cloth. Position the top on the cabinet with 20mm overhang at the sides and 30mm at the front. Secure to the inside frame using two brackets each corner, predrilling with a 3mm bit for 20mm button head screws.

2 Measure the height of the viewing window frame, add 20mm, then, wearing safety glasses, use a hacksaw to cut curtain rod into four pieces at this length. Use a 16mm bit to drill four evenly spaced holes 10mm into the base rail of the frame and 40mm into the top. To install the bars, slide the top ends up into the top holes to clear the base frame, then drop the bottom ends into the base holes.

Diy Toolkit

3 To install the door hardware, follow the pack instructions to centre the rail of the door track set along the front, leaving the recommended clearance down from the top of the cabinet, then pre-drill with a 3mm bit to secure with supplied screws. Attach rollers and hang the door. Position the barrel bolt at the base of the door, with catches on the base rail at the centre and the end, securing with the supplied screws. 1 2 5 4

6 7 3

I/N: 0319598. 7 Pillar 16mm curtain in Black,

I/N: 1284007. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.