Cute Cats in Beautiful Spaces

Tired: a faux sheepskin tossed over the foot of the bed, just so. Wired: a real cat who’ll sneak off in the middle of the night and come back to your rust-and-navy Scandinavian bedroom with one of your dirty socks. Didn’t know you needed a dirty sock to finish the space, did you? She knew.

This is precisely the face we would make if our living room doors folded all the way back to let us into the yard.

Sleek lines on the cabinetry and the island in this expansive open-concept kitchen pair beautifully with skylights and generous windows. Its inhabitant pairs suspiciously with the island’s reflective, brushed base: Is that my tail? How many cats are in here?

Consider how well the gauzy, dip-dyed curtains, eclectic curios and occasional chair in this cozy sitting area reflect this lounger’s beautiful coat. Then consider how unlikely you are to replace her in that chair. (This is designer Shelley Rodner's own home, and her very own Maggie the Cat: "Maggie was 21 years young when we captured her in this snap," Shelley says. Verily, she is royalty.)

This sun-dappled, ultra-functional mudroom is ideal for corralling coats, basking in afternoon light and hand-washing delicates (purrmanent press in the dryer, please and thank you).

This handsome kitchen is ready for anything: floating shelves display dry goods and succulents, cutting boards perch where ample white counters flow into gleaming subway tiles, and a deep farmhouse sink is just about to become a watering station. Someone’s going to set that faucet to trickle, right?

“Benvenuti a tutti to my living room in Rome! A work in progress — I’ll be feathering the ends of the drapes and bringing in lizards for the rug. The ceilings are gorgeous, no? Very difficult to stain without thumbs, but [modest shrug] I try.”

Midcentury-perfect patterned drapes and woven rattan chair? Check and check. Mobile solar cell to soak up the rays spilling in from the patio? Check (out those toe beans, for they are exquisite).

Note the expertise with which this bedroom’s rightful, striped owner has achieved semi-spherical form to provide geometric contrast with a pair of leopard-print throw pillows. Well-weathered floorboards complement furry earth tones.

Tongue baths, bubble baths, what’s the difference? At the end of the day (or at any point in the day, really), the soaking tub with a sprawling view in this luxurious, traditional master is clearly the place to stretch out and get comfortable.

Traditional toile and tasseled-and-box-pleated window-as-headboard treatments frame a skeptical muse — or is she? A cat’s heart is a deep ocean of secrets.

One could perch on a stool at this eat-in kitchen’s massive marble-topped island and have an undoubtedly lovely meal, but the built-in bench cushions at the breakfast nook come pre-warmed. Other brunch spots, please try harder. (As designer Julie Bradshaw recalls, “When we came in later to clean up the kitchen, our photographer warned us not to eat any of the props — because the cat had been tasting most everything!”)

It’s often said that callies are the vintage nightstands of the feline world. Okay, maybe it’s just said right now, but it’s true, no? She completes the look of this romantic, traditional guest room purrfectly.

We love how this house panther’s midnight coat brings out the crisp oxidized detailing on this occasional table and faceted lamp. What, you don’t have a house panther to set off black accents in your living room? Get on that.

Annie the cat has found her new favorite perch in this swank space, designer Julie Bradshaw reports. “After this bath remodel, she now loves to chase geckos outside this window every night!”

The Old-World-meets-Old-West fusion of Italian and Texan style in this living and dining room pairs opulent fabrics and intricately turned and carved wood with bold natural touches — and it should go without saying that our favorite is its laid-back ranch cat.

Yes, this tableau is technically part of The Crafty Lumberjacks’ Halloween display. That said, if your cat posed with a skeleton like this, would you ever put your seasonal decorations away?

Consider punctuating expanses of honey-colored wood with the enlivening addition of a dip-dyed beast; the look is utterly sophisti-cat-ted.

Pet doors are so two-thousand-and-late. Today’s indoor-outdoor felines insist on play spaces with walls that disappear with a flick of the wrist.

The latest trend in country-estate sitting areas? Getting your ankles polished while you eat.