We've had the most wonderful opportunity to create a themed dog station / dog furniture for a shiba. And we thought, a shiba! Naturally it must be Japanese themed. That's how a ramen shop for Zuko was born. The specs were:
- A dog house for Zuko to snuggle in
- Storage for his doggo stuff
- A resting platform for him to hang out
- Exercise opportunities
It took a while to pin down the right design and look. Birch ply was the material of choice, and our carpenter (who is half-Japanese by the way!) distressed the front to mimic the look of old Japanese ramen shops. Storage units were cleverly incorporated and the platform doubled as a lid for easy cleaning. Hand-written menu tags in sold wood were installed on the front, on top of the peek-out. Lastly, we hand-painted the roof slats in the familiar bluish grey of Japanese roofs.
This project was super fun because of the free hand given to us in design - just check out the customised noren banner for zuko, and the shiba-themed cushion. All dogs need privacy at times, and love a spot to call their own. Zuko used to tuck away in a corner between a tv console and a potted plant. Now he has a room of his own!
And here's presenting Zuko and his Ramen Shop!