Recently, I spent a long weekend unplugging in the woods. I loved the tiny cabin, the time away, the lack of wifi and spending quality time with my significant other. However, (and maybe don’t tell my boyfriend this) what filled me with a joy like no other was watching my dog Julep be her happiest self. She ran through the woods freely, with a smile on her panting face, and she swam in the lake with the relentless work ethic that only a herding dog could bring to fetch. I felt like I was finally returning a fraction of the joy Julep brings me.

Pets provide us with unconditional love and infinite joy, and it’s our job as their humans to make sure they live their best lives. We owe it to our furry friends to meet their needs and to try to understand their means of communication. However, that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice the style of our homes in the process. It’s possible to meet our pets’ needs in style. That’s exactly what Nicole and Steven Shutlz did for their eight-year-old Holland Lop named Eames. After all, with a name like Eames, that bun needed his own pad with modernist sensibilities. Below, Nicole shares tips and insights for creating a rabbit hutch that you and your rabbit will love! —Quelcy

Photography by Nicole Shultz

Image Above: Looking at Eames’ adorable face and his stylish hutch, it could be very tempting to adopt a bunny immediately, but Nicole wants everyone to think carefully before adding a rabbit to their families. She says, “Eames is a joy in our lives but a ton of work. I’d like to point anyone interested in getting a pet rabbit to House Rabbit Society. There are a ton of misconceptions about bunny ownership out there. Rabbits are a 10-year commitment and are so much more than a cute, furry novelty you keep in a cage.”

1/7 If you’re a longtime member of the D*S community, you might remember Nicole brought us her original DIY project for an IKEA hack rabbit hutch. Since then, Nicole and Steven have upgraded Eames’ bunny pad. They built the next iteration from scratch, based on elements from his old hutch that worked well and updated those that didn’t. “It’s used in very much the same way as his old hutch: a place to keep his litter boxes, a place for him to be left alone, and a place to keep him out of trouble at night. Lastly, we store all of his food and supplies behind the two sliding doors at the top of the new hutch.”

2/7 “Rabbits are intelligent and loving, can be litter trained, and really flourish as house pets. Many people let their trained rabbits have free range of their bunny-proofed homes, but every bunny needs a space to call their own. Some place they can hide, relax, or let you know that they, ‘would like you very much to stop brushing them please right now, treats?’ Their enclosure should be a welcoming space, and the more room you can provide, the better. All rabbits need ample time out of their hutch, but think of it like this: less out time equals larger hutch.”

3/7 “Having a two-story hutch is a nice way of bringing your rabbit closer to you without having to get on his or her level. While sitting on the ground is the perfect place to hang out with your bun, Eames loves demanding pets and treats from his second story lookout.”

4/7 Nicole advises, “Avoid enclosures that have wire bottoms. Rabbits don’t have pads on their feet like cats and dogs, and constant exposure to this type of surface can cause a painful condition called ‘sore hocks.’ While wire may seem convenient for cleaning, providing your rabbit with a litter box is a much simpler and safer solution.” She also warns, “Rabbits’ teeth grow constantly, so they have to chew lots of hay to keep them filed down. With that in mind, try to keep exposed wood in your hutch to a minimum. The interior walls of Eames’ hutch are covered in tile. We chose a black, round penny tile for the floors, and white subway for the walls. Eames enjoys the cool surface, and it makes cleaning quick and easy.”

5/7 Nicole and Steven designed this hutch to resemble a simple cabinet. “We kept the shape and features mostly simple, but we used wood slats to create a pattern on each side, directly inspired by the work of Ariele Alasko.

6/7 “The perforated sheet metal on Eames’ hutch is over 50% open, but we almost never keep both doors of the hutch closed. Two exceptions being these photographs, and when we have a young kiddo over and don’t want Eames to be poked or prodded.”