As a devoted cat parent with an equally fervent commitment to the interior aesthetics of my home, I’ve long grappled with the eternal dilemma: How to maintain a sophisticated living space while accommodating my feline companion’s less-than-glamorous necessity—the litter box. I love my cat (perhaps too much), but I do not love the sight of a litter box. Nor the smell. And after living in a 350-square-foot apartment, I had enough.
Living in a space-challenged New York City abode means getting creative with solutions that don’t involve dedicating an entire closet, room, or “secret dresser” to my cat’s bathroom needs, and certainly don’t involve those spaceship-like automatic litter robots that cost as much as a weekend in the Hamptons and sound like a small aircraft taking off.
Archie & Oscar™ Lipton Covered Hidden Cat Litter Box with Decorative Planter
Enter Wayfair’s Archie & Oscar Lipton Hidden Litter Box Planter—this clever contraption has become my apartment’s most brilliant sleight of hand, masquerading as a chic artificial planter while moonlighting as my cat’s private powder room. There’s even integrated carbon filters that work magic to ensure that the only scent wafting through your home is from your collection of luxury candles, not your cat’s latest contribution.
Gone are the days of walking into my apartment and immediately knowing a cat lives here (unless, of course, you spot his framed photo hanging on the wall). This planter has achieved what countless before it have failed to do: making the litter box disappear not by hiding it in shame, but by transforming it into something worthy of display. The ultimate power move in the cat parent playbook: having guests compliment your decor while unknowingly admiring your cat’s bathroom.
The best part? It fits perfectly in that awkward corner by my reading nook, where a regular planter would have lived anyway. At under $100, it’s a fraction of the cost of those high-tech alternatives, and infinitely more stylish. You can have your design dignity and your cat’s comfort, too.
Julia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE DECOR, where she manages the brand’s social media presence and covers trends, lifestyle, and culture in the design world. Her eye for emerging styles helps bring the latest in interior design to ELLE DECOR’s audience across platforms. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million, conducted interviews with A-list celebrities, and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, design, and lifestyle. Over her five years of digital media experience, Julia has written about numerous topics, from fashion to astrology.
