From Workshop to Pet Home: The Beginning of Our Cedar Story

Long before I built my first pet house, I lived in one myself.

Not made for animals — but shaped by cedar, scent, and sawdust.

I grew up in my family’s wood workshop, where the smell of freshly milled cedar was more familiar than breakfast. Years later, three animals became part of my story — and ultimately, my brand.

Niko came first.

He was born to a rescued stray — his mother, pregnant and alone, was taken in by a kind-hearted woman who soon found herself caring for four tiny kittens of every color and personality.

I saw the adoption post and went to visit. The moment I walked into that home and spotted Niko, something just clicked. He was calm, quiet, and had this gentle presence that made me feel like he’d always belonged with me.

He seemed shy, cautious, and so very polite — the kind of kitten that made you instinctively lower your voice around him.

I thought I was bringing home the quietest cat in the room.

I was wrong.

Once he warmed up to you?

 He. Would. Not. Stop. Talking.

Then came Yuki, a Bichon Frise lent to me by a friend leaving town.

Imagine a marshmallow with a sugar high — that’s Yuki.

Sweet, clever, and instantly affectionate, she had a way of making all your worries melt the moment she looked at you. I wanted to give her the world — and maybe I did.

 She became a little spoiled, always scheming for attention — mine, and Niko’s.

Sometimes, she’d even start fake fights with him just to steal the spotlight.

But no matter how dramatic she got, I loved her without question — because she loved me the same way: loudly, deeply, and without pause.

 And then came Kiki — a long-haired Scottish Fold with folded ears, ice-blue eyes, and the quiet confidence of someone who knew exactly who she was.

She had once been abandoned, left behind by her previous owner.

The first time I saw her, I was struck by her unusual beauty and calm — and later learned she belonged to a breed known for both elegance and inherited fragility.

 But Kiki was strong. Independent. She re-entered domestic life like royalty reclaiming her throne.

She was the only one who could walk between Niko and Yuki mid-fight and somehow make them both behave.

 With daily care and a little science, she’s now healthy, radiant, and still entirely herself — graceful, fearless, and just a bit untouchable. 

The three of them grew up together. They played, argued, slept side by side — and always, they gravitated toward one place: the cedar workshop.

 I realized something:

Most pet homes out there are either chemical-heavy plywood boxes or cold metal cages.

My pets deserved better.

Not just shelters — homes.

 So I sketched. And re-sketched. For months, I tried to design the perfect shape of home — not just for pets, but for the kind of love they bring into our lives.

But every choice came with a challenge. Some designs required materials I didn’t believe in. Others would only work with bright chemical paints or glue-heavy plywood.

I didn’t want that. Not for my family.

I wanted real cedar. Natural, safe, and honest — even if it cost more and complicated the process.

So I chose breathable finishes instead of regular paint. Clean lines instead of shortcuts. And I kept going — one redesign, one prototype, one late-night adjustment at a time.

Almost a year later, Lumicedar was born — built not for mass production, but for what matters most.

Why Cedar? Because It’s Everything They Deserve

 Cedar doesn’t just smell good — it is good.

It’s antimicrobial, moisture-resistant, and blends into your home like a piece of furniture — not a dog crate from the basement aisle.

Plastic is practical.

Metal is cold.

But cedar feels like home.

That’s How Lumicedar Began

No spreadsheets.

No investor decks.

Just a quiet wish to make something better for the ones I loved.

 And that’s what Lumicedar is — a promise that your pet’s space can be beautiful, thoughtful, and built to belong.