The homeliness of a baby gate -- typically stark and functional in white plastic or metal -- was always something you could live with in the short term. And when used for its original purpose of keeping toddlers from getting into trouble, the short term was all you asked for, anyway.

Universal Press Syndicate Brad White of Midnight Pass had a prestigious design institute develop a pet gate with a distinctive appearance. It's coming to market this summer.

But these days, with more pets in American homes than children, the baby gate is just as likely to be used to keep pets in one place or another. And since its use is no longer temporary, the utilitarian look can get old in a hurry.

Companies such as Orvis (Orvis.com, 888-235-9763) are now selling a selection of good-looking barriers to keep pets out of trouble. And at least one entrepreneur has taken the simple gate to an even higher level, by having it made over with the help of the Rhode Island Institute of Design, Babson College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to get an upscale, furniture-grade look with classy curves and ease of use.

"As a multipet-owning homeowner, I tripped over the $20 plastic pet gate too often and said, 'There ought to be a better way,'" said Brad White of Midnight Pass (MidnightPass.com, 877-844-4438) about the pet gate his company is bringing to market this summer, for a projected retail price of $150. "We wanted a product that would look good in a $20,000 or $30,000 kitchen. People will spend $1,500 on a refrigerator. Why wouldn't they spend $150 on a pet gate that looks good?"

Why not, indeed, if you're going to be looking at that gate for years? White says that the response to the prototype pet gate was so popular at a pet-industry trade show earlier this year that he could have sold thousands. And Orvis and other high-end retailers keep expanding their styles of pet barriers and gates, to offer even more choices that look great in any home.

While pet barriers do have short-term uses -- house-training puppies and introducing cats and dogs, most typically -- they're also perfect for long-term behavior management.

For example, it can be a challenge to keep many dogs out of the litter box. A pet barrier across the door of the room with the litter box will allow access for the cat but not the dog, solving this disgusting problem. But as soon as the gate's gone, the problem will return, making a barrier the long-term solution.

In my home, I keep the younger dogs out of the front of the house when I'm not around by putting them behind a barrier that keeps them in a back bedroom, with access through a dog-door to a small, secure outdoor area. Keeping them away from the front picture window reduces barking triggers, keeps the mail carrier happy -- no one likes to be barked at! -- and allows the two senior dogs and the cats to sleep on the living-room couch without the youngsters pestering them. It's a perfect solution, but again, it requires the long-term use of a pet gate.

Barriers can also keep dogs away from guests who aren't as thrilled by pets as you may be, so you can enjoy entertaining people without throwing your dog outside for the evening.

Having tried just about every imaginable kind of baby gate over decades of raising and caring for all kinds of pets, I have to say the "baby" gate is one of the best inventions for pet lovers, ever.

But with two pet barriers set up permanently in my home, I'm delighted to see more options that look as good as they function, and I will be upgrading soon.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of top-selling pet-care books, and a consultant to the Veterinary Information Network. Her Web log and column archives can be found at www.spadafori.com.