Designing an Easy to Maintain Home

stylish kitchen

By Luke Styles –

Everyone wants a home that is stylish and reflects his or her personal tastes; however, with so little spare time available it also needs to be low-maintenance. No one wants to spend their valuable free time cleaning and carrying out DIY tasks; what’s more, a low maintenance home is good for the environment.

Fortunately there are a number of ways to reduce the level of maintenance a property requires without having to resort to employing interior designers or architects.

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Kitchen and bathroom flooring

Opt for durable flooring that is able to cope with constant use without becoming scratched, marked and stained. Liquids will inevitably be spilled, so the flooring should also be moisture resistant. Therefore, avoid any materials with shiny finishes, along with carpets and wood.

Tiling is a popular choice, but it is essential to use a grout that does not show dirt. Porcelain tiles can be purchased in long strips that look like wooden planks. Stone is almost indestructible and is easy to keep clean, but requires treating with a protective sealer.

Seamless vinyl sheet flooring is an economical material, available in a huge range of patterns and finishes. It looks great and is easy to keep clean.

Living room and bathroom flooring

There is no substitute for carpeting in these rooms; it has sound deadening qualities and in upstairs bedrooms provides added insulation, which can help reduce heating bills. What’s more, carpet is available in an almost infinite range of patterns, colors and textures. It is produced in hardwearing materials for high traffic areas or made of incredibly soft and luxurious wool that is ideal for bedrooms.

Thanks to modern treatments and cleaning solutions keeping carpets in tip top condition is no longer a difficult issue.

Bathrooms

When refurbishing the bathroom choose a wall-hung toilet to enable the floor beneath to be mopped easily, and install motion sensor sink faucets. They stay cleaner for longer because they don’t have to be touched. Clear glass shower doors need cleaning after every shower so should be avoided, and unlike tiles, solid shower walls do not attract mildew and mold.

Kitchens

Choose slab fronted kitchen cabinets that reach the ceiling rather than those that leave a gap. Avoid ornate finishes where dust can lurk. If existing cabinets do not reach to the ceiling don’t be tempted to put ornaments on top; they only collect dust.

Opt for seamless countertops and avoid granite, which requires sealing, or tiling, as the grout becomes stained and is difficult to renew. Stainless steel is a good choice, but choose a textured finish as it reduces the visibility of scratches.

Install under-mounted sinks, they make it easier to wipe liquid and other debris of the countertops away; drop-in sinks have a lip which has to be wiped around.

Interiors

One of the key elements to achieving a low-maintenance home is keeping clutter to a minimum. This means purchasing furniture devoid of excessive ornamentation and painting walls in an eggshell finish that can be wiped clean rather than embossed or velvety wallpaper, which attracts dust.

Make a statement by purchasing only a small number of pieces of high quality furniture rather than having lots of smaller dust-gathering items.

Exteriors

Gardens can be time-consuming to maintain, so think about completely removing or reducing the size of lawns and replace them with stone paving, artificial grass or ground cover and perennial plants, which require little or no care.

Whilst it may not be possible to implement all these tips immediately they can be introduced over a period of months or even years as items of furniture or flooring require replacing or individual rooms are refurbished.

 

Luke Styles is a reputable freelance writer with a passion for helping others. He is often found writing in his garden studio whilst watching the world go by.

 

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  1. Pingback: Five Ways to Update Your Home Without Spending a FortuneFive Ways to Update Your Home Without Spending a Fortune - LivingBetter50 - LivingBetter50

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Designing an Easy to Maintain Home
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