Solutions for Low Maintenance Kitchen and Bath Design
Are you thinking of designing a new kitchen or bathroom? Why not ensure that your newly remodeled space is not only stylish and functional, but also easy to maintain? If you opt for quality materials in finishes that withstand everyday use, you will prolong the life of your new kitchen or bath design.
It is important to keep the style of your home design in mind when choosing each element, to create a cohesive and polished aesthetic. A balance of form and function is the perfect way to achieve a stylish, labor-saving bathroom or kitchen design. Read on for our tips on how to get a high-end look that’s low maintenance.
Cabinetry
Think carefully about the type of storage you choose if your priority is to minimize the time you spend cleaning. Shaker doors are minimalist but still have corners to clean. The only truly easy-clean doors are flat panels, which can be done in a few short wipes. Open storage is on trend and an asset to a stylish bath or kitchen design but needs regular dusting and careful curating of contents to avoid looking cluttered. Glass front kitchen cabinets are an alternative to open storage that protect contents from dirt but the glass itself needs to be kept clean with glass cleaner.
Stained Cabinets
Your bathroom or kitchen cabinet finish also influences how low maintenance they are. Wood stains are a positive solution as they are easier to touch up than paint. Which shade is the easiest to keep clean? While dark stains work well with grainier woods, if the finish is too gloss or matte, it is more likely to show fingerprints and dust. Medium shades with strong grains are the most forgiving as the mid tones work well with the grains to disguise scratches and nicks.
Painted Cabinets
Mid tones are also advisable for low maintenance painted cabinets. White is always a classic for kitchen and bathroom design but can be difficult to keep pristine. If you are doubtful about intricate detail such as furniture legs, molding, or corbels, try instead using intense colors to introduce character to your cabinetry without the demand for cleaning intricate carved details.
The finish you choose is also important. Satin paint is ideal for kitchen and bath remodels as it is durable yet reflects light. If you are trying to repaint your own cabinets, make sure it is applied carefully as the brush strokes can remain permanently visible on the surface of the cabinet doors. Semi-gloss is good for wall trims and baseboards as it is durable and hard wearing, but its reflective quality exposes every imperfection so is not as easy to maintain.
Countertops
Maintenance is of paramount importance when it comes to kitchen or bathroom countertops. They need to be easy to clean but also able to withstand cutting, stains, water, and high temperatures. Surfaces that do not need to be sealed are also much easier for long-term maintenance.
Quartz is well known to be one of the easiest to maintain surfaces, which is also stylish and durable. Mid-toned quartz with a busy pattern hides water spots and spills better than a solid or light color and only needs protection from very hot objects.
Nonporous countertops, like solid surface, are among the easiest countertops to clean and maintain, as they resist moisture and spills. Natural stone, especially granite, are exceptionally durable but they do need to be resealed regularly to ensure they remain moisture resistant.
Backsplashes
Glass is becoming more popular as a backsplash material. While water and grease can mark glass, its smooth surface makes it easy to wipe down. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are durable and water resistant but remember grout lines must be resealed and cleaned regularly. Larger formats or slabs are preferable for backsplashes to avoid grout becoming problematic. As with flooring, go for darker grout to avoid it being stained by oil and sauces while cooking.
Flooring
What is the easiest type of flooring to maintain that won’t compromise on style? Choose a surface with minimal joints and textures in a color that is not too light or dark. Large format tiles or porcelain panels mean less grout to maintain, but the grout you do have could be in a dark shade to complement your design.
Ceramic and porcelain are very moisture resistant and will not scratch or stain as much as some natural materials like wood. Vinyl ensures a smooth surface once it is laid on a level foundation, and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) can mimic many materials, including wood, in a surface that is much easier to maintain than their natural counterparts. A concrete floor can be finished and sealed for a stylish and durable option for your kitchen or bath remodel. Installing underfloor heating gives a wet room a touch of luxury, but also means you won’t have to mop up water after every shower.
Hardware
Hardware needs to complement the style of your kitchen or bath remodel and coordinate with other bath or kitchen design elements. Pulls and knobs keep fingerprints off cabinet doors if they sit high enough off the surface. They should be complementary to the faucets you have chosen and any other metallic elements of your kitchen or bathroom design.
Faucets with shiny finishes, such as chrome, can show fingerprints and water splashes but matte finishes can get dusty and harbor water sediment. Oil-rubbed bronze is a dark and luxurious material that can reveal fingerprints, so circumvent this with no-touch sensor or voice activated faucets. There is often a low-maintenance solution if you are willing to invest extra and let it pay off in the long term. Go for brushed or satin for truly low-maintenance finishes.
Technology
Don’t be afraid to incorporate technology into your kitchen or bath remodel, particularly in ways that simplify daily life and make your room easier to maintain. Include automated drawers and cabinet doors that can be opened with sensor technology for a more accessible and touch-free kitchen design. Sensor operated faucets leave fewer fingerprints and increase hygiene in your kitchen or bath design. Remote or app-controlled showers and toilets are becoming more popular.
Shower toilets like the TOTO Washlet are a hygienic option that combines toilet and bidet functionality, offering touch-free personal cleansing with water and warm air set to a pressure and temperature to suit each app user. Automatic lids, lights, sensor flush technology and anti-bacterial coatings make these toilets highly functional and low maintenance while bringing cutting edge design to your bath remodel.
Tubs and Showers
A clawfoot tub allows for cleaning access underneath but can be difficult to access, so a floor mount freestanding tub with easy access to clean around it is preferable, or a built-in bathtub with minimal seams to work around when cleaning. A thresholdless or even a fully open shower also lets a mop glide across the bathroom floor to the shower.
Soap and glass are not a good combination. If soap is not rinsed off, it leaves a scum on the surface of the glass. For a bathroom design that is easy to maintain, less glass or frameless glass is better in a shower enclosure or on the side of a shower tub combo. A single pane of toughened glass without a frame is easier to clean as scum and mold has fewer places to settle and daily maintenance with a squeegee keeps soap scum at bay. Or go for a fully open shower for a spa style bath design that simplifies cleaning. Minimize grout lines with large format tiles, slabs, or panels for shower or bath enclosures.
Vanities and Sink Cabinets
Custom storage is vital if you want to reduce clutter around your kitchen or bathroom sink. Clever storage solutions make life easier and simplify ongoing cleaning and maintenance of your surfaces. Vanities with pull-out compartments for smaller items and drawers with outlets for styling tools mean your bath design is less cluttered. Undermount sinks and wall-mounted faucets give you extra countertop space. A floating vanity provides easy access for cleaning the floor.
In a kitchen design, why not incorporate a tilt-out panel to keep dishcloths and sponges in front of your kitchen sink? A drip rail cabinet detail catches excess water, as does a cabinet mat under a sink, which also acts as a moisture barrier. Thinking about low maintenance solutions at the kitchen or bathroom design stage lets you incorporate what is necessary for a clutter free, easy-clean, and stylish kitchen or bath remodel.
Sinks
The design and material of a kitchen or bathroom sink is vital to how it will perform in your low maintenance design. The deeper your kitchen sink, the more dishes and pots you can conceal during a busy evening of entertaining. If you have a double vanity, consider two round edge sinks which collect less dirt, making regular cleaning easier. They also look great in a sleek, spa style bath design. Integral and flush-mounted sinks are easy to keep clean, having fewer seams and angles to maintain.
Think about what material you would like in your sink. A durable option such as granite lasts a long time and has beneficial bacteria resistance. High-quality stainless-steel sinks are expensive but will not corrode or stain, and they also resist bacteria. Copper is also antibacterial and becomes more characterful with age.
Light Fixtures
Find the right balance between fashion and practicality when choosing your lighting fixtures. While a dramatic pendant shade might bring a wow factor to your kitchen design, are you prepared for the dusting it entails? The same can be said for wrought iron, large drums, huge globes, and crystal chandeliers.
Choose a lighting option that has as little surface area as possible. A drum that is narrow, rather than wide is easier to keep dust free. Recessed lighting and bare bulbs are also less time consuming to clean and can both illuminate and create atmosphere, especially when combined with a dimmer switch or smart lighting controls. Keep lighting as streamlined as possible and think twice about sconces either side of a bathroom mirror when a floating effect backlit mirror can be just as effective and less difficult to maintain.
If you have your heart set on open shelving, oak floors, white gloss cabinets, or crittall door shower enclosures, be prepared for the maintenance involved and try to balance it with some less-demanding elements in your kitchen or bath design. There are enough options available to suit every style and requirement, so your design can be as stunning as it is easy to look after.