Cleaning convenience is frequently a result of certain (though not always awful) sacrifices in interior design. We sought advice from working architects and designers on how to build a room that is simple to maintain.
Which style should I pick?
1. Less information
You must give up all choices that need a lot of minute details if you want to constantly spend as little money as possible on cleaning the property. These are interior designs that feature cornices, facades, plinths with exquisite stucco moulding, and other intricate interior features. This will then require special attention, making the person feel like a servant in Downton Abbey.
The same holds true for high-tech spaces with intricate ceiling lighting. It is preferable to keep volumetric wall treatments to a minimum. Additionally, avoid including light boxes and cornices that shine on the ceiling. The backlight can also be mounted on the walls. Dust won’t build up on the convex sections after that.
2. Simpler access
It is important to minimise the number of interior hard-to-reach areas, which will also take more work to clean, while creating planning solutions and storage systems. Consider how challenging it would be to wash, iron, and rehang curtains on a double-height window. In addition, they tend to gather a lot of dust.
What materials require little maintenance?
The appropriate material selection can save a lot of time and effort when completing floors, walls, and furniture facades. Commence with colour.
1. Bright flooring
Dark flooring is a lovely solution. Felix Yusupov once created a design sensation in London by deciding to cover the floor of his British flat with a black carpet. However, any contamination can be seen considerably more clearly on a dark surface than on a light one (even if it is not a carpet but rather a parquet or tile).
2. Ideally smooth and devoid of relief
Tiles with greyish undertones (perhaps simulating natural materials) are ideal for the hallway. The relief of the design, if there is any, should be minimal, though, since else dirt will inevitably clog up and need to be carefully cleaned out.
Porcelain stoneware is another item that designers like to use. Do not be alarmed that it will be cold or uncomfortable; all that is required is to place a warm floor beneath it.
Fact: Designers advise against using black and other dark hues on furniture, kitchen counters, and wall tiles in addition to flooring. The most arbitrary alternatives include black glass and any colour of glossy or lacquered surface, both of which will show every fingerprint and dried drop of water.
3. Matte surfaces are hassle-free
One of the rooms in the house that is used the most is the kitchen. If you dislike cleaning, you should choose a matte facade over a glossy one because the latter excellently conceals fingerprints while aesthetically expanding the area. As an alternative, you can spend money on furniture that has been specially treated to repel fingerprints. Although pricey, these traces literally disappear off the surface without rubbing.
4. Steer clear of fancy materials
Options that are elegant and sophisticated include fur, onyx floors, brass tubs and sinks, mirror and metal tiles, leather flooring and wall panelling, and some types of marble for window sills and counters.
5. Make Sense
The appropriateness of the usage of materials in a specific region is a crucial factor. To install Venetian plaster in the kitchen’s cooking area, for instance, and anticipate that it will be simple to maintain, would be weird.
6. Purchase items that can be recoloured if they can’t be washed.
Future hassles can be avoided by selecting a washable wall finish (paint, wallpaper, or ornamental coating). At least once every six months, you should update the interior’s colours and appearance. In the event of stains that cannot be removed with water, a can of paint that was wisely left over from the repair will come in handy.
How is a bathroom furnished?
1. Built-in and suspended plumbing should be used
The toilet bowl should ideally be installed as a hanging fixture. First off, the floor beneath this is simple to clean. Second, there are fewer aircraft that can gather dust. If the cistern is built into the wall and only the flush button is visible, there won’t be any inevitably accumulated filth on it.
2. Basic forms
Simple, straightforward faucets and plumbing fittings are significantly simpler to maintain.
3. Easy-to-clean materials
A steel bath with enamel is preferable since it has no pores and is therefore less demanding on detergents than acrylic. It is not advised to use powder detergents and alcohol-containing cleaners for the latter. Sometimes it is very challenging to remove common children’s gouache from acrylic surfaces.
Shower glass curtains are for really tidy persons who use a scraper to wipe away water drops every time they exit the shower. For glass that won’t leave calcium drip marks, choose coated glass. Sanitary ware with surfaces that are more resistant to the appearance of different pollutants is also offered by several manufacturers. These fixes will improve the interior’s neatness.
4. High-quality grout for tiles
Even with extreme caution, white tile joints gradually lose their initial whiteness. The tile may maintain its tidy appearance for a long period if the joints are treated with antimony agents after installation and the coating is refreshed.
What factors are crucial when selecting living room furniture?
1. Use glass to cover the shelves.
Open shelves and niches filled with lots of sentimental trinkets, innovative hanging possibilities, and storage that looks fantastic in pictures are favourites among lovers of shelfies, or photo still lives intended to reflect the personality of the space’s owner.
And battling dust in real life will take a lot of time. Give up the many storage alternatives that are visible, regardless of how nice they may be from an aesthetic standpoint. Save space by hanging your shoes on the hallway rail; in a month, you’ll have twenty pairs of dusty shoes.
Avoiding open shelves and shelving whenever possible is a common suggestion for people trying to save time. Nobody has the right to make you give up your favourite dinnerware, porcelain figurines, indoor holiday treasures, or the library. However, it is preferable to keep the bulk of the collection hidden behind glass, since this will aid in the battle against dust.
2. Handles are more useful than push-to-open mechanisms
A crucial point is to have handles on the doors so that you can avoid grabbing the glass with your fingers. Or choose coloured and frosted glass instead, which hides dirt better. If you want it cleaner, order a door with handles because the push-to-open method eventually causes you to press on the facade and get it dirty.
3. Suitable upholstery fabric
Designers advise choosing leather or leatherette upholstery and removable covers over non-removable textile ones when choosing upholstered furniture for people who wish to spend less time cleaning. Excellent fake suede that is simple to clean with soap and water. Furniture made of wrought iron is timeless and classic, both of which are universally relevant.