It may be difficult to admit, but having your own home means also taking on the responsibility of cleaning and maintaining it. But for those who are not big fans of tidying up, fret not, for we’ve got some design tricks that will cut your cleaning time in half.

Go grout-less where possible

When it comes to choosing materials for your vertical and horizontal surfaces, there’s no denying the popularity of tiles. But because of their grout – those small crevices between each tile – that trap dirt and stains, they can be a pain to clean. Instead, choose lower maintenance materials like vinyl, parquet or cement screed. But we’re not saying that you have to completely avoid using tiles in your home. In areas – like the bathroom – where you can’t escape using tiles, then opt for larger tile blocks to minimise the amount of grout you’ll face.

Image courtesy of Prozfile

Keep your walls simple

We understand that it’s easy to be tempted into adding detailed cornices or decorative mouldings on your walls, especially if you are aiming for a European-inspired concept for your home. But while they may look pretty, these features with their protruding edges are actually major dust collectors. As such, do away with those detailed designs altogether and opt for a bare wall instead, where a simple dust-down with a broom will keep your walls looking as good as new.

Image courtesy of Wong Weiliang

Flush built-ins to the walls

Where built-ins are concerned, because they have four sides, leaving any open space around them can result in more dirt and dust being trapped within. As such, when constructing your built-ins like wardrobe units, television consoles or storage compartments, make the conscious choice to flush them all the way to the walls and floors. This will limit areas where dust and dirt can hide, and will also prevent you from having to get down on your hands and feet, or up a step ladder, to sweep for stray litter.

Image courtesy of Joey Khu

Keep your water pipes concealed

We spend every day with at least one visit, sometimes even more, to our bathrooms, so it is a space that needs to be kept clean, for hygiene’s sake. But with fluctuating temperatures, humidity and moisture being a constant fixture here, it can result in mould and algae growth, especially on your water pipes. To counter this, conceal your pipes with custom-made cabinets for a clean, dry and stylish look – you’d even get to increase the number of storage solutions in your bathroom, double win!

Image courtesy of Icon Interior

Use stain-resistant materials

There’s no denying fabric furniture has a contemporary and stylish look, but on the other hand, fabrics have the reputation of being notoriously difficult to clean. Not only do they easily trap dust particles, but they are also highly absorbent, meaning that it will be highly unlikely that you’ll be able to salvage your furniture pieces once you spill liquid on them. Instead, opt for lower maintenance materials like leather, where you can simply wipe down your furniture with a wet cloth and move on.

Image courtesy of Cellini