Solstice Kitchen & Bath

Solutions for Low Maintenance Kitchen and Bath Design

April 28, 2023

Designing a kitchen or bath remodel is an exciting time. You can choose a style and color scheme you love and ensure that your design is highly functioning to meet your family’s needs. By hiring a design expert to work with you, you can bring your ideal design vision to life.

After your bath or kitchen remodel is finished it should be easily maintained and durable enough to have a decent lifespan. One way of making this happen is to invest in quality materials that are durable in addition to being stylish. This way, your design keeps its look without too much upkeep. Achieving the perfect balance of form and function is the key to a stunning, yet low maintenance kitchen or bath remodel.

Let’s explore how to keep a kitchen or bath design as stylish as the day it was installed.

What Type of Storage is Easily Maintained?

Different types of kitchen and bath design storage go in and out of fashion, but you should choose something that works for your lifestyle as well as your design aesthetic. Minimalist cabinet doors are easier to clean. Dirt won’t get caught in flat panels, so there is less scrubbing involved. If you choose open storage, then you must be prepared for the regular cleaning of the shelves and their contents.

Even if you go for glass-fronted cabinets, the glass should be kept clean. Contents behind glass need to be curated and dusted regularly, which is a lot of maintenance. Limit glass cabinet doors to one area for display to create an easier-to-maintain design.

What Is the Best Finish for Cabinet Doors?

The finish you choose for your kitchen cabinet doors also determines the type of upkeep they need. Wood stains are ideal because they can easily be touched up if scratched. Dark stains show up grains in wood nicely but can reveal dust or fingerprints. Try to keep dark shades to a medium sheen to avoid this. Mid-toned stains are easier to maintain as scratches blend into the wood grain.

If you choose painted cabinets, mid-toned paint is an easier-to-maintain option. White is more difficult to keep clean and very dark paint can also be high maintenance. Satin paint reflects light but needs a smooth application to avoid visible brush strokes. Semi-gloss is durable, while gloss paint is very durable but can show up lumps and dents as well as dust and dirt. Make sure you prepare your surfaces and expect some maintenance in return for the longevity gloss paint offers.

What Is a Low Maintenance Material for a Countertop?

Kitchen or bathroom countertops are a hard-working surface that needs to be durable and easy to clean. They must be able to resist stains, water, sharp blades, and heat at the very least. What is a stylish option for a durable countertop?

Quartz is a popular choice as it is resistant to most things, with the exception of very high heat. The fact that it can be highly patterned means it is good at camouflaging any stains. It is much easier to clean than porous materials. If you do choose a porous material for your countertop, such as natural stone or wood, it will have to be regularly sealed and maintained. This protects them from water damage and bacterial growth. Engineered quartz is an investment that is stylish, durable, and low maintenance.

How Can You Achieve a Low Maintenance Backsplash?

Tile is a relatively easy material to maintain, especially water-resistant ceramic and porcelain. If you choose large format tiles you are on trend for this season, but also reducing the amount of grout you must maintain. If it suits your color scheme, go for grout that is dark to disguise any discoloration.

Slabs in natural and synthetic materials are also increasingly popular as backsplashes because they can be cleaned easily with a smooth surface and virtually no grout lines. Choose the same material as your countertop for a seamless look. Glass is another backsplash material that is smooth and low maintenance. It can be smoky, colored, or placed over wallpaper for a look that is unique to you.

Which Flooring Material Is the Most Straightforward to Look After?

It’s possible to get flooring that is low maintenance without compromising on style. Like a backsplash, keep tiles to a large format with dark grout that will complement the color scheme of your design. Keep to shades that aren’t too light or dark, so the flooring doesn’t show dirt easily.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles resist water, scratches, and stains and come in a huge array of choices. A concrete subfloor can be finished and sealed as a durable and stylish option. Concrete can also be poured over underfloor heating for a wet room that dries quickly and has a modern, edgy look. If you have a smooth subfloor, vinyl is a budget-friendly option that works well. Luxury vinyl tile and plank are very durable and can mimic many materials for a result that looks natural and requires minimal maintenance.

Can Hardware Be Simplified Without Sacrificing Style?

Your hardware should work together to give your kitchen or bath remodel a polished, coordinated style. Pulls and knobs, faucets, showerheads, and door handles should all work together, if not in the same material, then in complementary tones.

From a practical viewpoint, if pulls and knobs are raised up from the surface it keeps fingerprints away from cabinet doors and drawers. Fingerprints, smudges, and water spots can be apparent on faucets with high-shine finishes. Black matte finishes are very on trend, but these faucets need to be wiped regularly to get rid of dust or sediment. A finish like brushed steel or oil-rubbed bronze makes marks less apparent.

Opt for sensor controls for the ultimate low-maintenance faucet. Handleless cabinets with push mechanisms are also easy to wipe and stay clean longer in the right finish and color.

How Can Technology Make a Kitchen or Bath Design Low Maintenance?

Technology is possible to include on a small or large scale in every part of your home. There are apps that can make using anything from ovens to showers easier and more luxurious. Shower toilets or washlets use water cleansing options that are set to each user’s preferences via an app. It’s possible to select the water, air pressure, and temperature for a hygienic and high-end toilet. Other technological aspects of toilet design include anti-bacterial coatings, sensor flushes, lights, and automatic lids to make using and maintaining them a stress-free experience.

Voice-controlled showers and lights along with LED demisting smart mirrors can make your bath remodel akin to a luxury spa. Aside from sensor faucets, there are sensor opening cabinets and drawers for hygienic kitchen or bath designs. Faucets that release boiling or carbonated water on tap are increasingly popular and streamline a stylish kitchen design to make maintenance a breeze.

How Can You Make Your Sink Work for You?

The sink style and material you choose and how you utilize the storage space underneath can be a game changer in your kitchen or bath design. A deep kitchen sink conceals a multitude of dishes if you are entertaining.

Round-edged bathroom sinks give a sleek spa-style look and have no corners so are easier to keep clean.  A floating vanity lets you clean your bathroom floor easily. Try an integral or flush-mounted kitchen sink as they are easier to wipe down.

Granite and copper are both antibacterial and exceptionally stylish. Granite is very durable and copper ages gracefully. Utilizing the storage in your vanity or under your kitchen sink reduces clutter in your remodel. Custom-built compartments keep the contents of your vanity organized and free up your counter space. Wall-mounted faucets provide even more of this space. Consider concealed storage, such as a tilt-out drawer under your kitchen sink. Practical additions such as a drip rail or cabinet mat under a kitchen sink mean you’re preventing possible water damage to effortlessly keep your design in good condition.

What About Showers and Bathtubs?

Wall-hung toilets provide easy access for cleaning the floor in the same way as floating vanities. Clawfoot tubs are also easy to get underneath but flat-bottomed tubs work for a more minimalist bath design with sleek lines.

bathroom with freestanding tub

Large format tiles, slabs, and panels make shower enclosures more low maintenance than ones covered in grouting. If you have a glass shower door or panel on the side of your tub, rinse it down after each shower to avoid a build-up of scum. If it is frameless then there are fewer awkward places to scrub around.

Create a Kitchen or Bath That is Both Stylish and Low Maintenance!

There is no need to compromise on style if you want a low maintenance kitchen or bath remodel. Choose minimalist light fixtures and fittings so you have less area to dust. Chandeliers and oversized pendants have more surface area than an exposed bulb or simple narrow drum. Sink and counter edges that are sleek and curved are also low maintenance but sophisticated. Luxury vinyl or laminate floors won’t get scratched by pet claws or damaged by water but are just as aesthetic as their natural counterparts.

Technology, custom storage, and thoughtful choice of materials work together to create a stylish kitchen or bath design that will last and give you more time to relax without the stress of constant upkeep. Contact us at Solstice today and we can give you all the guidance you need for a cutting-edge, low maintenance remodel.