Hi Everyone! I hope you enjoyed this video on some design choices that can be quite high maintenance. They can be beautiful but are they worth it? Please share your thoughts! ❤Liz
Another thing I want to add to the list is anything between your stove and hood, like pot fillers and those small stone ledges for displaying purposes. It’s probably one of the most greasy place in the entire house and I personally don’t want to put anything there
for us it was the wall mounted faucet for the vessel sink. craazy expensive and now it leaks and it wont let the nozzle out of the holder to be able to replace the o-ring!!! it would literally break the wall if you tried to pull the nozzle off!!!- funneling drips in to sink and looking at smal remodel on that area
I’m a house cleaner and I find so much of design missing this crucial part of the whole, ease of cleaning and maintenance. Especially high end products. I mean, it’s surely job security for me but I’d rather spend time cleaning the house than hours on nooks and crannies that are just poor design. Thanks for this video!
I had marble countertops put in a tiny kitchen when I still had three very small children. It was a huge mistake. They looked amazing when first installed, but all it took were a couple of unreported juice spills, and the staining was just about impossible to get out. Now I'm looking to build a home I can comfortably age in, and it's been funny to me how many of those admittedly beautiful things are far less important. Thinking about cleaning around and under a claw-foot tub, for example, is just more than I want to deal with, especially as I get older and less mobile. Same goes for light grout in tiling. The one thing I'm keeping, though, is trim and panel molding. I know they collect dust and are a bit harder to clean, but I just love the look, and the maintenance isn't that much more difficult than just cleaning plain walls (which everyone should be doing at least a few times a year anyway). Thanks for the great video - I'm glad I'm not the only one prioritizing ease of upkeep and maintenance!
@@lorrilewis2178 and those ads are LIES LOL I speak from experience. Same goes for black appliances. I wanted all white because at least when it's clean it actually looks clean, but white was WAY more expensive. Meh.
@@katie7748 LOL I'm not sure, but I think I rented a house with stainless that didn't show fingerprints. I recall it not being a frustration in that house.
I very much appreciate my mother teaching me to think about future maintenance from a young age. I still remember her showing me a photo in a magazine, when I was a pre-teen, of a kitchen wall made from what looked like the ends of 2X4s. The surface wasn't flush; each piece of wood projected a little bit offset from each other (sort of like Zelige tile, but more pronounced). She told me, "It might look pretty in the photo, but within one week of actual use, that wall will be nasty with dust practically glued to it from tiny grease particles". My father was a contractor of large projects like appartment buildings so we moved fairly often to be near where the job was. My mother always insisted that there be enough clearance on either side of a toilet to be able to fit a vacuum cleaner head or mop without having to contort yourself doing the "side swivel". Seems like such a little thing until you add up all time and frustration saved by planning ahead.
You forgot free standing tubs. If you’ve ever lived with one, you know just how hard it is to clean under and behind the tub. A lot of times they’re so close to the wall that your arm cannot reach behind to properly clean. I love the way they look in pictures, but hate them in my home.
I'm so glad you mentioned this. I see a lot of house plan videos, and so many of the designers put in a freestanding tub. No ledge to put your soap and shampoo on, and trying to retrieve things that fall between the tub and the wall is only for the young and agile!
We chose navy blue for our base cabinets in the primary and guest bathrooms. When natural light strikes them, all you see is dust, not just on the Shaker style frames, but up and down the cabinet. When we put in bonus room upstairs, you can be sure we’ll be choosing a color that does not show dust!
I couldn't agree more with you on the shower curtain. I've had one for almost 19 years (I've replaced it a couple times), and I just love that I can throw it in the wash every couple weeks. My mom has a shower with glass, and it's so annoying to clean, despite a coating she had applied. I am aware that a shower curtain can seem rather low brow, but I'd rather have a clean shower than an expensive looking one that is all limescale-y
I squeegee my doors every shower until I am ready to clean then use a white sponge to remove any water stains. Super easy maintenance if you use a squeegee each time and takes an additional two minutes for shower walls and glass doors.
We live in an area with hard water so no glass in the shower! I love a shower curtain, we use a cloth liner as hotels do and wash it. If a shower curtain gets gross it just gets thrown out, far easier and cheaper than dealing with a grungy glass door.
I agree with nearly everything you said but since I much prefer historic homes with carved moldings I happily accept the additional care, which is minimal for so much return for beauty.
As a house cleaner I hate these the most: - Open shelving - wood or bamboo countertops (never seen one that doesn’t show wear and tear quickly) - bamboo floor (too soft, gets ripples from too much moisture) - DIY project. I’m sorry I’ve never seen DIY look normal. Sometimes it looks temporarily nice but trust me people can tell. (Not talking about skilled people working in their own home, rather people attempting something they have never done before.) anything even slightly wonky always shows dirt faster. - Matte paint. Fine until someone spills coffee/tea/makeup on it, impossible to remove the stain. You have to just paint over it - Carpet. Not bad in seldom use rooms but people wait wayyy to long to replace it. Something that can make rooms look perpetually dirty even when freshly vacuumed I do think detailed trim is worth it even thought it’s annoying! Dust it regularly every week but once or twice a year depending on your house you need to do a deep clean on it
I've seen some terrible DIY, but also some awful work done by "professionals." My daughter paid a tradesman to tile her bathroom and it's a mess. I did my own (accompanied by lots of moaning and groaning), and it definitely looks better. I sold my owner-built home for 25% more than the realtor believed I could. So a few of us DIYers do quality work. It's because we have the ability and care more.
Good advice, thank you. In the wash, I throw my shower liner in with my towels. The towels rub against the liner helping to get it clean. It's a trick I was taught many years ago and it works beautifully.
I had oak flooring that you can't buy any more -- 3/4 inch! My dog made a few scratches, but they weren't hard to hide with Restore products. The next best flooring I've had was luxury vinyl plank. It always looks great with minimal care. I notice you didn't talk about corian countertops. Even after many years they can be polished to look like new and are easy to clean.
The "high end" vinyl crap in our current house (NOT my choice!!!) gets scratched if you so much as breathe on it! "It's not supposed to." Yeah, well, it does.
You absolutely can buy 3/4” solid white oak flooring. I have it all throughout my home on the first floor, and have just added it to our entire second story. It is purchased from a wood supplier, installed unfinished, then sanded, stained and sealed. Absolutely stunning, and with a mat or satin finish will wear and age well for a very long time.
The one I'd go the extra mile for is a glass shower screen. I loathe shower curtains with a passion, especially when they try to hug you while showering. They scream low-budget grubby hotels. Keeping glass shower screens clean is really not difficult - keep a spray cleaner and squeegee stored in the bathroom, and simply clean it down after showering. My own solution at home is a wet-room with walk-in shower. The bathroom is small (I have the toilet in a separate room), so the no-screen, no shower curtain look makes the wet-room feel larger, and super-easy to keep clean.
Thanks for forwarding me this video. Naturally a "yes" to all these. I'm stuck with the clear glass shower in our new house build, however.. and so will have to daily squeegee the panels (sigh) in a 5 ft. shower stall. However, my folk's house had clear shower doors that held up well (> 20 years).. but the rule is to squeegee down after each shower use, and treat all exposed glass with glass cleaners weekly.. heaven help you if your locale has hard water!! Sigh. I used to love carpeting.. but not anymore.. due to the exact reasons you stated. Also, have discovered that a cook top is MUCH easier to keep clean than a standard range cook top - because of the gap between the drainboards and stove.. while a standard spiral cooktop surface is cheaper to buy, with in a few months, you will have to be replacing the overflow dish inserts.. due to staining.. just so much harder to clean up well enough!
I always on the lookout for a countertop material that has everything you mentioned, but also doesn’t reflect the overhead lights. I hate glare! Noisy counters are also pet peeve; I like too put plates down on wood for quiet as well as softness.
After owning almost all furniture with glass tops in my young adult years, I (now age 56) refuse to have anything with glass other than one china/curio cabinet which has glass doors & shelves. I would have to clean those glass tops every night after my toddler, husband, & dog were asleep. By early afternoon the next day, they would be covered in finger & doggie nose prints once again. UGH, maddening & exhausting. The same goes for glass shower doors. I have several shower curtains which I switch throughout the year, either for holiday décor or just to have a different look & vibe in the bathroom. So much easier to just take them down & throw into the washer than breaking my back trying to scrub off water spots, soap scum, or mildew build up - yuck, no thank you!
Just discovered your channel and I feel like I have found my tribe!😜 One subject to address, in case you haven’t yet, is in laundry room design, it drives me crazy when I see a laundry room sink with cupboards above! There should be a bar above for hanging drip dry items that have been hand washed.
For glass showers you can add a coating that repels soap scum and water, keeping it cleaner longer and easy to clean if you do need to. Here in Australia it’s called enduro shield.
An excellent list, and some of us have added more items. Home designers go for form rather than function. Being "trendy" is not a good thing, and a few years from now their choices will look dated - and probably not very clean. They obviously don't do their own house cleaning!
Finally a designer who prioritizes maintenance before aesthetics I know who to look for if I need a designer in future One of my mantras in life as I age...SIMPLIFY I still like to live amongst luxe, elegance without being a servant to maintaining it Excellent showcasing of a simple luxe life and home without expending energy and effort living it 👌👍👏👏👏
I agree 100% with your recommendations. After your thoughts on glass shower door, a renovation in my home bathroom probably won't include that look now. Thanks for the advice.
Good advice, long overdue! We practical people appreciate you finally pointing out these obvious fashion design fads pushed by the industry, that is, if like many of us... we have to clean our own homes. 😉
I did like this video as always with your videos, Liz. These things are all on my list. You promote common sense unlike other bloggers who promote trends regardless how ridiculous, ugly, impractical they are.
I love wood look porcelain tile too. My sister put in real wood and I put in porcelain years ago. Her dogs have ruined her floors while mine look brand new (even with dogs). I like carpet in certain areas and I think it's easy to maintain by vacuuming once a week and an occasional steam clean. Hard surfaces require both vacuuming and mopping once a week, so they actually add a step, but in kitchens, bathrooms, dining areas, entries and halls, you really need hard surfaces.
I ripped up my wall to wall carpet on the first floor and laid solid oak through out. From kitchen to back sliding doors. Am so glad I did. I have a cat that loves to upchuck her dinner. She usually picks the small carpet in front of the front door. If she zipped over to the hardwood floor that would be easier to clean up. Washing that small rug is no problem. I toss it in my big washer. My bedroom stairs, hallway and two bedrooms are carpet and I hate it. There is so much kitty barf that I've cleaned up........I think it's obvious......I'm going to have it ripped up and more hardwood, Oak, is going to be laid down. I'll do it this spring 2024. Practical. If you have no pets, that's another lifestyle entirely.
My brother in his open-plan family home has just put in wood-look herringbone porcelain tiles over under-floor heating on a concrete base. It cost, but looks and feels wonderful. He and his wife have a large, energetic dog and live in the muddy UK, so the floor is perfect and easy to keep clean.
@@roxannegordon6162I’m in Florida so have a lot of tile but with area rugs because tile is cold and hard. Cats always go to the rugs to barf 🙄. I actually find it easier to maintain the carpeted rooms because I can just have the room cleaned. Rugs are much much more expensive to have cleaned. I debate going with LVP or hardwood throughout and no rugs!
Love my honed marble in our bathroom. No issues with staining or cleaning. We are thinking of redoing our kitchen counters with honed marble. I love the patina and lived in look.
I once had a kitchen with a honed and tumbled marble subway tile backsplash, paired with a honed granite countertop. It was gorgeous and I did not have to worry about staining and maintaining. Something to consider.
I had a travertine sink in the kitchen, It is a beautiful addition to my back yard as a garden sink. Very expensive garden sink. So much cleaning and sealing. It is best outdoors.
I have some open shelves in my kitchen and they definitely require dusting and washing of the dishes if you don’t use them. They are cupboards that we took the doors off so that we could see our living room. I love my vessel sinks in my bathroom. Mine are big and I have basically no water spillage on my counter. I wipe them down a lot, but I actually enjoy doing it. I keep a microfiber cloth hanging in my vanity for that. I’m really worried about trying a new shower door though. We had a frosted one and that was fine, but now we need to replace it.
We had quartz countertops installed in our previous house, and the supplier offered to cut trivets from the extra quartz obtained from cutting out the counter to accommodate our double sink. As a result, we had two 16" square trivets resting on the countertop, on each side of our stove. The his proved very useful, as it provided a spot for pots and pans to land when coming out of the oven. As a bonus, they perfectly matched the countertop for a seamless look. Also, they protected our counters, however I found these quartz trivets to be very resistant to heat. In over 10 years, our counters only suffered a bit of chipping, due to being accidentally hit by pots and pans. For this reason, chips were my biggest concern with quartz countertops and we never stored heavy items up high in the cabinets (which also makes it safer for peopleb nobody wants a cast iron skillet or a can of beans to fale on their heads).
I do love the organic handmade tiles but I had not thought about the challenges of keeping them clean! I will just enjoy them in pictures and other people’s houses
I have one glass top end table in antique brass, it’s worth it to me. I’ve had glass tub enclosure in the past, and although it can water spot, it doesn’t blow in as a curtain/liner combo would. I’m not a fan of fabric in the bathroom, except washable rugs and of course linens
I have so much more for the list. Pendant lights or chandeliers that use difficult to clean materials like wicker shades or paper lanterns. Especially in the kitchen where steam and oils in the air from cooking can really make things sticky. Not having access to movable shower heads for easy cleaning. Shutters for window coverings are a nightmare to keep clean and look so trashy if they break (same with traditional blinds but I don't see these as much anymore). In the bathroom if possible avoid regular baseboards and try and do tile like as an extension of the flooring. The amount of water damage to those in the bathroom is terrible. Ornate ceiling fans, when they are hard to dust they end up looking gross. Lack of medicine cabinets in the bathroom; they are seriously so helpful and I see fewer and fewer in home design. Baffling. Cheap black faucet fixtures and such; if they are not high quality and are just painted, those chip so quick and look terrible. Also when people don't put in proper bathroom storage so they have to get those free standing cabinets that slide over the back of the toilet--the ones made of pressed wood or whatever get damaged at the bottom because of water (hi its a bathroom) and the metal footed ones can rust and leave rust stains on the floor (hi once again bathrooms are wet). Please if you are designing the bathroom just build in appropriate storage.
I despise vinyl shower curtains and curtain liners. They're too stiff to throw in the laundry, so I usually tossed them once they became too grungy. I've since switched to lightweight microfiber fabric curtains. They don't fly around when wetted; they absorb very little water so they don't create a humidity issue in the house; they can be descaled in the laundry with regular laundry detergent; and mildew/pink slime can be easily removed by filling a bucket with diluted bleach and dipping half of it in the solution for a few seconds without removing from the curtain rod.
@@ellenzdanovich4761 They just standard microfiber polyester shower curtains you can buy at TJ Maxx or department stores. They weigh like nothing. I had heavier weight microfiber curtains before, but they were too absorptive and needed to be bleached weekly. They shouldn't be laundered with bleach and vinegar at the same time, the stainless steel grommets will rust.
Those plastic curtains will fit in the washer and once the water hits it, the heat makes the plastic collapse, washes clean very well. I always use warm water with a little bleach. When it's done, I take it out, shake off the water, either hang it up on the indoor clothes line in my basement, or hang it up in the shower. Dries pretty quickly. Saves money.
These are actual shower curtains. In hotels we always have a cloth liner so I finally bought one for our home. We wash them until they are just too ugly to get clean and then toss them and get a new one. They are very affordable. @@ellenzdanovich4761
Shutters. I love shutters, but I hate dusting the slats. I don't like my black range. I live in an area with livestock and dirt and shiny black always looks dirty. Ditto for black toilets. Don't get a black toilet unless you want to clean it every day.
I’ve had glass top the last 45 years ( not the same one) have two boys n a very busy house with guests all the time. I feel u have to clean them no matter what kind. I will say u have to like them because u r the one cleaning them . 🤷♀️
I’m assuming free standing tubs can be classified in the same realm as vessel sinks. I’m redoing a master bath and really like the look of the free standing tub, but my issue is less about maintenance and more about where to put my many products that I like to access quickly. If I do the freestanding, I would, probably, do several niches behind the tub beneath the top line so they are out of sight and a more decorative niche above the top line. I am curious about maintenance as well. I’m afraid of potential mold buildup at the base.
I just installed an oval shaped one (Signature Hardware Patera 59") and I find that because the base is tapered, I don't tend to splash water underneath it even when getting out. Also, a tub is not going to get as heavy use as a sink. I love it so far but time will tell.
@@BalanceRhythm I am a unicorn in the bathing world and take one nightly, so the tub would definitely get a workout. I don’t think I’m much of a splasher, so I might be ok.
I think your hand and soap/etc would be wet and potentially soapy and would drip that onto the floor where it would be very difficult to reach for cleaning. Even if you could use a mop for the floor, it might be challenging to clean hidden niches. Maybe this issue could be designed around. But since we're talking about cleaning, I just thought I would mention it.
@@karensheppard1471 I think you may be referring to bar soap- which I don’t use, but I wouldn’t put anything in them to the point of being difficult to get to, otherwise,they wouldn’t serve my purpose, but very good point as those types of storage niches are generally in the shower or in a “wet area.” Definitely will make sure I have proper clearance between tub and niche. Thank you! Ugh! So many details to think about when trying to be creative with the space.
I agree with many points you’ve made. I am at a crossroads to understand counter tops more, so would appreciate input regarding this detail more. For counters in kitchens, how does ceramic hold up? Also I notice this current generation tend to be more in the habit of putting hot pans directly on counter tops with no hot pad or protection between . Are there counter tops designed to handle this? I definitely need more understanding ideal product to choose, as maintenance issues matter to me as well!
Great questions. Ceramic is not durable as it can chip easily. Porcelain is better but can still be a bit brittle because it's thin. It's never a great idea to constantly place hot pans on a countertop no matter the material but natural stone will probably handle it better. The heat will break the seal over time though leaving it vulnerable to staining.
If you have a lot of windows in your home, cleaning blinds can become too much! Especially if they are on bay windows and you use those windows for display behind your work desk. Ugh!!! We will be getting the old bay windows replaced soon, and I will probably opt for tinted glass that may not require window coverings. These things are especially important as we get older and are facing retirement! Any thoughts out there on this???
From a biophilic standpoint, preserving views and natural light are best not just for aesthetic reasons but for our well-being. But you need to do what works best for you.
Thank you! We've lived in homes without bay windows, where I had better access to the windows for cleaning (plus, I was 20 years younger). I will keep in mind what you said since we will be buying a new home in the not-to-distant future. @@@BalanceRhythm
Marble is supposed to be great for rolling out pie crust/pastry on, because of how cool it stays. Idk how it compares to another counter top stone such as quartz (which is recommended over granite for cost plus benefits). The wise option can be to have a smaller area of it, whether on a kitchen island or even a somewhat portable chest/stand ( then it can go with you if you ever move, besides moving to another area in your kitchen if convenient !). My grandma built her newer farmhouse back around 1970 and although all those countertops were just laminate, she had it so that one section in the middle of the long, otherwise un-interupted countertop along one wall, was a lowered section. The right height for comfortably rolling out dough on, or punching down dough in her giant pottery mixing bowl.
If you look for a tile with a DCOF rating of 0.42 or greater, slips should not be a problem even if the area gets damp. However, I don't generally recommend ceramic tile on the floor because it's prone to chipping. Porcelain, on the other hand, is super durable. You have to really try to damage it.
@@BalanceRhythm I'm haunted by the 80-something year old lady I know who slipped and fell on her bathroom floor. She's now in a wheelchair permanently. If I build a house, I think I could be happy with a luxury vinyl floor that looks like tile in the bathroom. Armstrong has some that are in octagon shapes.
I'm at a stage in my life that nothing is worth the extra work. I had to purchase appliances when inventory was low, so I had to settle for stainless steel appliances. I dislike them very much.
Wall to wall carpeting...never again in MY lifetime! Here in Spain granite kitchen surfaces are rather normal although the trendy quartz resin is popular amongst the younger generation (I'm 73) who may opt for red etc. However, I did replace the granite in my kitchen with a lighter granite which I love, but a quartz/resin sink. Love it!
Glass showers are fine if you clean the doors after every shower. The real issue no one talks about is free-standing tubs. The positioning makes it extremely easy to accumulate dust and mold behind it but difficult to clean.
I have always hated shower curtains and love my glass shower doors. They are easy to maintain too. I squeegee my doors every shower until I am ready to clean then use a white sponge to remove any water stains. Super easy maintenance if you use a squeegee each time and takes an additional two minutes for shower walls and glass doors. Since the walls collect water spots too, it really helps if you just do both at the same time plus no wet, moldy shower curtain.
Oh man, the problem with most of these is that the things you're saying to avoid almost all fit into my preferred design style. I am currently in the planning stages for a kitchen remodel. I wanted to get granite, and looked in at least a dozen stores, but couldn't find anything as beautiful as marble. I'm going to have it treated with MORE Anti-Etch, and yes to me it's worth the extra cost and effort. I also would never want flat panels in my cabinetry; it's just too plain. I am also going to have a vessel sink in the powder room. I wouldn't have one in a bathroom that's used for washing faces and brushing teeth, but I'm planning a dramatic powder room and I think it will be perfect in there, just for washing hands. I'm also willing to do the extra cleaning for glass shower/tub enclosures. I currently have a shower curtain and to me they just look cheap. Lasty, elaborate baseboards are a must. Anything plain just wouldn't go with the style of my home. Yep, a lot of cleaning but it's worth it to love your home.
We switched from granite to marble, I was used to the granite being a work-horse, the marble is a show pony. A very stain-prone show pony! We sealed it again and are careful while cooking. It’s beautiful but for working class people like us it might have been a tad fancy 😂 Also, I agree on no carpet for our family. We have two dogs that come in and out all day, I’ll wash dry and put down a washable rug and it’ll have paw prints within minutes. I shudder to think how gross our floors would be if they were carpeted. I’d be sneezing all day.
Excellent video. I am a real downer (ha ha) and am not interested in anything that is extra maintenance. I have made the furniture mistakes you mentioned (only once!). I also installed white carpet! The previous owners of my home installed a fancy glass shower (probably DIY). It is time consuming and hard on my back to clean. I prefer the regular tub shower in the guest bath, but even there the fancy shower head sprays the painted wall if I am not careful. I would add to your advice -- do not go with cheap. Also think about what could go wrong. I am having to replace the prior owners' cheap DIYs with better quality (and paying a professional). Thanks, again, for a helpful video.
My pleasure, Susan! Thanks for sharing your advice and experience. I put a link to the Karcher squigge/vac in the video description. I have one and it works great for cleaning and vacuuming up water drops and maybe it will save your back!
@@BalanceRhythm Just following up. It has been out of stock on Amazon (the Liz effect???), but I just ordered directly from the company. Thanks for the tip!
Our 90s home has wooden panelled interior doors which collect dust. I tried to get a painter out to refresh them, but no one wants the job. Now considering flat doors, but worried they might look too modern. I also live on a dirt country road adding to the nightmare.
Hi Lynne! We installed some Shaker style single panel doors that look great and only have one area that can get dusty. Check out Krosswood Doors at Home Depot. Flat panel doors are ok but sometimes they can just look cheap as well potentially too modern for some spaces.
I will go the extra mile for dark (espresso) hard flooring. I've always loved the look of it, despite everyone warning me that it will show every speck of dust. It's like they think I never considered that? Please. I have dark wall-to-wall carpeting in my current home. It's so gross, and it, too, shows everything. Shampooing it has only made it worse, and at this point, it's not worth letting the pros come in to steam clean or whatever. I will happily welcome the ability to dust/wash/steam mop my floors on a regular basis!
I hate cleaning for instagram people UGH! “😫 you missed the dust on my toilet paper holder”. I now only clean for busy families living in reality that is quite filthy yet I know I am appreciated and that homeowner will come home, walk in the door, breath in, smile, and savor the moment that will last if only for an hour before the chaos starts all over again 😅
By your cover picture, I thought that freestanding bathtubs were going to be included in your list. Horrible ,back breaker to clean the walls and floor when they’re placed next to a wall or window. But I suppose if you employ a cleaning service, it’s their problem.
As an architect, I never recommend black faucets, shower heads or black tile in a shower or sink area. The inevitable soap scum, and calcium deposits are very obvious and unsightly.
Yeah...they put oil rubbed bronze in our bathroom (not my choice...renting til we build next year) and uuuggghhhhhhhh As pretty as it is, it's SUCH A PAIN.
A glass shower "curtain" might have the advantage that you can squeegee humidity away from it and avoid mold in the bathroom. Some locations/ houses are more prone to mold then others.
Hi there! I purchased a beautiful linen shower curtain from 3hlinen.com/. They have a variety of lengths and can do custom as well. If you're interested in seeing it check out this video: ruclips.net/video/IU7tgbHEdzQ/видео.html. Check the description for links to the liner and related hardware.
Let the cute edgy bistros invest in unique vessel sinks, I wouldn’t have at home for everyday use, waste of space and a cleaning nightmare. Sleek surfaces in a bathroom are a must for cleanability
A friend of mine has a vessel sink. I find myself wiping down the area every time I wash my hands. Water splashes everywhere. Also, I cringe when TV designers put marble in homes with children. I'm convinced the designers are only thinking about that five-minute reveal at the end of the show, when everything is pristine and looks good for the camera.
Wall to wall carpeting is wonderful for older feet. As you age, you lose the padding of your foot. Tile is the worst. Most of us hang out barefoot. Also carpeting in an apartment is much quieter.
I’m considered elderly and until I moved to my current location, I never wore shoes inside. Now I have vinyl over concrete and have to wear shoes. I just thought it’s the flooring, so I do accept some of the discomfort is coming from aged foot pads.
I have allergies, so I took up my carpet. The filthy part is the rug pad. When you clean the carpet it gets wet and is a great place for mold. Yuck. Actually my doctor recommended that I always wear slippers with arch supports and a wide toe box. They are also comfortable and warm.
I grew up with carpet. Shoes always came off at the door. (I'll never understand why some people wear their filthy shoes all over their houses, regardless of what flooring they have. Blech!!) I detest having my feet imprisoned (meaning I'm barefoot or maybe wearing indoor slippers) so I'm a carpet lover too. It's also warmer in winter, soft enough to comfortably sit on, and absorbs sound. It's surprisingly easy to keep clean, even with pets. You just have to stay on top of it. Vacuum daily, steam twice a year, and deal with spills/stains asap. When we build next year, we are putting carpet everywhere except the kitchen, dining room, and bathrooms. And those areas will have either linoleum (yes, I'm that old school even though I'm in my 30s...plus today's other options SUCK) or real wood if we can't find linoleum we like.
Great insights. We are considering black granite countertops for our small galley kitchen (Nero Assoluto, honed). I like the idea of the induction cooktop blending into the countertop. Do you think this will be difficult to keep clean? The cabinets we picked are Reform Basis with linoleum fronts in Vapour. We love the look and they should be easy to maintain.
Thanks! An induction cooktop is one of those glossy black surfaces that will need regular upkeep so that food spills don't stick. It's a smooth surface though so that's a benefit over regular electric or gas ranges where grime gets stuck in all the nooks and crannies. Plus it will look super cool with the black granite 😉
ps4402, honed granite is more porous. I have a black glass top stove that drives me bonkers, not a good combination with a spill/drip/crumb prone spouse, lol, but my parents have a white glass cooktop and they’re about elderly. The white drives me into a whole new level, black is bad, but not as bad
I have a black granite counter top and it's the worst idea I've ever had, it's a nightmare to keep clean, the least speck of water shows up, don't do it.
You forgot to mention the gorgeous, but labour intensive, shutters you're standing in front of! I had them throughout my last house and lived them. It was a chore to keep them looking pristine, though. (Their usefulness and aesthetic made the effort worth it).
I agree with everything EXCEPT shower curtains. Shower curtains are gross. I will squeegy glass day and night 365 days/year to avoid them. I love the idea about wall mounted faucets on a bathroom sink. I wonder if that would work in a kitchen, too?
@@BalanceRhythm I took a look. The only downside is that there's no way to put a retractable sprayer hose into the faucet. There are wall mounted kitchen faucets with hoses, but they're exposed. Some other considerations are: on an exterior wall, pipes can freeze if there is not adequate insulation, and if there are leaks in the wall it's a major job to fix.
Matte or brushed sink fixtures WILL spot and stain and generally look terrible unless they are extremely high quality. So anything out of the big box stores are going to look awful in no time at all.
I love ornate mouldings on the wall in the dining room area. Because I love an open concept for the ‘public areas’ of my home, the wall moulding delineates the dining room without a barrier of any kind. While I adore the loom of stacked stone, it is a Jo-go as an interior option in my opinion. I would gravitate toward it for the exterior, but it is too much of a dust magnet inside; and tell me how to clean soap residue off it in the shower? NO THANKS!
100% of these issues are not a problem if you have professional cleaners taking care of them regularly. Perhaps their popularity among sectors of society are a form of signaling status.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Hi Everyone! I hope you enjoyed this video on some design choices that can be quite high maintenance. They can be beautiful but are they worth it? Please share your thoughts! ❤Liz
Another thing I want to add to the list is anything between your stove and hood, like pot fillers and those small stone ledges for displaying purposes. It’s probably one of the most greasy place in the entire house and I personally don’t want to put anything there
That's what keeps me from displaying my cast iron there lol.
Oh my goodness gracious, YES!! BLECH!!
Spices should not be stored here because of grease and the heat causes spices to lose their flavor!
The current popularity of vessel sinks just makes me roll my eyes. Thanks for sharing your experience.
My pleasure!
for us it was the wall mounted faucet for the vessel sink. craazy expensive and now it leaks and it wont let the nozzle out of the holder to be able to replace the o-ring!!! it would literally break the wall if you tried to pull the nozzle off!!!- funneling drips in to sink and looking at smal remodel on that area
I’m a house cleaner and I find so much of design missing this crucial part of the whole, ease of cleaning and maintenance. Especially high end products. I mean, it’s surely job security for me but I’d rather spend time cleaning the house than hours on nooks and crannies that are just poor design. Thanks for this video!
My pleasure! Thanks for your professional perspective!
Well, rich people who can afford a house cleaner don't care if it is easy to clean or not.
@@solidstate9451so true! I hate cleaning for instagram people UGH!
I had marble countertops put in a tiny kitchen when I still had three very small children. It was a huge mistake. They looked amazing when first installed, but all it took were a couple of unreported juice spills, and the staining was just about impossible to get out.
Now I'm looking to build a home I can comfortably age in, and it's been funny to me how many of those admittedly beautiful things are far less important. Thinking about cleaning around and under a claw-foot tub, for example, is just more than I want to deal with, especially as I get older and less mobile. Same goes for light grout in tiling.
The one thing I'm keeping, though, is trim and panel molding. I know they collect dust and are a bit harder to clean, but I just love the look, and the maintenance isn't that much more difficult than just cleaning plain walls (which everyone should be doing at least a few times a year anyway).
Thanks for the great video - I'm glad I'm not the only one prioritizing ease of upkeep and maintenance!
My pleasure! It's so exciting that you're building. Best of luck with it!
My home was built in 1900 and has molding which I love. It just needs regular dusting and an occasional wipe with a damp rag.
Kathy B
Another high maintenance item left off this list is stainless appliances. They constantly show fingerprints and smudges.
There is a type of stainless that won't show fingerprints. They are advertised as such.
@@lorrilewis2178 and those ads are LIES LOL I speak from experience. Same goes for black appliances.
I wanted all white because at least when it's clean it actually looks clean, but white was WAY more expensive. Meh.
@@katie7748 LOL I'm not sure, but I think I rented a house with stainless that didn't show fingerprints. I recall it not being a frustration in that house.
@@katie7748 I have all white appliances in my kitchen. It was worth the extra money!
@@katie7748 Last time I looked white was the least expensive, very interesting.
I very much appreciate my mother teaching me to think about future maintenance from a young age. I still remember her showing me a photo in a magazine, when I was a pre-teen, of a kitchen wall made from what looked like the ends of 2X4s. The surface wasn't flush; each piece of wood projected a little bit offset from each other (sort of like Zelige tile, but more pronounced). She told me, "It might look pretty in the photo, but within one week of actual use, that wall will be nasty with dust practically glued to it from tiny grease particles". My father was a contractor of large projects like appartment buildings so we moved fairly often to be near where the job was. My mother always insisted that there be enough clearance on either side of a toilet to be able to fit a vacuum cleaner head or mop without having to contort yourself doing the "side swivel". Seems like such a little thing until you add up all time and frustration saved by planning ahead.
You forgot free standing tubs. If you’ve ever lived with one, you know just how hard it is to clean under and behind the tub. A lot of times they’re so close to the wall that your arm cannot reach behind to properly clean. I love the way they look in pictures, but hate them in my home.
I'm so glad you mentioned this. I see a lot of house plan videos, and so many of the designers put in a freestanding tub. No ledge to put your soap and shampoo on, and trying to retrieve things that fall between the tub and the wall is only for the young and agile!
I would much rather have a claw foot tub. I have also read complaints of free standing tubs being wobbly. @@Bobrogers99
We chose navy blue for our base cabinets in the primary and guest bathrooms. When natural light strikes them, all you see is dust, not just on the Shaker style frames, but up and down the cabinet. When we put in bonus room upstairs, you can be sure we’ll be choosing a color that does not show dust!
I couldn't agree more with you on the shower curtain. I've had one for almost 19 years (I've replaced it a couple times), and I just love that I can throw it in the wash every couple weeks. My mom has a shower with glass, and it's so annoying to clean, despite a coating she had applied. I am aware that a shower curtain can seem rather low brow, but I'd rather have a clean shower than an expensive looking one that is all limescale-y
I squeegee my doors every shower until I am ready to clean then use a white sponge to remove any water stains. Super easy maintenance if you use a squeegee each time and takes an additional two minutes for shower walls and glass doors.
I love textiles, so I, too, enjoy shower curtain. My house is also a 1921 model so I prefer warm nostalgia.
I had glass shower doors a pain especially with 4 kids, difficult to wipe down after every shower especially working full time!
It's not even the glass I'm worried about it's the track the door slides in. All that yuck in there 🤢 Gimme a curtain I can wash or replace any day!!
I use a washable nylon shower curtain to reduce allergens; washable outer curtain of choice for decor.
We live in an area with hard water so no glass in the shower! I love a shower curtain, we use a cloth liner as hotels do and wash it. If a shower curtain gets gross it just gets thrown out, far easier and cheaper than dealing with a grungy glass door.
I agree with nearly everything you said but since I much prefer historic homes with carved moldings I happily accept the additional care, which is minimal for so much return for beauty.
Same
As a house cleaner I hate these the most:
- Open shelving
- wood or bamboo countertops (never seen one that doesn’t show wear and tear quickly)
- bamboo floor (too soft, gets ripples from too much moisture)
- DIY project. I’m sorry I’ve never seen DIY look normal. Sometimes it looks temporarily nice but trust me people can tell. (Not talking about skilled people working in their own home, rather people attempting something they have never done before.) anything even slightly wonky always shows dirt faster.
- Matte paint. Fine until someone spills coffee/tea/makeup on it, impossible to remove the stain. You have to just paint over it
- Carpet. Not bad in seldom use rooms but people wait wayyy to long to replace it. Something that can make rooms look perpetually dirty even when freshly vacuumed
I do think detailed trim is worth it even thought it’s annoying! Dust it regularly every week but once or twice a year depending on your house you need to do a deep clean on it
Thank you for your pro tips!
I've seen some terrible DIY, but also some awful work done by "professionals." My daughter paid a tradesman to tile her bathroom and it's a mess. I did my own (accompanied by lots of moaning and groaning), and it definitely looks better. I sold my owner-built home for 25% more than the realtor believed I could. So a few of us DIYers do quality work. It's because we have the ability and care more.
Good advice, thank you. In the wash, I throw my shower liner in with my towels. The towels rub against the liner helping to get it clean. It's a trick I was taught many years ago and it works beautifully.
Great tip!
Enjoyed the video, just came on to say, the older you get, the more you crave simplicity…when I was younger, I made all those mistakes ☺️
So happy you enjoyed it! So true. It's nice to see people of all ages embracing simplicity these days.
I had oak flooring that you can't buy any more -- 3/4 inch! My dog made a few scratches, but they weren't hard to hide with Restore products. The next best flooring I've had was luxury vinyl plank. It always looks great with minimal care. I notice you didn't talk about corian countertops. Even after many years they can be polished to look like new and are easy to clean.
The "high end" vinyl crap in our current house (NOT my choice!!!) gets scratched if you so much as breathe on it! "It's not supposed to." Yeah, well, it does.
You absolutely can buy 3/4” solid white oak flooring. I have it all throughout my home on the first floor, and have just added it to our entire second story. It is purchased from a wood supplier, installed unfinished, then sanded, stained and sealed. Absolutely stunning, and with a mat or satin finish will wear and age well for a very long time.
The one I'd go the extra mile for is a glass shower screen. I loathe shower curtains with a passion, especially when they try to hug you while showering. They scream low-budget grubby hotels. Keeping glass shower screens clean is really not difficult - keep a spray cleaner and squeegee stored in the bathroom, and simply clean it down after showering. My own solution at home is a wet-room with walk-in shower. The bathroom is small (I have the toilet in a separate room), so the no-screen, no shower curtain look makes the wet-room feel larger, and super-easy to keep clean.
Yup, keep a squeegee in the shower. 30 seconds of maintenance at the end of the shower is easy
Invest in a curved curtain rod 😁
Ouch. My bathrooms scream grubby hotel...
Thanks for forwarding me this video. Naturally a "yes" to all these. I'm stuck with the clear glass shower in our new house build, however.. and so will have to daily squeegee the panels (sigh) in a 5 ft. shower stall. However, my folk's house had clear shower doors that held up well (> 20 years).. but the rule is to squeegee down after each shower use, and treat all exposed glass with glass cleaners weekly.. heaven help you if your locale has hard water!! Sigh. I used to love carpeting.. but not anymore.. due to the exact reasons you stated. Also, have discovered that a cook top is MUCH easier to keep clean than a standard range cook top - because of the gap between the drainboards and stove.. while a standard spiral cooktop surface is cheaper to buy, with in a few months, you will have to be replacing the overflow dish inserts.. due to staining.. just so much harder to clean up well enough!
I always on the lookout for a countertop material that has everything you mentioned, but also doesn’t reflect the overhead lights. I hate glare! Noisy counters are also pet peeve; I like too put plates down on wood for quiet as well as softness.
After owning almost all furniture with glass tops in my young adult years, I (now age 56) refuse to have anything with glass other than one china/curio cabinet which has glass doors & shelves. I would have to clean those glass tops every night after my toddler, husband, & dog were asleep. By early afternoon the next day, they would be covered in finger & doggie nose prints once again. UGH, maddening & exhausting. The same goes for glass shower doors. I have several shower curtains which I switch throughout the year, either for holiday décor or just to have a different look & vibe in the bathroom. So much easier to just take them down & throw into the washer than breaking my back trying to scrub off water spots, soap scum, or mildew build up - yuck, no thank you!
Just discovered your channel and I feel like I have found my tribe!😜 One subject to address, in case you haven’t yet, is in laundry room design, it drives me crazy when I see a laundry room sink with cupboards above! There should be a bar above for hanging drip dry items that have been hand washed.
Welcome! So glad you found us! That's a great topic to discuss in an upcoming video. Thanks!
I'm working on my laundry room now. I'll take your suggestion into account!
Agree 100% with carpet, vessel sinks and glass top tables
For glass showers you can add a coating that repels soap scum and water, keeping it cleaner longer and easy to clean if you do need to. Here in Australia it’s called enduro shield.
I have adhesive foil without glue on the inside of my glass shower panels.
An excellent list, and some of us have added more items. Home designers go for form rather than function. Being "trendy" is not a good thing, and a few years from now their choices will look dated - and probably not very clean. They obviously don't do their own house cleaning!
Finally a designer who prioritizes maintenance before aesthetics
I know who to look for if I need a designer in future
One of my mantras in life as I age...SIMPLIFY
I still like to live amongst luxe, elegance without being a servant to maintaining it
Excellent showcasing of a simple luxe life and home without expending energy and effort living it
👌👍👏👏👏
I agree 100% with your recommendations. After your thoughts on glass shower door, a renovation in my home bathroom probably won't include that look now. Thanks for the advice.
My pleasure!
I have beautiful natural stone tiles on my floors, it is so easy to keep clean and it reflects the beauty of the African landscape
Good advice, long overdue! We practical people appreciate you finally pointing out these obvious fashion design fads pushed by the industry, that is, if like many of us... we have to clean our own homes. 😉
I did like this video as always with your videos, Liz. These things are all on my list.
You promote common sense unlike other bloggers who promote trends regardless how ridiculous, ugly, impractical they are.
Thank you, Nina!
I am from South Africa and I love my black granite counter tops it is easy to keep clean....It
goes beautifully with my Oregon pine kitchen cupboards.
I love wood look porcelain tile too. My sister put in real wood and I put in porcelain years ago. Her dogs have ruined her floors while mine look brand new (even with dogs). I like carpet in certain areas and I think it's easy to maintain by vacuuming once a week and an occasional steam clean. Hard surfaces require both vacuuming and mopping once a week, so they actually add a step, but in kitchens, bathrooms, dining areas, entries and halls, you really need hard surfaces.
I ripped up my wall to wall carpet on the first floor and laid solid oak through out. From kitchen to back sliding doors. Am so glad I did. I have a cat that loves to upchuck her dinner. She usually picks the small carpet in front of the front door. If she zipped over to the hardwood floor that would be easier to clean up. Washing that small rug is no problem. I toss it in my big washer.
My bedroom stairs, hallway and two bedrooms are carpet and I hate it. There is so much kitty barf that I've cleaned up........I think it's obvious......I'm going to have it ripped up and more hardwood, Oak, is going to be laid down. I'll do it this spring 2024. Practical. If you have no pets, that's another lifestyle entirely.
My brother in his open-plan family home has just put in wood-look herringbone porcelain tiles over under-floor heating on a concrete base. It cost, but looks and feels wonderful. He and his wife have a large, energetic dog and live in the muddy UK, so the floor is perfect and easy to keep clean.
@@roxannegordon6162I’m in Florida so have a lot of tile but with area rugs because tile is cold and hard. Cats always go to the rugs to barf 🙄. I actually find it easier to maintain the carpeted rooms because I can just have the room cleaned. Rugs are much much more expensive to have cleaned. I debate going with LVP or hardwood throughout and no rugs!
@@roxannegordon6162
Please remember that you will need a carpet runner or similar on the steps for the safety of both pets and their humans!
Love my honed marble in our bathroom. No issues with staining or cleaning. We are thinking of redoing our kitchen counters with honed marble. I love the patina and lived in look.
I once had a kitchen with a honed and tumbled marble subway tile backsplash, paired with a honed granite countertop. It was gorgeous and I did not have to worry about staining and maintaining. Something to consider.
I had a travertine sink in the kitchen, It is a beautiful addition to my back yard as a garden sink. Very expensive garden sink. So much cleaning and sealing. It is best outdoors.
Glass table is a great way to make sure that your table is CLEAN !
I have some open shelves in my kitchen and they definitely require dusting and washing of the dishes if you don’t use them. They are cupboards that we took the doors off so that we could see our living room. I love my vessel sinks in my bathroom. Mine are big and I have basically no water spillage on my counter. I wipe them down a lot, but I actually enjoy doing it. I keep a microfiber cloth hanging in my vanity for that. I’m really worried about trying a new shower door though. We had a frosted one and that was fine, but now we need to replace it.
Totally agree
Quartz is my choice
But nothing beats the marble look ❤️❤️❤️😊
We had quartz countertops installed in our previous house, and the supplier offered to cut trivets from the extra quartz obtained from cutting out the counter to accommodate our double sink. As a result, we had two 16" square trivets resting on the countertop, on each side of our stove. The his proved very useful, as it provided a spot for pots and pans to land when coming out of the oven. As a bonus, they perfectly matched the countertop for a seamless look. Also, they protected our counters, however I found these quartz trivets to be very resistant to heat. In over 10 years, our counters only suffered a bit of chipping, due to being accidentally hit by pots and pans. For this reason, chips were my biggest concern with quartz countertops and we never stored heavy items up high in the cabinets (which also makes it safer for peopleb nobody wants a cast iron skillet or a can of beans to fale on their heads).
I do love the organic handmade tiles but I had not thought about the challenges of keeping them clean! I will just enjoy them in pictures and other people’s houses
I have one glass top end table in antique brass, it’s worth it to me. I’ve had glass tub enclosure in the past, and although it can water spot, it doesn’t blow in as a curtain/liner combo would. I’m not a fan of fabric in the bathroom, except washable rugs and of course linens
I just want to say- You are right. Thank You!
You are very welcome!
I like open shelves but have them as ‘boxes’ to reduce dust. Makes displaying imo nicer too.
I have so much more for the list. Pendant lights or chandeliers that use difficult to clean materials like wicker shades or paper lanterns. Especially in the kitchen where steam and oils in the air from cooking can really make things sticky. Not having access to movable shower heads for easy cleaning. Shutters for window coverings are a nightmare to keep clean and look so trashy if they break (same with traditional blinds but I don't see these as much anymore). In the bathroom if possible avoid regular baseboards and try and do tile like as an extension of the flooring. The amount of water damage to those in the bathroom is terrible. Ornate ceiling fans, when they are hard to dust they end up looking gross. Lack of medicine cabinets in the bathroom; they are seriously so helpful and I see fewer and fewer in home design. Baffling. Cheap black faucet fixtures and such; if they are not high quality and are just painted, those chip so quick and look terrible. Also when people don't put in proper bathroom storage so they have to get those free standing cabinets that slide over the back of the toilet--the ones made of pressed wood or whatever get damaged at the bottom because of water (hi its a bathroom) and the metal footed ones can rust and leave rust stains on the floor (hi once again bathrooms are wet). Please if you are designing the bathroom just build in appropriate storage.
Thanks for the additions! I'm planning a part 2 soon.
I despise vinyl shower curtains and curtain liners. They're too stiff to throw in the laundry, so I usually tossed them once they became too grungy. I've since switched to lightweight microfiber fabric curtains.
They don't fly around when wetted; they absorb very little water so they don't create a humidity issue in the house; they can be descaled in the laundry with regular laundry detergent; and mildew/pink slime can be easily removed by filling a bucket with diluted bleach and dipping half of it in the solution for a few seconds without removing from the curtain rod.
Microfibers are now in our water sources and soil. Please avoid.
Are these window curtains used for the shower or actual shower curtains?
@@ellenzdanovich4761 They just standard microfiber polyester shower curtains you can buy at TJ Maxx or department stores. They weigh like nothing.
I had heavier weight microfiber curtains before, but they were too absorptive and needed to be bleached weekly.
They shouldn't be laundered with bleach and vinegar at the same time, the stainless steel grommets will rust.
Those plastic curtains will fit in the washer and once the water hits it, the heat makes the plastic collapse, washes clean very well. I always use warm water with a little bleach. When it's done, I take it out, shake off the water, either hang it up on the indoor clothes line in my basement, or hang it up in the shower. Dries pretty quickly. Saves money.
These are actual shower curtains. In hotels we always have a cloth liner so I finally bought one for our home. We wash them until they are just too ugly to get clean and then toss them and get a new one. They are very affordable. @@ellenzdanovich4761
This was such a useful video. Thank you👌
My pleasure! So happy you found it helpful!
Ultra suede fabric is great for upholstery. It’s strong, but feels great and looks luxe.
Now this was a video really worth watching. There are NO disagreements from me! Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have porcelain tile through my main floor, closed kitchen cabinets and moss green upholstery, love it 💕
Shutters. I love shutters, but I hate dusting the slats. I don't like my black range. I live in an area with livestock and dirt and shiny black always looks dirty. Ditto for black toilets. Don't get a black toilet unless you want to clean it every day.
Awesome ideas. Would love to see more. Even architectural ideas that make life easier / less maintenance
More to come!
I’ve had glass top the last 45 years ( not the same one) have two boys n a very busy house with guests all the time. I feel u have to clean them no matter what kind. I will say u have to like them because u r the one cleaning them . 🤷♀️
Excellent video!
Great advice! Love the music, very soothing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I’m assuming free standing tubs can be classified in the same realm as vessel sinks. I’m redoing a master bath and really like the look of the free standing tub, but my issue is less about maintenance and more about where to put my many products that I like to access quickly. If I do the freestanding, I would, probably, do several niches behind the tub beneath the top line so they are out of sight and a more decorative niche above the top line. I am curious about maintenance as well. I’m afraid of potential mold buildup at the base.
I just installed an oval shaped one (Signature Hardware Patera 59") and I find that because the base is tapered, I don't tend to splash water underneath it even when getting out. Also, a tub is not going to get as heavy use as a sink. I love it so far but time will tell.
@@BalanceRhythm I am a unicorn in the bathing world and take one nightly, so the tub would definitely get a workout. I don’t think I’m much of a splasher, so I might be ok.
I think your hand and soap/etc would be wet and potentially soapy and would drip that onto the floor where it would be very difficult to reach for cleaning. Even if you could use a mop for the floor, it might be challenging to clean hidden niches. Maybe this issue could be designed around. But since we're talking about cleaning, I just thought I would mention it.
@@karensheppard1471 I think you may be referring to bar soap- which I don’t use, but I wouldn’t put anything in them to the point of being difficult to get to, otherwise,they wouldn’t serve my purpose, but very good point as those types of storage niches are generally in the shower or in a “wet area.” Definitely will make sure I have proper clearance between tub and niche. Thank you! Ugh! So many details to think about when trying to be creative with the space.
You can buy a tray that fits over the end of tub to hold all the products you need in a bath.
I agree with many points you’ve made. I am at a crossroads to understand counter tops more, so would appreciate input regarding this detail more.
For counters in kitchens, how does ceramic hold up?
Also I notice this current generation tend to be more in the habit of putting hot pans directly on counter tops with no hot pad or protection between . Are there counter tops designed to handle this? I definitely need more understanding ideal product to choose, as maintenance issues matter to me as well!
Great questions. Ceramic is not durable as it can chip easily. Porcelain is better but can still be a bit brittle because it's thin. It's never a great idea to constantly place hot pans on a countertop no matter the material but natural stone will probably handle it better. The heat will break the seal over time though leaving it vulnerable to staining.
Oh I wince every single time I see people set hot things on counters. I don't care what it's made of, that's a no-no!
If you have a lot of windows in your home, cleaning blinds can become too much! Especially if they are on bay windows and you use those windows for display behind your work desk. Ugh!!! We will be getting the old bay windows replaced soon, and I will probably opt for tinted glass that may not require window coverings. These things are especially important as we get older and are facing retirement! Any thoughts out there on this???
From a biophilic standpoint, preserving views and natural light are best not just for aesthetic reasons but for our well-being. But you need to do what works best for you.
Thank you! We've lived in homes without bay windows, where I had better access to the windows for cleaning (plus, I was 20 years younger). I will keep in mind what you said since we will be buying a new home in the not-to-distant future. @@@BalanceRhythm
@@opinionated2 My pleasure!
I love my Quartzite, it's beautiful. Looks like marble and beautiful. Have no problem with it. Pricey, though.
Love this! Thank you for the tips!❤
My pleasure!
Marble is supposed to be great for rolling out pie crust/pastry on, because of how cool it stays. Idk how it compares to another counter top stone such as quartz (which is recommended over granite for cost plus benefits). The wise option can be to have a smaller area of it, whether on a kitchen island or even a somewhat portable chest/stand ( then it can go with you if you ever move, besides moving to another area in your kitchen if convenient !). My grandma built her newer farmhouse back around 1970 and although all those countertops were just laminate, she had it so that one section in the middle of the long, otherwise un-interupted countertop along one wall, was a lowered section. The right height for comfortably rolling out dough on, or punching down dough in her giant pottery mixing bowl.
A lower section is also great if you have kids helping in the kitchen!
Agree with EVERYTHING. Except I can't do ceramic tiles on floors because I have a bad back and worry about falls when I'm old.
If you look for a tile with a DCOF rating of 0.42 or greater, slips should not be a problem even if the area gets damp. However, I don't generally recommend ceramic tile on the floor because it's prone to chipping. Porcelain, on the other hand, is super durable. You have to really try to damage it.
@@BalanceRhythm I'm haunted by the 80-something year old lady I know who slipped and fell on her bathroom floor. She's now in a wheelchair permanently.
If I build a house, I think I could be happy with a luxury vinyl floor that looks like tile in the bathroom. Armstrong has some that are in octagon shapes.
I'm at a stage in my life that nothing is worth the extra work. I had to purchase appliances when inventory was low, so I had to settle for stainless steel appliances. I dislike them very much.
Wall to wall carpeting...never again in MY lifetime! Here in Spain granite kitchen surfaces are rather normal although the trendy quartz resin is popular amongst the younger generation (I'm 73) who may opt for red etc. However, I did replace the granite in my kitchen with a lighter granite which I love, but a quartz/resin sink. Love it!
Glass showers are fine if you clean the doors after every shower. The real issue no one talks about is free-standing tubs. The positioning makes it extremely easy to accumulate dust and mold behind it but difficult to clean.
Getting in and out is a scary proposition
I have always hated shower curtains and love my glass shower doors. They are easy to maintain too. I squeegee my doors every shower until I am ready to clean then use a white sponge to remove any water stains. Super easy maintenance if you use a squeegee each time and takes an additional two minutes for shower walls and glass doors. Since the walls collect water spots too, it really helps if you just do both at the same time plus no wet, moldy shower curtain.
i have dark stained wood floors. you see every spec of dust but I love them so willing to suck up.
Oh man, the problem with most of these is that the things you're saying to avoid almost all fit into my preferred design style. I am currently in the planning stages for a kitchen remodel. I wanted to get granite, and looked in at least a dozen stores, but couldn't find anything as beautiful as marble. I'm going to have it treated with MORE Anti-Etch, and yes to me it's worth the extra cost and effort. I also would never want flat panels in my cabinetry; it's just too plain. I am also going to have a vessel sink in the powder room. I wouldn't have one in a bathroom that's used for washing faces and brushing teeth, but I'm planning a dramatic powder room and I think it will be perfect in there, just for washing hands. I'm also willing to do the extra cleaning for glass shower/tub enclosures. I currently have a shower curtain and to me they just look cheap. Lasty, elaborate baseboards are a must. Anything plain just wouldn't go with the style of my home. Yep, a lot of cleaning but it's worth it to love your home.
Get them if your love them! I'm only raising awareness about maintenance. If it's worth the extra effort, then go for it!
How about light fixtures? The fixtures with all the crystals or the clear glass bowls. Love my recessed lights.
That's a good one! I'm working on part 2 and will definitely add that one to the list.
We switched from granite to marble, I was used to the granite being a work-horse, the marble is a show pony. A very stain-prone show pony! We sealed it again and are careful while cooking. It’s beautiful but for working class people like us it might have been a tad fancy 😂 Also, I agree on no carpet for our family. We have two dogs that come in and out all day, I’ll wash dry and put down a washable rug and it’ll have paw prints within minutes. I shudder to think how gross our floors would be if they were carpeted. I’d be sneezing all day.
Thanks for the insightful tips - here's to simplifying life and embracing a more carefree approach! 🌟🌈
My pleasure!
Great video. Things to consider
Great tips! I have a couple glass coffee tables and have trouple keeping them streak free
Thanks, Pat!
Excellent video. I am a real downer (ha ha) and am not interested in anything that is extra maintenance. I have made the furniture mistakes you mentioned (only once!). I also installed white carpet! The previous owners of my home installed a fancy glass shower (probably DIY). It is time consuming and hard on my back to clean. I prefer the regular tub shower in the guest bath, but even there the fancy shower head sprays the painted wall if I am not careful. I would add to your advice -- do not go with cheap. Also think about what could go wrong. I am having to replace the prior owners' cheap DIYs with better quality (and paying a professional). Thanks, again, for a helpful video.
My pleasure, Susan! Thanks for sharing your advice and experience. I put a link to the Karcher squigge/vac in the video description. I have one and it works great for cleaning and vacuuming up water drops and maybe it will save your back!
@@BalanceRhythm Just following up. It has been out of stock on Amazon (the Liz effect???), but I just ordered directly from the company. Thanks for the tip!
@@susananders3834 Perfect! I'm so glad you were able to get one. Thanks for letting me know!
Our 90s home has wooden panelled interior doors which collect dust. I tried to get a painter out to refresh them, but no one wants the job. Now considering flat doors, but worried they might look too modern. I also live on a dirt country road adding to the nightmare.
Hi Lynne! We installed some Shaker style single panel doors that look great and only have one area that can get dusty. Check out Krosswood Doors at Home Depot. Flat panel doors are ok but sometimes they can just look cheap as well potentially too modern for some spaces.
I will go the extra mile for dark (espresso) hard flooring. I've always loved the look of it, despite everyone warning me that it will show every speck of dust. It's like they think I never considered that? Please. I have dark wall-to-wall carpeting in my current home. It's so gross, and it, too, shows everything. Shampooing it has only made it worse, and at this point, it's not worth letting the pros come in to steam clean or whatever. I will happily welcome the ability to dust/wash/steam mop my floors on a regular basis!
Really informative loved it
Glad it was helpful!
I hate cleaning for instagram people UGH! “😫 you missed the dust on my toilet paper holder”. I now only clean for busy families living in reality that is quite filthy yet I know I am appreciated and that homeowner will come home, walk in the door, breath in, smile, and savor the moment that will last if only for an hour before the chaos starts all over again 😅
....am I weird for dusting my toilet paper holder??? If I'm gonna clean the bathroom (once a week) I'm gonna actually clean the bathroom.
@@katie7748 oh gawd no you are not weird! It’s a real thing,but if that is the biggest problem someone else missed this week..that is weird
By your cover picture, I thought that freestanding bathtubs were going to be included in your list. Horrible ,back breaker to clean the walls and floor when they’re placed next to a wall or window. But I suppose if you employ a cleaning service, it’s their problem.
That might be one for a follow up video.
As an architect, I never recommend black faucets, shower heads or black tile in a shower or sink area. The inevitable soap scum, and calcium deposits are very obvious and unsightly.
Yeah...they put oil rubbed bronze in our bathroom (not my choice...renting til we build next year) and uuuggghhhhhhhh As pretty as it is, it's SUCH A PAIN.
Interesting to hear your views, thankyou.
My pleasure!
A glass shower "curtain" might have the advantage that you can squeegee humidity away from it and avoid mold in the bathroom. Some locations/ houses are more prone to mold then others.
Frosted glass is a wonderful alternative.
Thank you for the information.
My pleasure!
Zellige is worth the extra cleaning time❤
Another excellent video❤thank you
My pleasure! ❤️
Great topic. As i remodel, i want to know what materials will last.
Glad you liked it! I hope it helps.
Anyone know what/where the shower curtains may be from?
Hi there! I purchased a beautiful linen shower curtain from 3hlinen.com/. They have a variety of lengths and can do custom as well. If you're interested in seeing it check out this video: ruclips.net/video/IU7tgbHEdzQ/видео.html. Check the description for links to the liner and related hardware.
Absolutely agree!!
i love my log house, but most walls ahve been done over with sheetrock... the top of every log held so much dust!!!
Good stuff !! Thanks !!!
My pleasure! Glad you liked it!
Let the cute edgy bistros invest in unique vessel sinks, I wouldn’t have at home for everyday use, waste of space and a cleaning nightmare. Sleek surfaces in a bathroom are a must for cleanability
A friend of mine has a vessel sink. I find myself wiping down the area every time I wash my hands. Water splashes everywhere. Also, I cringe when TV designers put marble in homes with children. I'm convinced the designers are only thinking about that five-minute reveal at the end of the show, when everything is pristine and looks good for the camera.
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wall to wall carpeting is wonderful for older feet. As you age, you lose the padding of your foot. Tile is the worst. Most of us hang out barefoot. Also carpeting in an apartment is much quieter.
I’m considered elderly and until I moved to my current location, I never wore shoes inside. Now I have vinyl over concrete and have to wear shoes. I just thought it’s the flooring, so I do accept some of the discomfort is coming from aged foot pads.
I have to wear slippers to manage my orthotics, LOL.
I have allergies, so I took up my carpet. The filthy part is the rug pad. When you clean the carpet it gets wet and is a great place for mold. Yuck. Actually my doctor recommended that I always wear slippers with arch supports and a wide toe box. They are also comfortable and warm.
I grew up with carpet. Shoes always came off at the door. (I'll never understand why some people wear their filthy shoes all over their houses, regardless of what flooring they have. Blech!!) I detest having my feet imprisoned (meaning I'm barefoot or maybe wearing indoor slippers) so I'm a carpet lover too. It's also warmer in winter, soft enough to comfortably sit on, and absorbs sound. It's surprisingly easy to keep clean, even with pets. You just have to stay on top of it. Vacuum daily, steam twice a year, and deal with spills/stains asap.
When we build next year, we are putting carpet everywhere except the kitchen, dining room, and bathrooms. And those areas will have either linoleum (yes, I'm that old school even though I'm in my 30s...plus today's other options SUCK) or real wood if we can't find linoleum we like.
YES!!!
Great insights. We are considering black granite countertops for our small galley kitchen (Nero Assoluto, honed). I like the idea of the induction cooktop blending into the countertop. Do you think this will be difficult to keep clean? The cabinets we picked are Reform Basis with linoleum fronts in Vapour. We love the look and they should be easy to maintain.
Thanks! An induction cooktop is one of those glossy black surfaces that will need regular upkeep so that food spills don't stick. It's a smooth surface though so that's a benefit over regular electric or gas ranges where grime gets stuck in all the nooks and crannies. Plus it will look super cool with the black granite 😉
Black bench tops are a nightmare! Like stainless steel, they show every fingerprint and speck of dust. You’ve been warned!
ps4402, honed granite is more porous. I have a black glass top stove that drives me bonkers, not a good combination with a spill/drip/crumb prone spouse, lol, but my parents have a white glass cooktop and they’re about elderly. The white drives me into a whole new level, black is bad, but not as bad
I have a black granite counter top and it's the worst idea I've ever had, it's a nightmare to keep clean, the least speck of water shows up, don't do it.
I’ve had black granite for 15 years and it never seems clean!
Great advise; THANKS!
My pleasure!
You forgot to mention the gorgeous, but labour intensive, shutters you're standing in front of! I had them throughout my last house and lived them. It was a chore to keep them looking pristine, though. (Their usefulness and aesthetic made the effort worth it).
I agree with everything EXCEPT shower curtains. Shower curtains are gross. I will squeegy glass day and night 365 days/year to avoid them. I love the idea about wall mounted faucets on a bathroom sink. I wonder if that would work in a kitchen, too?
It could work as long as there’s a wall there to accommodate the plumbing.
@@BalanceRhythm I took a look. The only downside is that there's no way to put a retractable sprayer hose into the faucet. There are wall mounted kitchen faucets with hoses, but they're exposed. Some other considerations are: on an exterior wall, pipes can freeze if there is not adequate insulation, and if there are leaks in the wall it's a major job to fix.
@@billvojtech5686 All good points!
Matte or brushed sink fixtures WILL spot and stain and generally look terrible unless they are extremely high quality. So anything out of the big box stores are going to look awful in no time at all.
I love ornate mouldings on the wall in the dining room area. Because I love an open concept for the ‘public areas’ of my home, the wall moulding delineates the dining room without a barrier of any kind. While I adore the loom of stacked stone, it is a Jo-go as an interior option in my opinion. I would gravitate toward it for the exterior, but it is too much of a dust magnet inside; and tell me how to clean soap residue off it in the shower? NO THANKS!
Unless you are older and don't want to fall on a hard floor. I want to hear what you say in 20 years. Get carpeting!
100% of these issues are not a problem if you have professional cleaners taking care of them regularly. Perhaps their popularity among sectors of society are a form of signaling status.