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

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!

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.

The current popularity of vessel sinks just makes me roll my eyes. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Another high maintenance item left off this list is stainless appliances. They constantly show fingerprints and smudges.

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 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!

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.

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 ☺️

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

Agree 100% with carpet, vessel sinks and glass top tables

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

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.

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!

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. 😉

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.

Glass table is a great way to make sure that your table is CLEAN !

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 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.

I have porcelain tile through my main floor, closed kitchen cabinets and moss green upholstery, love it 💕

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 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 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 just want to say- You are right. Thank You!

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).

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 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.

Totally agree Quartz is my choice But nothing beats the marble look ❤️❤️❤️😊

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.

Absolutely agree!!

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

Excellent 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.

Great video. Things to consider

Ultra suede fabric is great for upholstery. It’s strong, but feels great and looks luxe.

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

This was such a useful video. Thank you👌

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.

Love this! Thank you for the tips!❤

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.

Interesting to hear your views, thankyou.

Awesome ideas. Would love to see more. Even architectural ideas that make life easier / less maintenance

Another excellent video❤thank you

Great tips! I have a couple glass coffee tables and have trouple keeping them streak free

Thank you for the info 😊😊

Great advise; THANKS!

I love my Quartzite, it's beautiful. Looks like marble and beautiful. Have no problem with it. Pricey, though.

Great advice! Love the music, very soothing.

Thank you for the information.

Now this was a video really worth watching. There are NO disagreements from me! Thanks for sharing!

Really informative loved it

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.

Good stuff !! Thanks !!!

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.

I like open shelves but have them as ‘boxes’ to reduce dust. Makes displaying imo nicer too.

Thanks for the insightful tips - here's to simplifying life and embracing a more carefree approach! 🌟🌈

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.

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’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 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 😅

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 have dark stained wood floors. you see every spec of dust but I love them so willing to suck up.

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.

🌀Thanks for the heads up with these products. 🌀🤗🌀✔️

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.

Zellige is worth the extra cleaning time❤

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.

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

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!

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???

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.

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.

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.

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.

Great topic. As i remodel, i want to know what materials will last.

Live where it's super cold so carpet was the best choice, over hard cold floors, we don't have indoor pets or kids.

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!

How about light fixtures? The fixtures with all the crystals or the clear glass bowls. Love my recessed lights.

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.

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.

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.

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.

i love my log house, but most walls ahve been done over with sheetrock... the top of every log held so much dust!!!

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.

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.

I have a glass table in my kitchen. I am married to 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).

Anyone know what/where the shower curtains may be from?

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!

Closed cabinetry for sure. No excessive appliances. Ie: built in coffee Makers. Nightmare to service. Takes up room which could be used otherwise. Ugh! I hate that thing.