Does your home never feel quite as clean as you want it to?
There are probably some design decisions working against you. Set aside the “could” and “should” of regular cleaning and your long to-do list, and ask yourself instead: what would it mean to you if your homes finishes, surfaces, and design all made it EASIER to clean and KEEP your home cleaner longer?
When you do make an interior design update or start a renovation, you have a unique opportunity to make cleaning forever easier, and instantly more satisfying.
But first, I want to make something clear: we’ll always have to put in elbow grease! Short of your home cleaning itself, I’m really talking about three co-related cleanliness concepts. If you miss any piece of these three, you won’t ever get that optimal clean feeling.
- Actual cleanliness (how easily each surface can be cleaned and maintained)
- Perceived cleanliness (how finishes, lighting and clutter affect impressions of a space)
- Lasting freshness (how moisture management and material performance make each deep clean last longer)
Let’s take a look at the design decisions that make the difference.
1. Material selections: how the evidence of everyday living “sticks”
When you make surface material selections in a remodel, you’ll be drawn first to how they look. That’s natural and necessary, because, yes, you have to love how they look!
But your first question AFTER falling in love with a surface is: how is this cleaned, and how does it perform to scratches, temperatures, light, etc. over time? This includes surfaces like countertops, plus finishes like whatever your faucets and plumbing hardware are coated with.
See more specific questions about kitchen remodel ideas, for surface selections and more.
Here are two quick pointers:
- Highly polished counters (especially dark surfaces), glossy cabinets, reflective backsplashes and certain metal finishes will be faster to show fingerprints, water spots, and dust.
- Honed or satin finishes are the best for reducing the visibility of these marks, BUT certain natural stones require more careful maintenance.
2. Grout lines, joints, and transitions…and maintenance obligations!
Large-format tile has become more popular (with larger, newer cuts now possible that were never an option before), which is GREAT news for cleaning. Reducing the number of joints between tiles reduces spaces for grime to accumulate.
Primarily used in bathrooms, tile grout and joints will inevitably attract:
- Dust and dirt
- Soap residue
- Hard water
- Moisture (where mold will grow)
And remember: professional installation, and an intentionally designed drainage and ventilation system are all essential, too!!
3. Storage design
Yes, of course! Storage design will determine how clean your home looks, too, because your belongings all need places to go, and access has to be easy (without a clutter disaster every time you pull something out)!
For example:
A freshly-sanitized kitchen won’t feel “dirty” per se, but it certainly won’t feel “clean” if the countertop is cluttered with small appliances and device cords all stretching across surfaces.
Storage, electrical plans…these are the details where your lifestyle and your needs have to be front-and-center!!
4. Lighting changes how we see cleanliness, too
Y’all hear me talk about it all the time, but lighting design DOES make the difference. The very same room can look fresh or grimy based on where lights are, the temperatures, and of course the design of the lighting fixtures themselves.
Primary culprits that make a room look “dingy” include:
- Uncoordinated light temps
- Insufficient task lighting
- Shadowy corners
- Little daylight
- OR too much daylight (poor daylight control)
Around here in Tarrant County, where we live in Keller, Texas, daylight control has to be taken VERY seriously.
5. Flooring design: impact in large suburban homes
This one is specific to larger homes, especially the kinds we work in around our area. Flooring occupies an ENORMOUS proportion of visible surfaces. Therefore, its color, texture, pattern etc. will all influence how “clean” your space will look.
Some things to think about…
- Extra-dark flooring will emphasize dust
- Super pale flooring will emphasize shoe marks and dirt
- Heavily textured surfaces will absolutely be harder to clean
- Any flooring that’s a drastically different color than your pet’s fur will be a bad mix, too!
Households with lots of pets or with kids (or grandkids), I’m thinking about you here!!
Specific design features you can review today
Some of these design decisions are part of bigger home remodels. There are others you can take piece-by-piece, even looking at specific selections in your home right now.
Some of these things can be swapped out easily, and the others will at least have you informed for when it is time to get that big project started!!
| Design decision | What to ask about before committing |
| Kitchen countertops | Stain resistance, etching risk, sheen, visible fingerprints, and daily cleaning |
| Shower tile | Grout quantity, texture, drainage, water spotting, and accessibility |
| Hardwood flooring | Dust visibility, pet wear, finish repairability, and manufacturer cleaning requirements |
| Cabinetry | Fingerprints, door profiles, cleaning access, and functional interior organization |
| Plumbing fixtures | Water-spot visibility, finish durability, and local water conditions |
| Lighting | Daylight exposure, color rendering, shadows, and consistency of light temperature |
| Ventilation | Moisture removal, cooking exhaust, humidity control, and system maintenance |
No selection is inherently wrong, you just have to know what you’re getting into on a day-to-day and long-term basis. And that’s why you take your ideas to a professional interior designer or remodeling professional, like us!!
I’ve said it many times before, and I’ll say it again: the real measure of thoughtful luxury is two-fold. First, there’s how the home looks once your project is complete. Then, there’s how naturally that beauty can be maintained once everyday life resumes!!
About the author:
Robin Burrill, RID, NCIDQ, ASID, IDS, CAPS, is an award-winning professional kitchen, bath, and interior designer. Robin and her husband, Robert Mathews, have owned Signature Home Services, Inc. for over three decades, establishing a superior in-house team with a widespread reputation for delivering meticulous design to their many repeat clients.
In 2022, the national publication, Kitchen and Bath Design News magazine, named Robin to their Top Innovator list in recognition of her achievements in the field of kitchen and bath design. In 2024, she was named one of the Fall 2024 Market Pros and “tastemakers” by ANDMORE at High Point Market. In 2024 and again in 2025, Fixr identified her as one of the Top Professional Interior Designers for their nationwide audience. At the start of 2025, she then acted as one of Dallas Market’s “Style Eyes” at Lightovation and Total Home & Gift Market.
Over her extensive career, Robin has been quoted in Architectural Digest and Forbes multiple times; her design work has been featured in top national trade publications; and she has been interviewed for Designers Today magazine’s “Profiles in Design” video series, among others. Widely respected for the depth of her knowledge, Robin is a sought after speaker and judge for many design industry events.
In 2023, Robin designed a bench for Charleston Forge, making her foray into product design. Robin currently serves as a volunteer on the board of the Dallas/Ft. Worth chapter of the Interior Design Society.
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