Even as someone who finds a spot of cleaning quite therapeutic, I still don't particularly want to spend longer on it than is necessary – and the easier the task is, the better.
I admit that when it came to my kitchen design, I didn't put a huge amount of thought into how the units, surfaces, flooring and fittings we were choosing would impact how arduous the space would be to clean in the future – how I wish I had though. When it comes to the weekly once-over, there are clearly areas that, due to their design, take longer to get gleaming than they need to.
We're hoping to get our kitchen remodel and update underway at some stage next year and, with this in mind, I asked the experts how to design a space that would be super easy to clean, yet still deliver in the looks-department. Here's what they had to say.
1. Switch freestanding appliances for integrated
I have been questioning the wisdom of some of my freestanding appliances ever since painting the kitchen a couple of months ago. The job meant pulling out the fridge freezer and range cooker, revealing a pretty horrifying scene – a huge amount of grease, grime and debris that had, over time, made the spaces behind, to the side of, and beneath said appliances their home.
According to Emily Newmarch, design consultant at Kitchens by Holloways, swapping freestanding for integrated appliances could be the solution. "One of the simplest upgrades is to integrate appliances wherever possible. Fridges, freezers, dishwashers and extractors can all be hidden or built into the cabinetry, creating a cleaner view of the space and reducing the gaps where dust and dirt can gather.
"This is also where the idea of the invisible kitchen becomes useful," adds Emily. "An invisible kitchen is when the kitchen integrates into the home and feels discreet, with very little on show in terms of appliances. It can be achieved through spatial planning, cabinetry choices and clever hidden kitchen organisation and storage, allowing the room to feel calmer and easier to live with."
Shop integrated appliances
Despite its reasonable price tag, this dishwasher has so much to offer, including a half-load function, 13 place-setting capacity and a quick wash that takes under an hour.
Not only will the integrated design of this fridge freezer keep your kitchen looking sleek, but it also has a 'SuperFreeze function' that freezes food quickly to lock in flavour and nutrients.
As well as offering a sleek appearance, this built-in oven also has a super-handy steam cleaning function to take the hard work away from you. Additionally, it has a function that ensures food cooks evenly.
Emily is a design consultant at Kitchens by Holloways, a design and build company who create bespoke kitchens and thoughtfully planned interiors. Known for their holistic approach, the team considers not just the kitchen but the overall layout – whether it's a single room, an open-plan space or an entire home – to deliver beautiful, functional designs that enhance everyday living.
2. Look at where your layout is letting you down
It isn't just the fittings and fixtures you fit within your kitchen that can help make it easier to maintain – certain kitchen layouts play a part too.
“When it comes to designing a kitchen that is easier to clean, the first thing to think about is the layout," advises Emily Newmarch. "A kitchen becomes harder to maintain when practical zones are in the wrong place, appliances are exposed, and everyday clutter has nowhere to go."
Tamsin Holland, product development manager at Paula Rosa Kitchens, explains that carefully planning a kitchen around how you will be using it is key here. "We’re seeing a real move towards kitchens that are thoughtfully zoned and designed around how people actually live day-to-day. Defined layouts, such as semi-open or broken-plan designs, are helping to create calmer, more organised environments and can help to keep your kitchen looking more organised and cleaner.
"I recommend creating a few considered zones in the kitchen – this will always feel more refined than areas with multiple appliances and utensils competing for attention," continues Tamsin. "For example, a dedicated coffee station removes the need to move appliances around and rifle through cupboards for utensils to make your daily brew."
"The 'wet zone' is also important," adds Emily Newmarch. "A kitchen sink will always attract cleaning products, dishes and items waiting to be washed, so it is worth keeping this area away from the main dining or entertaining space where possible. Integrated bins, a well-positioned dishwasher and storage for cloths, brushes and washing-up items all help keep this busy area under control."
Tamsin Holland is Product Development Manager at Paula Rosa Kitchens, bringing more than two decades of experience across kitchen design, manufacturing, and consumer product development. She has specialist expertise in materials, cabinetry, and space planning.
3. Don't over-do the open shelving
My own kitchen shelving ideas feature two open sections on which sit what I hope are slightly artful displays, featuring a collection of lamps, fairy lights, foliage, storage jars and the odd antique kitchen item. I actually really like them – apart from when it comes to keeping them clean. They are dust hotspots that require everything to be taken down and cleaned individually.
Emily Newmarch suggests using open shelving selectively if you want to cut your cleaning schedule down. "Open shelving can work, but it needs to be used carefully. I would always suggest limiting it to one shelf and using it for items that are in regular rotation, such as mugs or everyday crockery. If shelves are used mainly for decorative pieces, they can quickly become another area that needs cleaning."
"Open shelving can look lovely, but if every shelf is full of cups, jars and packets, dust and grease have more places to settle" picks up Tamsin Holland. "A smaller, more considered selection of glasses or cookbooks can be much easier to move to clean, and keeps everything looking tidy. Instead of adding every mug you own, replace a few with carefully chosen homeware, such as ceramics or a vase of flowers."
4. Seek space for a pantry or back kitchen
Having an area dedicated to messy tasks or for storing the less beautiful kitchen items you own, out of sight, can really come in handy – often it means you'll only have to give this one space a good clean rather than the entire room.
"If space and budget allow, a pantry, utility room or back kitchen is one of the most effective ways to keep the main kitchen easier to clean," agrees Emily Newmarch. "These spaces can house countertop appliances, food storage, laundry, bins and sometimes even an additional sink or dishwasher. They do a lot of the work in the background, which means the main kitchen can stay clearer day to day."
Obviously, in some cases, finding this extra square meterage just isn't possible – but Emily has a suggestion for these instances. "A breakfast cupboard or appliance garage with pocket doors can make a big difference. It gives homeowners somewhere to store the toaster, coffee machine, microwave, breakfast items and smaller appliances, while still keeping everything close to hand. Once the area is closed away, the main worktops instantly feel tidier."
5. Avoid fussy details on cabinetry
While I wouldn't put my Shaker kitchen into the 'fussy' category, dirt does have a tendency to become lodged within the corners of the frame made up by the rails and stiles – without regular cleaning the unit fronts soon look rather grubby. If you want to avoid having to clean excessively, it is well-worth considering replacing kitchen unit doors with something that keeps intricate details to a minimum.
Additionally, as Tamsin Holland explains, the finish of your unit doors needs consideration too when looking at the most efficient cleaning techniques. "Different finishes benefit from slightly different care, but one thing remains the same: gentle cleaning is always best.
"For laminate, melamine, glass, lacquer and foil-wrapped doors, everyday cleaning is simple," continues Tamsin. "Wipe surfaces with a soft cloth and warm soapy water, then dry with a clean microfibre cloth. Avoid abrasive cleaning products, scourers or anything that could scratch the finish. Treat wood and veneer finishes in the same way, using a soft cloth and warm soapy water."
6. Choose flush or undermounted hobs and sinks
Anything that reduces areas in which dirt and grease can become lodged is a bonus if cutting down on the need for frequent cleaning is your aim.
When it comes to your kitchen sink ideas, opting for an undermounted design is a great start, as Michael Sammon, managing director at Wödår, explains. "If you want to spend less time cleaning your kitchen, start with the sink area rather than the cupboards. It is where water, food waste, washing-up and food preparation all meet, yet it is often designed with lots of separate elements that you then have to clean around.
“One very simple upgrade is an undermount sink," continues Michael. "Because the worktop runs cleanly to the edge of the bowl, you can wipe water and crumbs straight into the sink rather than chasing them around a raised rim. It removes one of those small dirt traps that you might clean several times a day without really thinking about it."
Samantha Davies, marketing director at The Kitchen Restoration Company, has some more advice for anyone thinking of swapping their sink. "Look for rounded sink corners. Sharp, 90-degree sink corners are famous for gathering grime and are tricky to scrub out. Choosing a sink with soft, rounded inner corners means dirt and soap scum can be wiped away instantly."
Shop low-maintenance sinks
Made from durable fireclay, both the material this sink is made from as well as the fact that it is designed to be undermounted make it super easy to clean.
Stainless steel sinks are a professional kitchen staple for a reason – robust and low maintenance. This one, thanks to its undermounted design, is even easier to clean.
This simple composite sink is scratch and heat resistant up to 180°C. It comes complete with all wastes and overflows and the bowls are extra deep too.
Michael Sammon is the Design Director and Co-Founder of Wödår, a UK-based brand specialising in innovative hot water taps and kitchen fittings. Under his creative vision, Wödår emphasises 'choice through design,' offering multiple finishes and styles at accessible price points.
Samantha is Marketing Director at The Kitchen Restoration Company who, for the past 21 years, have been specialising in everything from small-scale updates to complete overhauls. They handcraft every element of the kitchen to ensure customers can achieve the kitchen of their dreams.
7. Cut down on worktop clutter
Having appliances and clutter all over your work surfaces is a fast way to make your kitchen look messy – plus, it can add to the time it takes you to clean as you'll need to move it all out of the way to get to the worktops.
"We’re all guilty of letting our kitchen worktops clutter, whether it’s with paperwork, appliances or utensils," picks up Tamsin Holland. "Putting away items that aren’t used every day can help make your kitchen a more relaxing environment to enjoy. Crowded worktops also collect crumbs, drink splashes and everyday mess much more quickly, so keeping only the things you actually use daily on display makes it easier to wipe down properly at the end of the day. If it doesn’t earn its place daily, it probably doesn’t need to live on the kitchen counter.”
Michael Sammon suggests looking at banishing certain kitchen appliances altogether if possible. "If a multifunction tap can replace a kettle, for example, you’ve immediately removed an appliance, cable and base from the worktop. The principle is quite simple: the fewer edges, joins and objects you introduce into the busiest part of the kitchen, the fewer things you have to wipe around. Good kitchen design can effectively remove cleaning jobs before you even start."
This award-winning tap not only looks elegant, but it also offers standard hot and cold mixed water, pure filtered cold water and filtered boiling water.
8. Rethink your kitchen splashback choices
Using tiles within the design of your kitchen, be that for your splashback ideas or on your floor, is the perfect way to inject some colour, interest and personality into the space – but certain tiling choices can make cleaning more laborious than others.
Lesley Taylor, interior designer and founder of Baked Tiles, suggests being careful about which tiles you choose to use in certain areas, particularly when it comes to splashbacks.
"People often think about whether a tile itself will be easy to wipe clean, but forget that the grout can be the part that creates most of the work. A splashback made up of lots of small tiles can mean hundreds of grout junctions, and behind a hob those are exactly the places where fine droplets of cooking oil and dust can settle. I wouldn't tell anyone to give up mosaics or beautiful small-format tiles – that would make kitchens terribly boring! Instead, think about where you use them.
"Behind the hob, where you know you will be wiping the surface constantly, a larger-format porcelain tile with fewer grout lines is incredibly practical," continues Lesley. "Save the more intricate layouts and tactile finishes for areas that aren't receiving the full force of cooking every evening. You can still have colour, pattern and personality; you are simply putting the most wipeable surface in the place most likely to get covered in tomato sauce."
Samantha Davies suggests going for something other than tiles if you really want to minimise maintenance. "Tiled splashbacks look lovely, but grout quickly traps grease and grime near the hob and sink. Swapping tiles for a single slab of glass, acrylic, or solid panelling creates a smooth surface that wipes clean in one quick swipe."
Lesley Taylor is an designer with more than 25 years’ experience across both residential and commercial property. A registered member of BIID – the British Institute of Interior Design – Lesley has authored 10 books on interior design.
9. Opt for forgiving, easy-clean surfaces throughout
It sounds so simple, yet choosing easy-to-clean materials for worktops, kitchen flooring and unit doors can make life so much simpler.
Yaqub Khalid, design consultant at Ashford Kitchens & Interiors, explains that it is also worth thinking about which materials will show up dirt the most. "When it comes to finishes, it’s worth considering practical, wipe-clean surfaces and choosing kitchen colours or patterns that are less likely to show every mark between cleans. Worktops with a subtle pattern or texture can be more forgiving, while durable splashbacks can make it easier to deal with everyday cooking splashes."
"Real wood worktops take a lot of upkeep to prevent water rot, and pale quartz can easily stain from coffee or wine," adds Samantha Davies. "Darker, textured granite or non-porous composite tops effortlessly hide everyday mess and resist stubborn stains."
"The materials you use for your worktop ideas are important for maintaining an easy-to-clean kitchen," agrees Selena Quick, founder and director of of PAD. "Different materials have very different maintenance requirements, so we always encourage clients to consider how they actually use their kitchen before making a decision.
"Quartz, for example, is durable and low maintenance day-to-day though isn't fully heat or scratch resistant and needs a little more care. Composites such as Dekton and Neolith, by contrast, are excellent in terms of resistance to stains and scratches, and are designed to be low maintenance premium, luxury surfaces."
With a background in fashion, Yaqub brings a fresh and distinctive perspective to interior design. He has a keen eye for emerging trends and believes that well-considered interiors have the power to transform a house into a home – blending style with everyday function.
Selena Quick is the founder and director of PAD. Celebrating 10 years in 2026, PAD is a family-owned design practice that specialises in bespoke kitchens and joinery.
PAD clients are both direct homeowners and design professionals. Purposely not on the high street, their approach offers homeowners a curated range of finishes from their core collection. Each PAD kitchen is designed in-house, built in their UK factory using FSC-approved wood and installed by their expert team of fitters.
FAQs
Are handleless kitchens easier to keep clean?
If you are torn between choosing handles for kitchen cabinets and handleless doors, you may well be wondering how your decision might affect the length of your cleaning routine.
Granted handleless kitchen units can outwardly give the impression of less dirt traps but, according to Gareth Hull, design lead at Hendel & Hendel, handleless isn't always the better option, despite its fuss-free appearance.
"There is an assumption that a handleless kitchen must be easier to clean because there is less hardware on the cabinetry, but in day-to-day use the opposite can sometimes be true. If the way you open a cupboard or drawer involves putting your fingers directly onto the door front, that is where cooking oils, fingerprints and marks are going to end up too.
"A well-positioned handle gives your hand somewhere deliberate to go," explains Gareth. "Instead of repeatedly touching the painted or timber cabinet front, you are primarily touching a much smaller piece of hardware which can be wiped in seconds. In a busy kitchen, particularly around the fridge, bin, dishwasher and food-preparation area, that can make quite a difference to how quickly the cabinetry starts looking marked.
"I'd also pay attention to the projection of the handle. You want enough room to comfortably get your fingers behind it and to run a cloth around it without having to work into an impossibly tight gap," adds Gareth.
Gareth Hull is the Design Lead at Hendel & Hendel, a leading UK hardware brand. He leads on the design direction for the brand’s collections and interior styling. With a background in product development and a keen eye for detail, Gareth's approach seamlessly blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics and his work emphasises refined forms, elevated materials, and a balance between contemporary, traditional and transitional pieces.
For more advice on designing your kitchen, take a look at the nine features I'm planning on including in my own kitchen renovation plans, and the practical pointers you need to consider before finalising your choices.
