There may be no such thing as a ‘no maintenance’ home, but if you don’t want to spend lots of time on upkeep, then you should definitely look for a low maintenance home design. After all, when you come home from work, or even on weekends, the last thing you probably feel like doing is jobs around the house. So give yourself a break by choosing to build a low maintenance home, and spend more time enjoying life!
Whether you’re building a single storey or double storey home on acreage or a narrow lot, here are some handy points to consider when you’re looking for a home design that requires less effort to maintain:
As a general rule with homes and maintenance, the larger the home, the more effort required. So carefully consider things like the number of bedrooms and ‘rarely used rooms’ that may turn into dust and clutter collectors over time. Remember, sometimes less is more.
These days, most homes have an open plan design, which is ideal for relaxed family living and entertaining. An open plan layout makes it easier to combine a space to cook, relax and dine. Having just one larger space, rather than a separate kitchen, living and dining area will result in less cleaning and maintenance overall. What’s more, you should also consider your needs now and in the future by choosing a future-proof home design, one that’s going to be as appealing to you in ten or twenty years as it is when you move in.
Let’s face it. No one likes cleaning floors. So to make life easier at home, choose the right flooring for your new home, which is flooring that has minimal gaps or joints, like vinyl or large format tiles – so there’s nowhere for dirt to settle or get trapped. This will make mopping and vacuuming so much easier and quicker!
Detailed cornices, mouldings and skirting boards can be serious dust collectors. They also provide the perfect spot for pests like spiders to spin cobwebs! So minimise the level of effort you need to put in by choosing clean lines and less detail.
Similarly, the less detail your built-in cabinetry has, the less places there are for dust and dirt to gather. So if you’re not keen on dusting (and let’s face it, who is?), make sure your built-in robes, TV consoles and other storage compartments are flush to the walls and floors, minimising any recesses that unwanted particles can hide in.
Can’t cope with fingerprints and dust on glass and mirrors? Then you may want to think about just how much to include in your new home design. While glass and mirrors are fantastic for making smaller spaces appear bigger, they do require extra cleaning. As an alternative, you could opt for frosted glass panels, a neutral colour palette, or use lighting to open up the space.
The less ‘stuff’ you have, the less time it will take to keep your house clean. By decluttering on a regular basis — and before you move into your new home so you can get a fresh start — your home will look much tidier as well. Decluttering is one of those jobs we all try to avoid, but once you’ve done it you’ll be so much happier!
If you don’t enjoy spending time working in the garden, you need to consider both the size of your block of land and the type of landscaping you’re going to have. Lawns and gardens can be very time consuming, so if you don’t want to spend hours in the garden every week mowing, trimming and sweeping, you need to design a low maintenance garden.
Not sure where to start? your local garden centre may be able to help you choose a selection of low maintenance plants that don’t require a lot of TLC – so you’ll have plenty of time to smell the roses!
The builder you choose can also have an impact on how much time you need to spend maintaining your new home. Look for a trustworthy builder who understands you and uses high-quality materials and sustainable construction techniques to ensure your home is well-built and easy to maintain over time.
If the idea of low-maintenance living appeals to you, take a look at the huge selection of home designs from Hallmark Homes. As a family-owned project builder with over 35 years experience building quality homes across Brisbane, the Lockyer Valley, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, Hallmark have a home design to suit the way you want to live. We pride ourselves on making the process of building your new home low maintenance too.
So, if you’re thinking of building a new home in South-East Queensland, our friendly team is ready to help. Come and check out one of our display centres for yourself. If you have any questions about our low-maintenance home designs or the house and land packages we currently have available, please contact us today.
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