FINDING a happy medium between style and function is never an easy task.
An interior design expert shared the four kitchen trends to avoid and what to do instead.
In her viral video, Abby Posner (@home.swee.home) showed her followers the impractical decor choices that make cleaning more difficult.
“It’s always a struggle to find a balance between aesthetics and practicality,” the Instagrammer said.
“These design trends look great but are a pain to upkeep in the long run.”
For her first tip, Abby suggested steering clear of open shelving in your home.
She explained that the decor feature tends to collect dust very quickly.
As well as requiring frequent dusting, the setup means you will also have to remove all the items before wiping them down.
Instead, Abby recommended opting for closed cabinets as they are easier to maintain and hide clutter.
The expert also advised homeowners against adding shaker-style cabinets to their kitchens.
Recessed panels on the feature mean the four corners of each cabinet will trap dust, dirt, and oil more easily.
As an alternative, Abby suggested choosing flat surfaces as they’re easier to wipe in a single motion and will not trap dust.
For her next no-go, she showed her followers an example of a difficult-to-clean backsplash.
The feature was made up of countless small tiles, meaning there were more grout lines to scrub.
Opting for one full piece of backsplash will speed up your cleaning process as there are no grout lines to trap oil and dirt.
Finally, Abby explained why homeowners should steer clear of fluted panels.
Realtor Stephanie Booth shared her go-to cleaning tips with The U.S. Sun.
She explained that dust becomes trapped in the grooves and ridges over time.
This makes the feature more difficult to clean as you will have to wipe each panel one at a time.
Abby suggested opting for smooth laminates since they add similar detailing without trapping dust.
Instagram users shared their thoughts on the advice in the comments section.
“I did exactly all these to minimize cleaning too,” wrote one impressed viewer.
“I’ve been telling all these to my friend. No fluted panels, and no open shelves. No to things that can collect dust,” said another follower.
“Totally agree! I never understood why open shelves display, only for dust to collect!?” commented a third person.
“Fluted panels, OMG! Who has the energy to regularly clean in between those numerous lines unless we hire help?”
