Design for Cleanliness
![A warm kitchen with easy-to-clean countertops and backsplash tiling.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Cleanliness-Kitchen-Countertops-580x387.jpg)
In a post-COVID world, how can we create spaces that naturally help us fight infections, and keep our spaces clean? Read on for my top tips!
![Image of a shower stall with oversized marble wall tiles and few grout lines. A folded towel and glass soap dish provide relaxation, while a fresh pink flower peeks from a clear glass bottle next to the shampoo bottle in a wall niche above.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Cleanliness-Porcelain-Marble-Shower-580x872.jpg)
Start with the basic design elements of the space, by choosing surfaces that are easier to clean. Pick flat panel cupboards that don’t collect dust, avoid shiplap that needs regular cleaning, and use larger size tiles for fewer grout lines.
![A contemporary kitchen with lucite counter-seats in front of a white marble island countertop, across from a brushed aluminum fridge/freezer combo. In the background, blue and white patterned subway tiles form a backsplash for a matching white marble countertop.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Cleanliness-Kitchen-Aluminum-Appliances-572x1024.jpg)
Use naturally anti-microbial surfaces for kitchen countertops and bathroom surfaces, such as stainless steel, and copper. Doorknobs are another place that copper is excellent at stopping the spread of germs.
![Images of 2 kinds of residential interior ceiling fans. On the left, the Haiku in molded wood with built-in light, and on the right, Essence, a metal bladed fan with built-in light.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Cleanliness-Big-Ass-Fans-1.png)
New technology beats your old air filter, when it comes to having cleaner air in our homes. Big Ass Fans offers UV-C lighting as endorsed by the CDC integrated into two of their ceiling fans. UV light has been proven to fight infection for over 70 years, so take advantage of this in your home or office, and you’ll have a healthier, happier life for many years to come.
![Image of a dark wood bachelor's kitchen with dark surfaces and a gooseneck faucet. In the foreground, a white table is surrounded by green lucite chairs with silver metal legs. On the table as a centerpiece is a planter filled with growing green grass.](https://kimballstarr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Kimball-Starr-Interior-Design_Blog-Cleanliness-Bachelor-Kitchen-580x870.jpg)
Kimball Starr designs healthy homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Contact her today for a socially-distanced in-person or remote consultation!