For ease of cleaning, a few that come to mind...
> Flat top electric or induction cooktop is easier to clean than gas burners
> Seamless sheet vinyl flooring is easiest to clean
> Flush cabinet faces are easier than complex moldings
> A good exhaust system will reduce grease on nearby surfaces
> Larger format tiles on backsplash or floor will have less grout to clean
> Closed cabinets or glass doors instead of open shelves

I agree with the above. Also,
* Glossy cabinets surfaces, rather than flat. Grime washes off easier.
* Smooth handles/pulls without crevices or other places for grease to settle. Also with good clearances so you don't have to get out a toothbruch or wipe down areas too small to clean while doing a general, quick wipe-down of your cabinet/drawer faces.
* Darker cabinets on the bottom. The dirt may be there but at least it won't show as bad. Of course, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't clean them. Just that you don't need to wipe them virtually daily.
* Train all family members to immediately pick up after themselves and, especially, to wipe up spills before they stain and/or harden to concrete.

Good idea for a discussion. Will clip this discussion so I can refer to it when it's time to pick surfaces for my own remodel.

Avoiding very dark or light colors and may help hiding unclean surfaces.

I can't say much about materials, since I never had wood cabs, only melamine and PVC and they are easy to clean. Glossy darks show every fingerprint, matte darks show dust.

If you like modern kitchens, consider slab doors, drawers, no molding, Uppers to the ceiling, if you'll have uppers. If you're tall have uplifting doors so they can be wider since wide surfaces are easier to clean.

No to dark, solid colored counters. If you won't have a busy counter, you can consider the same material as backsplash so no grout to deal with.

Edit: No glass doors near range (no matter how strong your hood is) and no open shelves.

This post was edited by sena01 on Mon, Jan 12, 15 at 19:46

Lack of grout. Finishes that are already dirt-colored. The thinnest of caulk lines. Patterns and movement in your finishes. Medium tones, rather than very light or dark. I hear good things about silgranite sinks in terms of how easy they are to keep clean.

This post was edited by Jillius on Tue, Jan 13, 15 at 14:45

Wood cabinets (I have natural cherry) show less mess than painted. Dirt is still there it just doesn't jump out at you.

The one thing for me that keeps my kitchen orderly is dishwasher drawers. There is no reason for dirty dishes to ever be in the sink or on the counter. Open the drawer with one hand and put in the dish/cup/utensil that is in the other hand; little more effort than leaving them piled up. And when the full drawer is running, the other drawer is available to be filled.

Solid surface counters with a cove at the back edge, unpopular as they are, are easy to keep clean. Man-made materials that do not need to be sealed, do not have pores or fissures.

Tempered glass sheet for backsplash, or solid backsplashes which match the countertop.

Smooth pulls for cabinets. If you have a pull that you can hook a clean finger around to open the door or drawer it's great.

I love the fancy columns and cut outs on my island...but the angles of the legs makes swiffering under it a real PITA! It would have made mopping the floor so much easier if the bottom of the island was just squared off at the corners. I also love my stainless appliances...but they are also a PITA to keep smudge-free. Pretty much my entire kitchen was designed to please my eye, not my cleaning bucket. :)

A maid. : ) Or children that really like to clean (I'm blessed with at least one of those...but maybe they're rare.)

I think light colored counters are easier to clean than dark speckled counters. With the light counters you can see the crumbs and grime and take care of them. With my old dark patterned counters, I had to clean by feel rather than by sight because the the crumbs blended right in with the pattern of the laminate (black labrador).

Induction range/cooktop
I picked pulls and my faucet partly based on lack of crevices to clean
Decent venting (with seem less exterior if you can find it and DW safe baffles)
Adequate storage
Minimal exposed storage (I use a few canisters, but they are SS and smooth)
Liners (sink base, drawers, shelves) in case of leaks
Undermount sink (no grimmy edge, easy to wipe counters into sink)
Cleaning items easy to get to (I have multiple bottles of stuff so one is always in each room I use it in, broom/mop hanger bar, etc)
Cabinets/trim to the ceiling

For me, undermount sinks are a revelation. Being able to sweep crumbs and pools of water right into the sink helps keep counters clean. To that same idea, I like the trash/recycling pullout for sweeping items that don't go into the sink like snippets of paper or ribbon, etc.

Having simple lines on my countertop edge, cabinet style, pulls, counter stools, etc makes them easier to clean.

A wide, deep cleanup sink makes clearing the counters easy when the DW is full and running, which happens a lot in my house.

I keep cleaning products in the kitchen that I use there even if they are also stored elsewhere. It's quicker to pull the glass cleaner out from under the sink rather than walking to the laundry room where we used to keep it. Same with my wood floor cleaner.

Having the right storage for each item makes unloading DW a snap, and, therefore, my kitchen looks cleaner more often as I'm not stacking the clean pie plates on the counter because the the thought of getting on hands and knees to reach into lower cupboard (instead of drawer) makes me want to run away. I guess I'm saying drawers are best!

Minimal counter clutter.

Lastly, I think loving my kitchen makes me WANT to keep it clean. I disliked my old kitchen so wasn't motivated to keep it looking perfect all the time. I kept it clean, mind you, just not shiny and sparkly all the time.

induction cooktop - easiest to clean by far
paneled appliances, no SS
solid BS, no grout behind cooktop
cabinets to ceiling, no ledges
no open shelves
plain cabinet fronts/slab fronts
undermount sink, the best
a place for everything - reduces counter clutter
pullout trash can to sweep crumbs/dirt right into

A stainless steel countertop with integrated sink and backsplash would have no seams, no places for crumbs or grime to collect. And would not require sealing or special cleaners or maintenance.

Some sort of sprayer or kohler karbon to rinse out the sink.

The fewer holes in the countertop for the faucet, etc, the easier to clean around.

Tapmaster allows you to turn faucet on and off without touching it, which keeps it cleaner.

I love this post! How about a Roomba (for vacuuming) and a Scooba (for scrubbing)? Having these two appliances has certainly made me reconsider the base of everything in my house. I want high enough clearances that these don't catch under any cabinet or completely closed bases so that they don't need to go underneath any cabinet) If I never had to do a floor again I would be very happy.

For me it's --

Paneled appliances
Induction cooktop
Undermount sink
Large expanses of clutter-free countertops (not that I have that, but it would make it easier to clean :-) )
Drawers whose bottoms are melamine (they are a dream to clean)
Everything stored in its proper place
Pullout trash and recycling (having the trash room somewhat nearby is nice too -- we empty it more frequently because it's not too far away)

Breezy, I could have written this: "I disliked my old kitchen so wasn't motivated to keep it looking perfect all the time."

I gave my old kitchen a good scrub down yesterday. While doing so, I pondered the fact that I'm going from mid-toned, blue-gray speckled laminate counters to lightly leathered Steel Gray granite counters and from a top-mount, white cast iron sink to an undermount, Metallic Silver Silgranite sink. I'm not going to readily see the dirt as I do now but I will want to keep it cleaner just because I'm going to love it so much more than I do my current kitchen!

To be fair, it's not the counters and the sink I object to: it's the dysfunctional lay-out. I think I'd be perfectly content with laminate counters again (with a tile-in sink so no more lip between counter and sink) but hubby wouldn't hear of anything but granite or quartz. And our realtor friends told us it would be a big mistake not to do granite or quartz in our neighborhood. Sigh. Poor, disrespected laminate. ;-)

I'm happy to see that these features that I'm adding to my kitchen remodel made the list:
Smooth pulls on my cabs
Simple cab style
Cabs to ceiling
Induction cook top
A place for everything (I'm going to have room to spare, whee!)
Pull-out trash cabs (we'll have room for 4: garbage, mixed recycling, glass recycling, and returnables plus a spot for kitchen compost, all but garbage currently are homeless at present, cluttering my counters)
Large undermount sink
1-2 holes in my counter, 1 for faucet and maybe 1 for air switch (still debating that)
Good ventilation

When we replace the DW in a few years, we're going to get one that can be paneled.

I wish my new kitchen was coming with a maid! Or at the least, I'd like to finally be able to channel my inner Monica and turn on the love-to-clean gene.

Love the tips to keep cleaning supplies handy. Thanks, Breezy and williamsem!

practigal, I realized after our new couch was ordered (stored at the warehouse until remodeling is complete) that it lacks enough clearance below it to get a vacuum cleaner attachment under it. And I'm kicking myself for that error. Someone needs to invent furniture with built-in hovercraft technology so we only need to push a button for everything to lift up off the floor to make vacuuming a breeze.

Using an electric stove and no tiles and grout.

My number 1 favorite thing to make cleaning up easier while preparing food is my Automatic garbage can. It is SS so it even matches my appliances. It is battery operated and has an "eye" on the top. With my hands full all I do is position hands over the eye and the lid opens. Self closing after a few seconds.

Oh my, I forgot about having my faucet handle in the front! Got that from GW.

Love my air switch! With the faucet handle in front it is easy to keep clean, and one less thing in the way when cleaning the backsplash. Plus less mess reaching for it. I still only have two holes since I have a single hole faucet.

This thread is making realize that I naturally prefer the look of everything that is easy to keep clean. I didn't realize it till sjhockeyfan and lisa wrote out the whole list.

It's all the cleaner-lined, less fussy things.

Perhaps all minimalist designers are just people who hate cleaning.

Thanks for the tips. I currently walk into the laundry room to get the floor cleaner. I'll be adding bottles below the cleanup sink & the prep sink.
Totally agree w/ Breezy about the drawers. I actually enjoy emptying my dishwasher these days.
Highly recommend the airswitch.

Discipline and minimalism. :)

a maid

Clean as you go.

When you take all the stuff out of your old kitchen, thin ruthlessly. Haven't used the bundt pan in 10 years? Donate it. Have extra 10 x 13 pans? Donate them. How many sauce pans do you really need? Do you own a treasure trove of widgets? Finding a home for all the things you use and moving along all the things that don't get used make for a much happier kitchen.

* minimal appliances/other items on countertops - food bits always get stuck around them. The only items on our counters are a vitamix (used 3-4 days per week) and coffee maker (everyday). All other small appliances are stored in our pantry. Some are plugged-in (coffee bean grinder, toaster) others are not (food processor, mixer).

* a sink with a bottom that angles toward the drain and is not super flat, especially if it's a large single bowl (live and learn). It's a pain to get the food bits off the basin floor and down the drain in a mostly flat bottom sink (and it wastes a lot of water)

*a large single bowl sink. this was a game changer in our house in keeping the countertops clutter free. I know items that were on the counters are now just in the sink, but the free countertops have less clutter which makes the kitchen look cleaner, and more importantly for us, gives us more counter space to use while cooking

* I routinely go through the kitchen and move items unused in the past year out of the kitchen (usually to the canning closet or to goodwill)

*a non-porous grout (e.g. epoxy) that is more impervious to stains, esp. if you use a light grout. It will keep your kitchen looking cleaner and nice for longer.

Smooth cabinet handles have been mentioned. But I'll add that the handles should also have enough clearance between handle and cabinet/drawer front for a rag or sponge in your hand to wipe it off for a quick cleaning. Not narrow so much on each end that you have to wrap a rag around a knife or use a small toothbrush to clean there.

I lusted over an Elkay sink with a Perfect Drain today. All sinks should have that. One less little groove for gunk to collect into.

The large single sink was new for me too. We got a Franke Orca and use a bottom and right side grid. That sink is a thing of beauty, and it holds an embarrassing amount of dishes.

"But I'll add that the handles should also have enough clearance between handle and cabinet/drawer front for a rag or sponge in your hand to wipe it off for a quick cleaning."

this is a good one. besides the smooth/plain look so no groves and frills for gunk to accumulate in.

When looking for handles I passed over any with 1" or less in projection. The ones I decided on are about 1.25". Also easier on the fingers.

Most everything I look to replace now is picked for ease of cleaning and use. I'm not going to get any younger and with 4 trigger fingers, a bad back and a few other limitations this is top priority. The price is right up there too since it's doubtful I'll be getting any richer either!

I'm also making sure any light fixtures replaced aim downward. Don't want them collecting any dust or dead bugs and it makes changing the bulbs easier. I also refuse to have any that have a globe that connects with little screws around it. I won't even try to not drop a globe while removing or replacing those tiny screws.

Hey, I'm even lazier than you in the lighting department, desertsteph. I'm pretty sure I'm using LED disk lights in my remodel. No bulb to change. Last 35,000-50,000 hours depending on brand. By the time they burn out and need changing, I'll probably have crossed the rainbow bridge. How's that for lazy?

Dish drawers or two dishwashers. Induction cook top. A great hood that is not so noisy that your family avoids using it is a must. I have glass cabinets in the cabinets flanking my hood, but my hood is so great that no grease gets on the glass. When I do clean the glass, I use something called "streak free". Its a cloth that makes cleaning glass incredibly easy and streak free.

My polished black granite in my last home showed dust and fingerprints and waterspots. This time around I think I'm opting for a leathered finish.

One hole faucet, and keep it away from the backspash.

Ruthless paring of stuff. The older I get, the less stuff I need, and I see all the time people whose houses are so full of stuff you can't walk from one side of the room to the other.

What is an air switch?

An air switch is a button for turning on the garbage disposal. It's an unobtrusive little disk that is put in the counter, usually next to the faucet, instead of a switch on the wall.

All of the above plus your countertop edge is important! Be sure it extends far enough so that if something spills over the edge it doesn't run straight down the front of your cabinets, creating twice the mess. Some edge profiles (full bullnose for one) will allow a liquid spill to cling to them and thus have the same thing happen, a liquid spill will cling to the edge profile all the way around until it hits your cabinets. Not good.

This is a good point. Most profiles give a sleek look by "dropping off" the countertop but this allows liquids and other messes to just drip down your cabinets. If you're going with a laminate countertop, check out an Ogee Edge profile. It's become a popular seller for us and has the tendency to "catch" most spills. This in itself is not always desirable but there is always going to be pros & cons in any decision.

I think controlling clutter is a big part of this - and making sure there's not too many duplicates of things. When we renovated, I confined all my "crappy plastic cup and water bottles" to one drawer and when it can't close, it's time to clean it out. I now have what I need for pans, pots, etc.. but not too many of any one thing. Our undermount sink and slab backsplash also has a nice sleek look that is easy to keep clean.

I am living in Keswick. We used hardwood floors in our home. From my experience I can give you some suggestions,

Hardwood floors are easy to sweep and maintain, and select excellent-quality paint so that the wall cleaning will be easier, consider vinyl wall coverings so that cleaning wall covering become easy. Leather upholstery handling is easy compared to others. There are many professional cleaning services that you can seek help in this particular area.

Chinchette, please tell me what hood you have?

A pull out drawer with basket for dirty kitchen towels! Our last house had a laundry shoot that went through the kitchen - and allowed you to throw down towels. Loved that option. We are currently living in a rental while we build and I quickly wondered where the heck do people put dirty towels?

Our new house laundry is up stairs so we will have a pull out with a small basket to keep until laundry day.

Quartz countertops are, for example, very easy to clean and maintain, but everything actually depends on how do you use your kitchen (how often, do you clean right after preparing a meal, etc.). Also, new kitchens are easier and faster to clean than old ones. Hiring a cleaning company once every two weeks is ideal if you regularly clean your kitchen. Once a week is best if you don't like to clean up often. Practicing this routine will make any kitchen as clean as possible.