Blue brown rug from WHI

Home Décor That’s Easy to Clean

Beautiful home décor that stays clean is the stuff of dreams…

Pristine leather couches, soft white carpets and sparkling glass tabletops are just a few of the desires that come to mind. But when you look around your space, is that what you see?

While it’s nice to dream of a fairytale showroom in your home, kids, pets and every day life all take a toll on your surroundings and quickly render that dream null and void.

But just because you have a family or busy lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to give up all your design dreams. Here are a few fail-safe home décor tips to keep your home looking beautiful – without all the fuss.

Easy to Clean Home Decor Tip #1: Choose Your Carpet Wisely

Blue brown rug from WHI

Choosing your carpet wisely is an important task if you want to keep your space looking beautiful without the extra maintenance.

Consider the lifestyle you have. A white shag carpet might be a glamorous option if you’re a single person without pets or kids, but anyone with a family might have a hard time keeping it pristine.

Shag (although we adore its fluffy appearance) can be tricky because of its texture. Crumbs and food can easily get trapped within the shag, creating extra vacuuming on your part. It’s also a magnet for pets (cats especially) that love to scratch and claw at its shaggy bits.

If you have an active family life with endless room-to-room traffic, we suggest trying an outdoor carpet to anchor your space.

In 2014 there are literally thousands of gorgeous outdoor carpet options that look great indoors and can withstand a busy family lifestyle. We wrote a blog on it last month that you might want to check out

Forget the painstaking labor of a carpet cleaner. Outdoor carpets can easily be hosed outside and left to dry in the sun, making them a top choice for busy moms and pet lovers.

Easy to Clean  Home Decor Tip #@: Durability Is Key

Home decor that stays clean
Spills, stains, rips and tears are something you become accustomed to when you have kids or pets; that’s why the durability of your fabrics, whether it’s your sofa, curtains or pillows, is something to consider in your design scheme.

There’s nothing we love more than a comfy leather couch in the den, ideal for cozying up with the kids for family movie nights; but what about if you have pets? Claw marks, nips and scratches on the leather surface are unavoidable.

Then again, if you live pet-free, leather sofas are great for wiping up quick spills.

When it comes to fabric, opt for pillow covers and slipcovers that you can easily unzip and toss into the washing machine. This is a much easier task than scrubbing out stains with a soapy brush, praying it doesn’t leave a mark or ring around your favorite pillow.

With that said, always stain guard your sofa when given the option; it’s worth the extra money and adds years to your furniture.

The durability of your floor tile is also something to consider. Always seal your hardwood floors or else spills and pet accidents can be absorbed and will need to be buffed out. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

Easy to Clean Home Decor Tip #3: Minimalism Wins

Dusting: We hate it. You hate it. We all hate it. If you’re lucky enough to ‘outsource’ it, kudos to you.  But for the rest of us, the second best way to truly avoid this loathsome task is to minimize our accessories.

Less accessories and knick-knacks on your shelves and accent tables doesn’t necessarily mean less dusting, but it does minimize the amount of time it takes to get the dusting done.

You can still have a beautiful showcase-like room with fewer accessories by going bolder or more eccentric with your furniture.

For example, our Soho Accent Table in Black is ultra contemporary with lines of red and black text, it’s a best seller because it looks great against most modern backdrops.

minimalist accent table by inspire

Pieces like this speak for themselves and don’t require extra accessories or décor to make a statement. A spritz of cleaner and swipe of a paper towel is all it needs to stay clean.

Going minimal with your accessories is 100% on trend and saves you extra effort in the cleaning department.

With so many different families and lifestyles out there, we know there must be a few easy-to-clean décor tips we’ve missed. Share yours with us in the comments below!