No stairs! You don't want to climb them or clean them.

My house has hardwood flooring except tile in baths and back hall. Easy to just vacuum (central vac -- no pushing a heavy machine around) and wet mop once in a while. Wool area rugs can be sent out to be cleaned.

Wide casings on windows 'frames' them enough to keep any fabric 'treatments' to a minimum -- less dust.

Lots of storage! If everything can be put away, there is less to dust :)

Absolutely only hardwood or tile floors. One story. More simple details.

BTW: If you have fibromyalgia, please make sure not to use any artificial sweeteners. The exacerbate the problem.

Windows without panes are much easier to clean with a squeegee system. The vacuum system where you sweep to a "hole in the baseboard" where it gets sucked in, what's that called? You don't have to bend down with a dustpan.

google "universal design" principles, which you should consider for the future. For example, wide hallways and doors, stepless showers, and cabinets, light switches and plugs at appropriate levels so you don't have a lot of bending down and reaching up

Thank you for all these responses! I have looked at universal design. The only problem is the wide doorways-I don't know how much of an extra cost those are. I will have to ask the builder.

Provide space at all entries for shoes to be stored. That will greatly reduce tracked in dirt.

Radiant heat helps to reduce dust.

Get "comfort height" toilet stools, easier to sit and stand. Also, no tile in showers. We built our forever retirement home this year and have a stepin shower, no tub, in the master bath. We got one piece units for our shower and the guest tub/shower. No cleaning caulk or grout.

Build smaller and cheaper, then hire help. At least, that's what I'm going to do. :) There's a good book on this topic, "Let Your House Do the Housework" by Don Aslett. It will pay for itself many times over.

We enjoy the hydronic under-floor heating in some rooms, but would be lost without the whole house forced air system that has an Aprilaire filter and flow-thru humidfier.

I love the tremendous suction power of the central vac, the quiet (motor is in our basement) and the fact that it only needs to be emptied every couple of months, which DH does for me.

Never tried a Roomba. Does it hold a lot? Would it pull dirt out of a rug? I think of these as useful for crumbs, other loose debris, but don't know.

I've been very happy with our 36" wide doorways, and movers *love* them! We also have no thresholds to catch dirt. Smooth vacuuming.

I must disagree that hardwoods are easier to care for. I know it's not the current trend, but I do think 60s housewives were on to something when they covered up all their hardwood floors with wall-to-wall carpet. I prefer taking care of carpet too.

We had engineered hardwood in our last house and it required a three step process; stick vac, swiffer, Bona. With two adults, two kids and one dog they only looked clean for about half a day. In our new house my design style is 'low maintenance' and we chose luxury sheet vinyl in a wood-look in the kitchen and bathrooms and a smartstrand low pile carpet in the rest of the house.

The smartstrand carpet is amazing with stain resistance (it's under our dining table--gasp!) We run the roomba regularly (it's just a carpet sweeper, I don't think roombas have any suction) and then vacuum about once a week. Of course, with kids I have to spot clean any spills with water on a microfiber cloth. The sheet vinyl looks great, it's soft underfoot and only requires sweeping and mopping. Being a shoe free (and now sadly a pet-free) home helps limit tracked-in dirt. We have a great independent carpet cleaning guy who is passionate about carpet cleaning--it's true--and he'll come out every 6-12 months.

It's been a while since I crunched numbers, but I figured that I could re-carpet my house three times for the cost of real site-finished hardwoods. Even if I wanted hardwoods I just couldn't justify the cost and would never have an engineered hardwood again.

Now, there are environmental concerns for people regarding these two products. If you're worried about off-gassing, vinyl and special carpet fibers might not be for you.

My mother-in-law has fibromyalgia and so it's my understanding that you might be concerned about how hard surfaces are on your joints. The vinyl is so soft and warm underfoot and our carpet pad is memory foam (14#?) and every person who has visited has commented house nice it feels to walk on it. Especially the friends who have hardwood throughout.

Sorry for the long comment! I guess I had info to share on this topic :-)

radish - this is so random, but one problem my mother-in-law has found is with her bathrooms. They don't have adequate walls for grab bars nor the TP dispenser. Even with the comfort height toilets she could really use some good grab bars and a TP holder that doesn't require any twisting.

Here are some diagrams to help you. Primarily, youshould make sure your toilet it parallel to a wall approximately 48" wide minimum and not just between the sink and tub.

I must disagree that hardwoods are easier to care for. I know it's not the current trend, but I do think 60s housewives were on to something when they covered up all their hardwood floors with wall-to-wall carpet. I prefer taking care of carpet too.

It may be easier to care for in the sense that all you need to do is run the vacuum, but from a health standpoint, unless you're vacuuming a minimum of 2x a week, you're better off with bare floors. Carpets harbor dust mites, cockroach stuff, animal dander, mildew, mold, and other allergens. If you're allergic or in any way have a compromised immune system, I wouldn't take the chance of having carpeting.

If you find you're having more frequent headaches, skin problems, cough or sore throat, irritated nose or eyes, post nasal drip, etc and you have wall to wall carpeting, it might just be the carpet that is the culprit.

Also back in the 60's the majority of homeowners who had carpeting, had wool carpets and not carpeting made from pvc and other materials that release VOC's. Of course the same can be said for many of the hardwoods and LVT floors nowadays. Best to do your due diligence and learn what you can before buying.

Build a house you love, but having the least of everything will give you less to clean... Less square footage, less walls, less horizontal surfaces... Think how easy a house set up like a studio apartment with built in floor to ceiling storage and a roomba would be to clean!

Not having pets would make my house stay a lot cleaner, but we wouldn't be as happy.

Where do you live? If you could do away with an HVAC system that blows a lot, which disturbs the air, your house would be less dusty.

You haven't said whether or not you have children, but two people could be quite comfortable in less than 1700 sq ft. The smaller the house, the less to clean, it costs less to build, less taxes, less for utilities; the HVAC system will cost less because it is smaller, etc. As scone911 said, you could save enough to pay someone to do the cleaning.

I also strongly recommend Universal Design. 36" doors shouldn't be much more than smaller ones; the difference in materials is maybe $20, and the labor is identical. You do have to include them in the design to make sure they fit, though.

Single floor ranch is easier to deal with. Minimize your floor area, prepare to spend a bit more now for ease later like the doors ... if you go for 36" doors throughout the house, the upcharge should be minimal because they can order a bunch of them.

Smooth hard surfaces: Tile with SEALED grout for floors so you can have it steam-cleaned and run a floor scrubber occasionally, and send rugs out for cleaning.

Smooth enclosures for the bathtub and shower, not tile.

Sturdy surfaces - nothing that takes pampering, nothing that needs special cleaning instructions for the housekeeping staff. Soapstone or laminate for kitchen counters instead of marble or butcher block, smooth-top or induction range, etc. no stainless steel (It shows fingerprints horrible) Ideally you can use one bottle of spray cleaner on everything.

Simple decor - all those fancy carvings and moldings collect dust. Think modern slab-front cabinets, not Tuscan.

Minimal cracks in things: use counter-depth sinks instead of drop-in or under counter mount. Easier to clean.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/images/products/rattviken-sink-bowl-white__0404536_PE302657_S4.JPG is an example of a bathroom sink, and the full-depth sinks with drainboards for the kitchen.

Make sure you have grab bars in the right spots.

Look into a solid surface (corian type material) surround in your shower/ tub surrounds; no grout to scrub.

Various things that leap to mind, some from the Don Aslett book:

Eggshell rather than flat wall paint. Benjamin Moore Aura is the bomb.

Flat trim, especially baseboards.

Hard floors, because the vacuum makes a lot of noise.

Rugs that can be washed, or sent out to be washed.

Window treatments ditto. Cafe curtains.

Simpler furniture, leather, Crypton, maybe slipcovers.

No kick space at bottom of kitchen and bath cabinets.

Simple hardware on doors and cabinets.

Same model faucets throughout, using the same spare parts.

No bowl or otherwise contained glass fixtures, where bugs go to die.

I think the most important part is to design away space for "storage" of stuff that you should be eliminating in the first place. Aslett calls these "junk bunkers" and that's what basements, attics, etc. often become. His attitude is, if you don't want junk, don't "adopt" it from junk shelters, and don't give it a home in your home.

Easier said than done. There's a lot of not very subtle social pressure to acquire and hang on to stuff, and then you need a bigger house to put it in. For myself, it's been there, done that. I built my "dream home" which was 3000 square feet, then we got a job transfer, so I bought 2400 s. f., and now I'm a little under 2000 s. f. I don't miss the extra space at all.

In fact, the (slightly under) 2000 s.f. home we are in is almost perfect, although I would like to eliminate the basement. If I can do that, the only junk bunker left is the space over the garage. Maybe I'll vault the ceiling there, removing all temptation! ;)

This is not a maintenance thing, but one issue to consider regarding flooring...carpet helps a lot with echo and noise.

My husband is partially deaf (totally deaf in one ear since childhood) and there's a distinct difference in his ability to hear in a room with hardwoods and an area rug versus a room with wall to wall. He commented how nice it was that in our new living room he could actually hear people talking at our Christmas gathering. When we go to friends parties who have hardwoods throughout he has trouble hearing and ends up not being able to engage in conversations. Something to consider for anyone with a loved one with hearing impairment.

I would recommend cork floors everywhere except where you will have standing water such as a kitchen or bathroom. They are hypoallergenic, quieter than hardwoods, don't attract dust, are just as easy to clean as hardwoods, and are softer and warmer under foot than hardwoods. I put them in my boys' bedrooms because of their allergies and everyone who stands on them is surprised by how pleasant they are under foot.

My mother has fibromyalgia too. Here's some things that I think would help make the house more pleasant. Plan for a spot in the kitchen where you can sit and prep for meals. I don't know about you but standing for long periods while cutting veggies for example is hard for my mom. Either elevate the dishwasher on a pedestal or put in dishwasher drawers so you don't have to bend over as much to load and unload them. Make sure your oven has a counter top right next to it so you don't have far to set down heavy dishes when you pull them out. Put your laundry room as close as possible to your bedroom and make space for rolling dirty clothes cart and valet cart so you don't have to carry loads of heavy clothes. Put a bench in your curbless shower with a hand held shower head on a sliding pole next to it. Not only will it make showering easier but the hand held shower head will make it easier to clean the shower. Make space to stash cleaning supplies and trash bags throughout the house so you don't have to carry cleaning supplies from room to room.

tcufrog - interesting! My friends have cork floors in their kitchen and I found theirs to be TERRIBLE to stand on - my husband and I were doing the 1-foot shift-hop for an hour while visiting because the hosts wouldn't leave the kitchen and our feet were ACHING!

We are doing vinyl floors as we find them comfortable underfoot.

I agree with your other comments.

Lookintomyeyes that's interesting that you found cork uncomfortable as I have friend who raves about hers. is it possible your friends' cork was laid on concrete slab?

Never tried a Roomba. Does it hold a lot? Would it pull dirt out of a
rug? I think of these as useful for crumbs, other loose debris, but
don't know.

No, it doesn't have a big reservoir -- expect to empty the "pan" every time it runs. Yes, it pulls dirt out of a rug; it is a good vacuum. Pretty much every time I run it, the pan is full of dust and dog hair.

Because my daughters and I both have long hair, the Roomba beaters do need "cleaning" about once a month -- I suspect that in a house of short-haired girls or all guys, this wouldn't be an issue. I sit down on the floor, remove the beaters, and use scissors to snip off the hair; it takes about 10 mintues a month.

What I like about it, of course, is that it requires NO effort on my part: We "live" in our family room, so I run it 3-4 times a week in there. I close off the door to the hall, close off the door to the office, move the trash can and a bar stool to prevent it from running into the kitchen, then push a button. When it's done, it returns to its charging station.

I must disagree that hardwoods are easier to care for. I know it's not
the current trend, but I do think 60s housewives were on to something
when they covered up all their hardwood floors with wall-to-wall carpet.
I prefer taking care of carpet too.

I don't think 60s housewives chose carpeting IN SPITE OF the extra cleaning it requires. They chose wall-to-wall carpeting because it was a new trend, because it is warmer, and more friendly to sit upon.

You haven't said whether or not you have children, but two people could
be quite comfortable in less than 1700 sq ft. The smaller the house, the
less to clean, it costs less to build, less taxes, less for utilities;
the HVAC system will cost less because it is smaller, etc. As scone911
said, you could save enough to pay someone to do the cleaning.

The goal isn't to have a small house; rather, the goal is to have a right-sized house. You need adequate storage and space in the right spaces ... but not wasted space that'll just be -- as you say -- more to clean, more to build, more to tax, more to heat and cool.

The house in which I live now is a study in where not to place space. We have a giant master bedroom -- but the empty space at the foot of the bed isn't particularly valuable. At the same time, our master bedroom closet is cramped. Likewise, we have a giant kitchen, which means that replacing the counter tops was very expensive, but our combination walk-in pantry /laundry room is too narrow for comfort. I wish I could move some of the space around!

Perhaps carpet was just a trend for some or most. My comment about sixties housewives was only based on my conversation with my aunt who was a sixties housewife :-) she was thrilled to cover her hardwoods with green shag because vacuuming was easier care. In her opinion, of course. She had five children in the middle of farm land.

Again thank you to all of you! You have given me a lot to think about. After talking with my husband some more, we are going to go with a ranch. We are in our 50's and would like to live in the house for the rest of our lives and think a ranch is the way to go.

Excellent point benjesbride about the hearing impaired. Any type of material that will help with sound deadening would be better than nothing. I know my Dad notices the difference.

mrspete, good to know you like your roomba because I am planning on getting one for my new home. Plus no more shoes in the house.

mrspete, good to know you like your roomba because I am planning on
getting one for my new home. Plus no more shoes in the house.

Be sure to plan a spot for it to "live". Ideally you'd have an electrical outlet in the bottom of a closet, where it can recharge. It could also live under a chest on "legs".

Do you have pets? My beagle dog goes absolutely insane when we run the Roomba. He barks and barks until he reaches a pathetic, high pitched squeal that seems to say, "Will no one help me protect this house? Do none of you recognize the danger?" I let him go outside, or I leave the pocket door into the office open a bit so he can escape.

My double-hung windows get so dirty between the screen and window. I miss my casement windows with interior roll down screen. House was built in 1970 and the windows and screens are still perfect, and the sills stay clean.