Was Traver-tine tile really "out" in interior design as of 8 years ago? ?

Question

On last season of the Bravo reality show Flipping out - Jeff Lewis took a nicely rehabbed home and completely did a gut removing everything from new kitchen cabs to gorgeous Traver-tine tiles in the bathrooms, he stated that the previous owner wasted 400k on the rehab and did nothing "right" - I was just wondering if he was correct in his statement.

Answer 1

Travertine is very much in these days however I like porcelain better, it is thinner and more durable.

Answer 2

The problem with travertine is that it's extremely porous and must be sealed regularly to use as a flooring surface or counter top (or any horizontal surface that's exposed to water). Even then, it's subject to getting dirty or staining easily.

Travertine got really popular about 10 years ago, because it really does have a cool look (it's a natural stone that has holes in it like swiss cheese, that get filled in with the grout when it's installed). But, it's best used as a backsplash or accent. For a floor or horizontal surface exposed to moisture, ceramic is the way to go. It's completely moisture resistant, cleans a lot easier, and doesn't have to be sealed (although you may have to reseal the grout every now and then). Also, ceramic tiles are made in all kinds of colors and styles, where you can get the travertine look, with the durability of ceramic.

Answer 3

As far as I know, travertine tile is still a very desirable material for almost anywhere you would us tile. It was popular many years ago but compared to other types of tile was also much more expensive. Apparently the price of other tiles has risen more quickly in comparison to travertine which makes it competitive price wise.