Is Travertine marble the new avocado suite?

[tak1ngchances]

I have picked out travertine marble tiles for the floor and bath panel of our family bathroom. Tiler came to do a cost estimate for the job y'day and said "everyone is getting those, they will date your house dreadfully in a few years' time".
I am thinking, shit - is travertine the next avocado suite?

Thoughts? And any alternative suggestions...we have a blank slate.

[libelulle]

Fantastic Art, thank you! I wish I lived on the continent right now - continental house fittings are on another plane in design and quality terms, at least at the kind of price levels that I'm looking at.

[YourCallIsImportant]

Sidge your bathroom makeover is really lovely.

[HillyWallaby]

I think they've already been popular for about ten years, and very popular/ubiquitous for about 5 years. That's not to say you should not have them though, as they are still pretty plain and inoffensive. Quite honestly there is no such thing as something that won't date, unless you go for completely plain flat white tiles, but even then the choice of suite will date the room to some extent.

The stuff that really dates is strong pattern and colour, or anything with pictures. I've noticed there is a resurgence of bright/deep colours and intricate pattern again, like old French and Mediterrean 19th century inspired designs. They are beautiful, but boy will they date. Just have what you like. Frenakly most things will need replacing through wear and tear by the time they look unacceptably naff anyhow. If you are thinking about selling the house on in a few years then travertine is as good a choice as any at the moment, unless you go for something that is very new and cutting edge now so that in 5 years time it will be most popular choice.

[HillyWallaby]

I LOVE those diamond shaped deep teal blue tiles that Noddy linked, but they look exactly like the kind of thing that was big when I was growing up! They may be funky now but ten years ago they would still have qualifed as naff to most people. That resurgence of 50's through to 70's inspired design started about 10 years ago but it is only just starting to go very mainstream. By the time something 'new' is available in places like Topps tiles or Wickes is probably already too late as far as avoiding common trends is concerned!

We moved into a house in 1999 that had very bright/deep coloured and patterned tiles that had been there since the house was built in about 1973. One of the bathroom suites was chocolate brown and the other one was avocado. In 2000 we had ripped them out and put in (what was then very cutting edge) modern bathrooms with travertine type colours, little mosaic tiles, taps coming out of the walls etc. If I were buying that house in its original state today there's NO WAY I'd rip those tiles out - they are classic examples of their era and practically collector's items!

[whomovedmychocolate]

Art - big house, nine bathrooms. Best not to ask!

[HillyWallaby]

Nine? NINE? Good grief, the mind boggles.

(am I the only person who has just looked at WWMC's profile hoping to see evidence of a Buckingham Palace style home? If you haven't looked yet don't bother. It's just full of random weird photos that I do not understand the significance of. . Not a bathroom in sight.)

My previous house had 3 bathrooms plus three extra loos. I thought that me me special but I know when I'm beaten.

[CheerfulYank]

I don't know what I want in my bathroom either.

[tak1ngchances]

Can't believe my musings on marble made it into Discussions of the day!!! [Shock]

[ArcticRoll]

I refitted my bathroom four years ago and was keen to avoid the bland neutral look beloved by hotels and property developers so chose pistachio green rectangular tiles on wall and bath surround and bright violet Marmoleum on floor and I love it.

[whomovedmychocolate]

Hilly - we've only been here six months - no time for pix yet.

[Francagoestohollywood]

As much as I love marble (which I think doesn't date, as it's classic), I am not a fan of travertine marble, because it's too beige/orange.

[fresh]

I think Francesca has hit the nail on the head - over the last few years the favoured neutrals have moved away from warm, creamy colours to cool grey-based ones. Travertine looks too warm now, and too textured/rustic.

[VeronicaSpeedwell]

whomoved, I suppose there's a chance you might yet discover further, secret bathrooms?

[EdlessAllenPoe]

i need to learn basic addition, obv.

i did the alphabet and missed out 'w' yesterday...am going loopy!

Gunther looks like a nice fitter. very non-scary.

wonders at possibility of re-run of childrens classic ' the secret garden' in a bathroom setting...

[ArtVandelay]

Ok WMMC :) Hoping you have some help to clean them though.

Thanks for admiring Gunther, Edless - we are very pleased with him and Norbert :)

[OutrageousFlavourLikeFreesias]

My mum and dad have just taken out an avocado bathroom suite and replaced it with travertine.

I can never, ever, ever let them see this thread.

[TeWiDoesTheHulaInHawaii]

Bit late - but thank you Bee! Will have to give them some thought.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

at Outrageous.

Yes I agree its all about the grey now but in 5 years time we'll all be sniffing at Elephant's Breath in the same way I bet

Jajas - your bathroom sounds fab.

[fresh]

At which point someone can start a thread titled 'Is Elephant's Breath the new Travertine' and we can all start again.....

[Mopswerver]

No I don't think so. I think you are overthinking it. If you like it, have it, if you don't, don't. I think the trick with these trends is to go for something high quality rather than the cheap and cheerful end. This happened with laminate flooring a few yrs ago. Yes there were some bloody awful laminate floorings out there but laminate floor is still here, people are just choosing better quality, different styles, colour etc and some of it is stunning. Same with natural stone. By it's very nature it is a classic look so it is the way you use it that is the fashion. Just use if differently. I am looking at some lovely large, mottled looking brick shaped ones for inside our shower. I won't be using it everywhere though.

[Francagoestohollywood]

Grey is already going, in a way. It is cobalt blue, and even yellow now.

But one can't update a home decor every other year, therefore I agree with Mopswever choose something you really like and in a good finish, that won't get ruined in a few months.
There are materials that will always look good, if they are not rubbish quality, wood and marble will never date like a plastic avocado suite.

[newgirl]

I think it is all in the application

My stylish neighbour has travertine floor and it looks amazing. Everything else in the house is spacious and white.

I did it in our bathroom and the finish wasn't as good so it didn't look as good. So imho its the room, overall look, and how well it is done that is key, rather than the material used

weve moved now and need to do a bathroom again and will prob go for much cheaper option some sort of fakish tiles and spend more on a decent fitter!

[PigletJohn]

Yep, I've got top-quality Artex, top quality stone-cladding, a top-quality Chocolate bathroom suite, and top-quality shag-pile carpet.

Quality never goes out of style.