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Property/DIY

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Is Travertine marble the new avocado suite?

155 replies

tak1ngchances · 05/05/2012 11:44

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.

OP posts:
VeronicaSpeedwell · 08/05/2012 11:50

I love those 1930s ice-cream coloured suites.

shuffara · 08/05/2012 11:57

I do think travertine is a bit naff yes, although we had it on the floor of our new shower. The bathroom floor is dark wood floorboards which I think is the best floor for bathrooms (with big fluffy bath mats!) as it is easy to clean and doesn't matter if it gets wet! Our marmoleum floor was a nightmare (went mouldy in weeks(.

Staverton · 08/05/2012 12:22

Do these really look crapola?
millhousedreams.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/fired-earth-architecture-tiles.html?m=1

noddyholder · 08/05/2012 12:29

for veronica beautiful

KlarkyKat · 08/05/2012 13:04

Ok, I just clicked on this when I saw it in discussion of the day and didn't realise it was a property/DIY link. I was hoping to find out about a new foodstuff in the vein of an avocado. Blush
But now I've googled the tiles I have to say they aren't my cup of tea. [Food obsessed]

LittleFrieda · 08/05/2012 13:31

Staverton - a whole bathroom like that will be terribly depressing. Cold-feeling and will look grubby very soon.

Innat · 08/05/2012 13:44

I couldn't actually find any nice coloured tiles that were in my price range two years ago despite looking. it was all stone coloured tiles. Man in the shop told me no one wanted coloured tiles anymore - not for bathrooms anyway. More leeway in kitchens interestingly.

Of course travertine will look dated, but i imagine most people will want to redo the bathroom by that time anyway whether it looks dated or not it will probably look old or at least tired.

Just go with what you like unless you are planning to sell soon (ha ha that's a good joke), in which case stick with something neutral.

Innat · 08/05/2012 13:48

Just re read your OP, it's just floor and bath panel,so not so big a deal I don't think. It's when the whole bathroom is tiled and you don't like it's hard to see past the amount of work to take them all off.

BeeInMyBonnet · 08/05/2012 14:37

I watched a programme a while ago where David Heathcote visited Claridges and was splashing about in the Art Deco bathroom. It was gorgeous.

I think in another life I might just go and live there. In the bathroom.

Staverton · 08/05/2012 15:13

Little friends yes not a whole bathroom. Just behind bath and half way up one wall begins sink. So two and half walls will have no tiles at all on and will be painted some kind of farrow and ball warm greyish colour or even darkish duck egg.
A friend has them and 2 years later they are still looking clean!

LittleFrieda · 08/05/2012 15:47

staverton - sounds nice. Grin

SeventhEverything · 08/05/2012 15:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pannacotta · 08/05/2012 17:28

Staverton those tiles do look good.
We have just put matt white metro tiles in our shower room with grey grout and Charleston Grey walls and it looks very smart I think.
We used quite classic fittings which are very simple and I think metro tiles compliment this look.

I dont find it that easy to keep them looking clean in the shower though, there are lots of grout lines and neither me nor my cleaner cleans them too often...

LaCiccolina · 08/05/2012 20:16

We have slate tiles. Can recommend highly. The other thing we have in the house is amtico tiling.

Will probably date too but is quite pretty.

LeQueen · 08/05/2012 20:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

kedge · 09/05/2012 09:44

hmmm, I would say if this is your 'forever house' and you are planning to stay there for a long time if not indefinately, then get something you love. However, if you are not planning on staying there and it is a stepping stone until you can move to somewhere you really want to be, then I would play it safe and go for something that doesnt make so much of a statement and would appeal to a broader range of buyers. Looking at previous postings, opinion seems to be split on whether it is a like it/loathe it option.

everlong · 09/05/2012 10:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Iggly · 09/05/2012 11:33

I'm considering slate tiles in the kitchen.... or wood. can't decide.

Have never heard of travertine!

Our bathroom has dark grey rubber floors, white metro tiles halfway up the wall except the top row and all around the bathroom are tiled in greeny/turquoise metro tiles. Had it done two years ago and still looks good. Grouting is clean too - use one of those post shower spray thingies to keep away mildew.

Kendodd · 09/05/2012 11:44

Has anyone said "so what if it dates" yet?

Personally I'd love an avocado bathroom, (I have boring plain old white, the same as everyone else in the entire country) it's a period bathroom, whats wrong with that?

twigwidge · 09/05/2012 18:31

I have travertine floor tiles in my bathroom, they are beautiful. Although I don't like to boast but I will when we recently had our house valued 3 estate agents stated that the designer bathrooom was what pushed our house through the street/development ceiling??? valuation.

I have not had anyone do anything but admire my bathroom Grin. If you like them go for it and bugger any one elses opinion.........if I listen to all "rules" on here I wouldn't have a brown leather sofa, my wardrobe would be devoid of Boden and linen trousers and I would have gone with laminate instead of real wood flooring which the bloody dogs have wrecked

iloveberries · 09/05/2012 19:13

i think travertine is already very dated.... and very 'try hard'.

classic slate, classic white look great. timeless. elegant.

we have travertine in our new house and i just cannot wait to get rid of it. reminds me of all the souless hotels i stay in for business.....

Mopswerver · 09/05/2012 19:51

Oh God can't we kill this thread, it's so "keep up with the jones's". Marble has been around since time immemorial so I doubt it will date! Who cares what anyone else thinks? You choose what you like. It's bright colours & patterns that will date. Oh and I've seen some god awful white "shell" shaped sinks too Grin

EdlessAllenPoe · 09/05/2012 20:43

marble may have been around a while, but consciously cladding whole walls in a certain shade of marble.....a fixed point in time.

Mopswerver · 09/05/2012 21:03

I suggest it may be the "cladding" that's the problem not the tile. It's like saying bricks will date.

funnyperson · 09/05/2012 21:17

Travertine marble is so last season daahling.
I would go for a William Morris look.