If you’ve ever been to high end Mediterranean inspired houses, you’ve probably seen the white, tan, cream-colored, or rusty varieties of the porous stone called Travertine. A form of limestone, travertine forms when regular limestone is exposed to large build-ups of calcium carbonate, such as those found in the caves and quarries of Southern Italy. Travertine has been used in the construction of flooring and wall cladding for centuries, but has become particularly popular in expensive homes around the world in the last decade, although it has recently become much more affordable.
When used as flooring, travertine is typically purchased filled- with the large holes in the stone plugged and smoothed significantly from its natural state. Even smoothed travertine maintains a unique texture underfoot, and so is often used in outdoor baths or patios. In walls, travertine may remain unfilled, with the large natural perforations in the stone giving the cladding a distinctive, Romanesque appearance. Although soft, travertine does not degrade easily and archeologists frequently find intact travertine that is over a thousand years old.
Travertine’s recent popularity can be attributed in large part due to the desire for a natural or classical aesthetic in high end homes. As modernist architecture has begun to fall out of favor, many architects have been experimenting with neo-classical Romantic styles of building. The fact that it has become much cheaper, as Italy’s near monopoly on the stone has been broken by competitors from Turkey and Peru, has made the use of large amounts of travertine in homes much more feasible. Adding travertine to a home is a sure-fire way to enhance that home’s value, as the expense (or appearance of expense) of the irregular stones tends to be immediately obvious. Travertine tile flooring is a popular addition to many bathrooms, kitchens and outdoor patios.
If you still need some assistance deciding if this style of flooring is right for your home, your lifestyle and your budget, contact the San Diego flooring experts at Unique Flooring for a free consultation.
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