Light travertine floor what ceramic wall tiles would go nice with it?

[tris101]

Hi Guys

1[SUP]st[/SUP] post so be gentle, We are looking to strip and re fit our downstairs shower room. The room is 2.7m by 2.0m there is a shower, sink and wc in it. Floor is concrete walls and mix of stud and blockall plaster boarded. We have ordered the sanitary which white and showerframe chrome and are looking at travertine flooring and all the walls to be tiled floor to ceiling.

The wife has seen some light travertine opus lay tumbled finish which she wants for the floor, this is fine. But she does not want travertine on the walls as she thinks its too much of the same colour…. We have been to all the local suppliers for some inspiration but nothing is jumping out.

So my question is what ceramic tiles look nice with travertine floor? We were thinking maybe a matt white rectangular tile maybe with travertine border edged with travertine pencil edging to try and marry the materials.

But we are both a little stumped as what would look nice. Haveyou guys done anything similar? Did it look nice? And pics you can post?

I understand its mainly personal choice but it’s hard to visualise the finished room.

All suggestion are very greatly received

 

[bugs183]

Hiya!
Its really question of taste on what tiles suit.
A fully tiled Travertine bathroom can look amazing, just make sure you use a filled travertine in the shower so that the water sheds better.
I personally think glazed tiles should be shiny, so i hate matt!!!! But other people love them.
You need to get out and about and visit your local stockists, i would certainly recommend buying tiles from a tile distrubitor as you will have more control over what you buy, not B&Q or small scale internet shops, this can lead to all sorts of agro. Get samples and put them in the room, they always look different.
If your doing this job properly its worth noting the weights of the tiles you intend to fix to the walls. There are pages on this site suggesting which wall type can carry which weights.
Don't tile onto any painted surfaces, and it's worth replacing the shower plasterboard with cement board such as Marmox, with all the joints taped. This will waterproof the shower and give you years of service.

 

[tris101]

Hiya!
Its really question of taste on what tiles suit.
A fully tiled Travertine bathroom can look amazing, just make sure you use a filled travertine in the shower so that the water sheds better.
I personally think glazed tiles should be shiny, so i hate matt!!!! But other people love them.
You need to get out and about and visit your local stockists, i would certainly recommend buying tiles from a tile distrubitor as you will have more control over what you buy, not B&Q or small scale internet shops, this can lead to all sorts of agro. Get samples and put them in the room, they always look different.
If your doing this job properly its worth noting the weights of the tiles you intend to fix to the walls. There are pages on this site suggesting which wall type can carry which weights.
Don't tile onto any painted surfaces, and it's worth replacing the shower plasterboard with cement board such as Marmox, with all the joints taped. This will waterproof the shower and give you years of service.

Thanks, We have been to most of our local tile suppliers but its hard to see what will go with the floor other than trav on the walls but the wife can not be talked into it, I have tried. I'm not sure shiny tiles go with the tumbled floor which will be matt. Its quite hard to visualise the end result. We have brought a few samples home to look at but i'm not sure we are any further forward.

Yes I will check weights etc and make sure walls can handle it. I have done a few other tiling projects which I think have turned out well, this forum is great for info I have been lurking for years.

I was thinking of tanking the shower area with a bal kit rather the backer board.

 

[bugs183]

Has the plasterboard been skimmed or painted, if they have then you could have problems, if not check the weights for plasterboard.
I use tanking kits, i prefer Mapei to Bal, i think it gives a stronger job, but guys here use Bal all the time and have no problems.
If i had the choice i'd use cement board as with heavy limestone the tanking is just adding another weak link. Ceramics are fine but i'd start getting twitchy about stone.

 

[tris101]

I dont think the plaster board has been skimed but I need to check, it has been painted with bathroom paint which I will remove. If needed I will repalce the plaster board but I will see how I go, if its coming off I guess I may as well put backer board up in its place.

I'm not looking to put stone on the walls just the floor, I will be fiting ceramic on the walls, which is what I was hoping one of you kind chaps could help me with as we dont know what would look nice and compliment the light trav. I know its all about personal choice so what do you all like? what have you fited that you thought worked well together? I'm realy after food for thought.... as we are lacking in inspration.

Thanks for the pointers so far all noted.

 

[tris101]

I'm open to all sugestions guys.....