Travertine had a big moment in Colorado homes. But styles, maintenance expectations, and climate demands evolve. If you’re weighing a floor remodel, this guide breaks down where travertine still shines, where it falls short, and how it compares to modern options like hardwood flooring and luxury vinyl. You’ll get clear, practical advice you can act on today. The experts at Northern Colorado Carpets are here to provide useful information and make sure that your floor remodeling project brings the life that your home is looking for.
TL;DR
- Still viable? Yes—when finished and styled right; otherwise, it can read “Tuscan-dated.”
- Colorado climate: Freeze/thaw, mud, and de-icing salts require sealing and smart finishes.
- Make it current: Honed/matte, larger formats, tighter grout, and French lay patterns modernize the look.
- Keep vs. replace: Keep if the stone is sound and you love natural variation; replace if maintenance and chips drive you crazy.
Why Travertine Was Popular (And What’s Changed)
Travertine won Northern Colorado hearts for its warm, organic movement, cool-to-the-touch feel, and timeless Old World character. In open plans, it offered a premium step up from ceramic, and when paired with hardwood flooring in adjacent rooms, it created a high-end blend of textures. As a flooring contractor, we still see its appeal: no two stones are identical, and—like hardwood flooring—natural material adds value and authenticity.
What’s changed is the style context. The 2000s “Tuscan” palette leaned heavily on tumbled edges, amber tones, and wide grout lines. Today’s homes embrace cleaner, lighter, and more minimal surfaces. That shift made some installations look heavier than homeowners want. At the same time, technology surged: waterproof LVT now emulates stone and hardwood flooring with low maintenance, and engineered hardwood flooring offers wider planks and matte finishes that read modern without feeling cold.
Not sure if your tile reads dated or classic? Schedule a free in-home consult with Northern Colorado Carpets—your Fort Collins flooring contractor since 1976—for side-by-side samples of travertine, LVT, laminate, and hardwood flooring.
Travertine Pros & Cons in Colorado’s Climate (Freeze/Thaw, Mud, Salt)
Pros:
- Durability & repairability: Individual tiles can be replaced, and filled pits can be touched up.
- Natural variation: Like hardwood flooring, stone has depth and character that imitators chase.
- Thermal mass: Works beautifully with radiant heat—common in Colorado floor remodel projects.
Cons:
- Porosity: Without consistent sealing, mud, pet accidents, and de-icing salts can stain.
- Surface etching: Acidic spills dull the finish; matte/honed hides this better than polished.
- Edge chipping: Tumbled edges are charming but more chip-prone in active households.
- Outdoor transitions: Freeze/thaw can stress unsealed or poorly set stone at entries and patios.
Practical take: If your household tracks in slush, salt, and trail dust, factor in resealing and routine care. Many clients pivot to waterproof LVT or engineered hardwood flooring near entries, then use travertine in lower-traffic zones. A trusted flooring contractor can blend materials across rooms so your floor remodel looks cohesive.
Design Updates: Finishes, Patterns, and Grout Colors That Look Current
To make existing travertine feel 2026-ready, keep the vibe organic but streamline the details.
- Finish: Honed/matte or lightly brushed reads updated and is kinder to daily wear than polished.
- Format: Larger rectangles (e.g., 12×24) or a curated French pattern tighten the visual field.
- Edges: Straight or micro-beveled edges modernize; avoid overly tumbled if you want a cleaner line.
- Grout: Color-match grout as closely as possible to the dominant stone tone; use narrower joints.
- Color story: Pair travertine’s warmth with cooler paints and matte black hardware for contrast, or bridge to hardwood flooring in pale oak for a Scandinavia-meets-Colorado look.
- Thresholds: Use low-profile transitions to hardwood flooring so spaces read continuous and calm.
If you’re mixing surfaces, wide-plank engineered hardwood flooring with a natural oil or matte urethane finish complements travertine’s movement without competing. Our Fort Collins showroom lets you compare live with larger boards, not just hand-samples—an advantage of working with a local flooring contractor on your floor remodel.
Visit our 12,500-sq-ft Fort Collins showroom to test finishes under real light.
When to Keep, Refresh, or Replace Travertine Floors
Keep it if the stone is structurally sound, the color plays well with your cabinetry, and you’re committed to sealing. A professional clean, hone, and reseal can transform “dated” to “heritage.”
Refresh when the layout is good, but details aren’t: tighten grout color, replace chipped pieces, add modern baseboards, and introduce adjacent hardwood flooring for warmth. Small tweaks, big payoff—especially in resale.
Replace if tiles are hollow, cracks telegraph through many areas, or the finish fights your design direction. Many Northern Colorado homeowners choose waterproof LVT for entries and baths, then engineered hardwood flooring for living spaces to balance durability and comfort. A seasoned flooring contractor will sequence demolition, subfloor prep, moisture testing, and installation to keep your floor remodel on time.
Northern Colorado Carpets has delivered commercial-grade results across projects like The Stanley Hotel and CSU, and we bring that workmanship to your home—from Cheyenne to Denver and Estes Park to Greeley. Since 1976, our family-owned team has matched clients to the right surface—stone, LVT, laminate, or hardwood flooring—for their lifestyle.
Final Take: Is Travertine Still a Smart Choice for Your Home?
Travertine isn’t “out”—it’s context-dependent. In Colorado, it works when you choose honed finishes, smart grout, and realistic maintenance. If you want easier care or a cleaner aesthetic, engineered hardwood flooring and high-quality LVT deliver the updated look with less upkeep. Either way, the best results come from a local flooring contractor who weighs climate, traffic, and design goals. Schedule an appointment or contact us to compare travertine, LVT, laminate, tile, and hardwood flooring—side by side—with Northern Colorado Carpets, your Fort Collins flooring experts.
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