Let's imagine that you have decided to replace the flooring in your bathroom or kitchen with something a little bit more... well, natural. Indeed, when it comes to interior design, many people love giving their home what might be termed a more 'rustic', earthy and organic appearance. It allows them to feel closer to the sheer harmony and fascination of nature, and in the process helps them to relax.

The bottom line is that for some people, the imperfection and charm of nature wins out over colder, more clinical interior styles... which is precisely why they are likely to consider travertine or marble tiles for their kitchen or bathroom. When that time comes, though, just one key question arises - what exactly are marble and travertine, what distinguishes them from one another and how can you choose the right material for your own new bathroom or kitchen tiles?

Geological processes aside, the important thing from the point of view of the customer is that these two materials have nearly the same characteristics, coming as they do from the same 'family'. Marble is the harder of the two, and it also offers greater durability, such that it has seen use in all manner of commercial properties - for which travertine is not recommended. Travertine's greater softness, however, makes processing of the stone easier, which is why travertine tiles come in many different types, including filled, honed, polished, tumbled and with chipped edges. This means more colour and finish choices to choose from for your home!

On the other hand, though, marble is, in the grand scheme of things, easier to maintain, and is recommended to those who have children or pets. Marble is also rather more expensive, however, given the greater difficulty in processing it.

As ever, your final choice really does depend on exactly what you want or need from your bathroom or kitchen flooring!

The Article is written by www.naturalstoneandtimber.co.uk providing Travertine Tiles and Marble Tiles. Visit http://www.naturalstoneandtimber.co.uk for more information on www.naturalstoneandtimber.co.uk Products and Services___________________________Copyright information This article is free for reproduction but must be reproduced in its entirety, including live links and this copyright statement must be included. Visit www.naturalstoneandtimber.co.uk for more services!