Travertine is super dated. Rule of thumb, if you've seen it in nice apartments, don't use it in your new home. Travertine has been regularly used since the mid 90s and would say that by 2005, it was solidly on its way out, and by now looks dated. I find that while it is a neutral, it is just too passé now. I agree with the above comment that contrast floors with lighter wall and counter surfaces are nice. Metallic tiles, slates are still good. this is controversial, but I live in a very high end neighborhood in Los Angeles, and hardwood "tiles"- not the cheap big box kind, but the nice have to put it to your face and rub it to tell that it isn't hardwood, and still have trouble distinguishing it is ALL the rave out here. It's at every high end design studio I've seen. Odd shapes like octagons and arabesques are also popular as is large rectangular "subway" shaped.

Jenny - thanks for the info. Our plans are to use hardwood in all of the rooms w/ the exception of the bathrooms. I looked at the hardwood "tiles" for the bathrooms - but I wasn't sure how it would look next to the real thing. Does that seem to be an issue in LA?

I plan to put cork in my new bathroom. I like the looks, it is easy to lay and stands up t moisture. I don't have an LA budget.

It is not a problem here in LA. If you want it to look more intentional then you could lay hardwood tiles in a pattern like diagonal or herringbone in the bathrooms. I have all of mine in the same grain. No big deal. The nice stuff (here anyways) is between 6-8 dollars a square foot.

But no honed or polished vein cut travertine in large rectangle or smaller subway sized pieces?

ruszkiewicz1- I wouldn't use travertine anywhere to be honest with you. Nice travertine is still not inexpensive and frankly, I think it would be a waste of money for the value of your home, even though I don't know your geographic location. I literally hear sighs of frustration when brokers and buyers are looking at new or recently renovated homes with travertine in them. I don't know if you know who Jeff Lewis is, but he has an enormous design influence here in LA- he has several shows on Bravo including Interior Therapy, Flipping Out, and Property Envy- on his first season of his show Flipping Out 6-7 years ago he literally rants with pretty colorful words about "designers" and "contractors" still using travertine. Those words have resonated pretty loudly throughout the LA community and it is considered a heavy faux pas to use that material and call it "current" So I would avoid it all together. That and polished marbles in travertine like colors. Carreras are still fine if you like that look, but it is a nightmare times ten to keep clean. With all the new variety in porcelains and ceramics your choices are literally endless.