It has been a lot of work to get my kitchen looking as I dreamed, but I was lucky to find some great companies to work with including www.kitchentilesstokeontrent.co.uk. They offer a fantastic range of tiles and I felt completely spoilt for choice. I wanted a monochrome look for the kitchen and they had just the tiles that I was looking for.

I was amazed to discover how many other buildings use Travertine. There’s the Sacre-Coeur in Paris and, in Los Angeles, California, the Getty Center is a great example. Would you believe the Travertine used in the Getty Center was actually imported from Tivola and Guidonia?

About ten years ago, Italy had a near monopoly on the production of travertine but now there are quite a few producers. These include Peru, Mexico and Turkey.

The United States of America also has a few travertine producers in the Western States as demand has increased. However, as they use nearly a million tons a year most of it is imported.

From its early beginnings travertine is now one of the most frequently used stones in architecture today, which is quite a thought.

Somebody mentioned travertine to me the other day and I thought it must be something to do with Trappist monks.

Well it’s not, as most of you better educated than me will know.

It is actually a form of limestone formed by hot springs. That’s the water type of springs by the way, not bedsprings!

If you want the science behind it, a rapid process of precipitation of calcium carbonate forms Travertine.

If you come across it in a limestone cave you may see it as a stalactites or stalagmites. Or perhaps in other speleothems. See I am not that stupid.

The deposits tend to be white or cream coloured.

Anyway obviously someone in Italy thought it would make a good tile. That’s floor or wall rather than roof!

All I can imagine is they break it off from the cave roof or floor and then slice it up into thin pieces.

Hence was born the tile, which we see in classy homes and hotels today. With all the effort that goes into shaping the travertine tile I can see why you have to pay a little bit extra for a quality product.

Doing it on a budget meant that I had to call on my friends to help fit the place out. Luckily they were up for it. We had to crack on as every day we weren’t open, we were losing money.

Tiling the kitchen was one of the biggest jobs. It had to be perfectly sealed and easy to keep clean. Health and safety, you know.

One of my friends does a bit of building work from time to time. He told me to buy Mapei grout, Mapei adhesive and Mapei sealer if I wanted a fast-setting grout, and to accept no substitutes.

So I got back on to the internet, and searched for Mapei grout. There were quite a few suppliers, so I chose one that could supply immediately and ordered a few quantities of Mapei adhesive, Mapei grout and Mapei sealer.

A day later and it was with us. We got to work. It was a huge job, so I was glad I had chosen a brand I could rely on. Days later (and some nights), we were finally finished. Thank goodness, it was a fast-setting grout or it would’ve taken even longer.

We’re now open and, of course, my workman friends have had a free meal or two. I reckon they earnt it.

It is only when I had a go when I realised how difficult it is to do.

It is hard enough ensuring that they are all the same height and that you have enough tiling cement on. Bit it is almost impossible for me to cut them exactly right so that they go round all the difficult corners.

Naturally, wall tiles would be even harder as I would expect them all to fall off a few days after I had finished them.

So I decided to find a tiling contractor in Finchley.

The guy I chose really did make it look easy. I tried to watch him to see how it was done. However it was a bit like watching a close up magician dazzle you with a trick. However much you watch and however slowly he does it you still find it difficult to see how he is doing it.

I suppose it is taking it a bit far to compare the Finchley tiling contractor with a magic man but the finish was certainly magical.

Somebody mentioned travertine to me the other day and I thought it must be something to do with Trappist monks.

Well it’s not, as most of you better educated than me will know.

It is actually a form of limestone formed by hot springs. That’s the water type of springs by the way, not bedsprings!

If you want the science behind it, a rapid process of precipitation of calcium carbonate forms Travertine.

If you come across it in a limestone cave you may see it as a stalactites or stalagmites. Or perhaps in other speleothems. See I am not that stupid.

The deposits tend to be white or cream coloured.

Anyway obviously someone in Italy thought it would make a good tile. That’s floor or wall rather than roof!

All I can imagine is they break it off from the cave roof or floor and then slice it up into thin pieces.

Hence was born the tile, which we see in classy homes and hotels today. With all the effort that goes into shaping travertine tiles I can see why you have to pay a little bit extra for a quality product.

This type of tile is exceptionally beautiful, with distinct colours and textures perfect for anyone’s taste. Travertine tiles have a wide array of colours, including gold, beige and basic ivory. No matter what colour one prefers, the elegance and sophistication that travertine tiles display are evident. In addition, owners of travertine tiles need not worry about having similar tiles with the next-door neighbour because there are many styles, shapes and sizes available.

Travertine tiles are available worldwide. If owners ever need to replace or revamp them, they can easily find a replacement since travertine tiles are routinely cut in various patterns.

The texture varies. Some may be shiny, tumbled, matted or brushed. Polished travertine is similar to marble while a brushed and tumbled travertine displays a more antique appearance.

In addition to the aesthetics of travertine tiles, they are also very durable. Not only does this make travertine tiles easy to mould and shape according to the preference of the owner, but it allows them to be installed in most places without difficulty.

In summary, travertine tiles are known for their aesthetic appeal and as a quality investment. With so many positive qualities to entice consumers and developers, travertine tiles will definitely be around for many years.

Laminate flooring is a popular choice because it is cheaper than hardwood flooring. Hardwood flooring can also be more expensive to maintain. Laminate flooring comes in a wide range of colours and styles and modern designs can be hard to tell from real wood floors. Laminate comes in a range of thicknesses and generally the thicker it is, the better the quality is. Thicker laminate flooring is less likely to buckle and will feel more like hardwood flooring. Laminate flooring is fairly easy to install and you can do it yourself. However, there are many professional flooring companies who will be able to install it for you. If you are having the laminate installed in a bathroom, a professional installer is a better option because the seams need to be glued together carefully to prevent moisture penetrating and causing bubbles.

Wood flooring is also becoming very popular even in areas where it would not traditionally have been considered, such as kitchens and bathrooms. Hardwood flooring is hard wearing and beautiful, and it can be made waterproof by the application of certain coatings. The only problem with hardwood is that it can be scratched. If you want to have a new hardwood floor fitted it is best to get a professional to lay the floor.

Vinyl used to be considered tacky, but modern vinyl is much more attractive and can be made to look like just about any type of flooring including wood, slate or ceramic tiles. Vinyl is good for areas that have a moisture problem, and it can be laid over old vinyl. It is also easy to repair providing the seams are sealed properly. Vinyl is a soft type of flooring so it can be dented if you stand heavy objects on it.

Like vinyl, modern tiles are available in a dazzling array of colours and styles. Generally there are two types of tiles – unglazed tiles that take their colour from the clay or pigments added to the clay and glazed tiles that take their colour from the glaze. For areas where moisture is a problem glazed tiles are best, but in other areas it is simply a matter of preference. Tiles can be cold if you don’t have under-floor heating. Unless you are good at DIY it is best to get a professional to lay your floor.

The bathroom is an area of the home that needs special consideration because of the likelihood of water spills. However, with modern flooring you have a wide range of options from rubber, vinyl or wood to porcelain tiles and travertine tiles. Wood can be used as bathroom flooring, but if you do choose wood it should be laid professionally to ensure that there are no gaps. Rubber and vinyl can be quite attractive and tiled floors such as travertine can give a much more contemporary look and feel.