Could you refresh our memories of your other choices/surfaces? Or refer us to threads with photos?

I went with 4x4 (porcelain), but was not in the kitchen when the tile guy started and by the time I returned, he was 1/3 way through. Instead of having him take down/start over, I am living with grout lines. I wanted little or no grout lines and staggered. Have considered ripping out, but someone (Jane) keeps reminding me what a mess it would make and thinks it looks fine now. One day, maybe.....

I think 8x4 or 6x3 herringbone would actually expand the space - of course, I say this w/o ever seeing. lol Have you Googled images to see? Or checked Atticmag kitchens, along with FKB?

I would stay away from 4x4 travertine. Too overused, imo.

I just did my kitchen floor in Pietra Art Chiseled Edge Travertine in Picasso Color from Florida Tile. It does come in a modular package, which is what we put down. This is a stock photo of what it looks like (I don't know if this approaches the "random" look you are going for, but I love my floor!)

What is the shape of the exposed part of your kitchen floor, rectangular, galley, island, square, etc.? I'm trying to get a feel for the appearance of the floor area to see how much pattern would be visible if herringbone, running bond, etc. (We are talking about the floor, right?)

Thank you everyone.

The kitchen floor is about 11 by 13. There is a worktable in the center. The largest area runs across the kitchen connecting the back hall to the dining room and this area is visible from the dining room. Because of all the wood in the dining room and the kitchen, the color of the floor was chosen to be compatible. On the other side of the dining room there is a sunroom, with the floor done in the original 6x6 ceramic tile in a mottled brown/ochre, similar in hue but darker than the color range of the travertine. The intent is for the kitchen to echo the feel of the sunroom but not match it. But I didn't want to just use 6x6 in a grid.
Finally, the other consideration is the backsplash. If I use little rectangles on the floor, might it look bad to use subways on the backsplash, if even a different material (off-white ceramic or porcelain)? If I use squares on the floor, then would use subways; if rectangles on the floor, then squares on the backsplash. Any thoughts about that?

I do also feel travertine is over used -- there was just nothing else I could find that provided the combination of texture and color that works as well as this particular stone. I looked at Desert Gold quartzite but it is has too much of a grey-blue tendency in some of the sample boards (not all) so too risky. . .

I apologize, I thought you were asking about backsplash. Must not muti-task!

I have random travertine in my kitchen, and I do love it. But it is hard. Very hard on the feet. Long days of cooking - holidays - and my feet hurt. So have some comfortable shoes you want to wear while you cook. ;)

Our tile runs from the kitchen/breakfast room towards back hallway and into laundry room in one direction, pantry and powder room in another, and from the breakfast room into the sunroom. He started in the largest area (kitchen/breakfast) and went into the smaller areas/rooms. No stopping/restarting at doorways. Did the same thing in our lower level - all 20" tile, random.

I still think the look of 8x4 or 6x3 herringbone would be beautiful floor, especially with the work table on top. With herringbone floor, I would do staggered 4x4...probably on the backsplash. But since the floor will be in first (?) you can decide visually before installing.

This thread has some gorgeous floors:

Here is a link that might be useful: flooring thread

I had to read a few times cause I misunderstood. So you want to use the same tile on the floor and walls? I would then consider the French Pattern for the floor and since that incorportates 6x6 usually; I would either use the 6x6 in the backsplash OR the narrower rectangle one (maybe 4x12?) as the backsplash if you want add a slightly more contemporary vibe to the look that still plays into the rustic theme.

I like the running bond idea, probably 4 x 8. Incidentally, I originally resisted travertine because I felt it was overused in magazines, but I caved for budget reasons on my backsplash. I have since come to love the texture of it. Of course, where I am it is rarely used, so that may be part of why I like it more. Anyway, you are not in other people's kitchens on a daily basis, so go with what you will want to see in your own kitchen. As to flooring, I adore the way stone looks, but I used suspended wood floors (like aerobics studio flooring, only in reclaimed heart pine) because of foot and leg issues. So, that is a consideration, or it may become one later on.

I prefer larger tiles due to less grout. I used 16x16 travertine on my bathroom floor and walls, and 16x16 slate on the kitchen floor. I love the large tiles! Much better because there is less grout. I would go with this size again.

I would use the largest tile I could - even 18" x 18". In the oldest kitchen, we had 12" square tiles and the room looked bigger than it does with wood flooring.

You might do a "rug" or border around the work table - maybe with the 3 x 6 tiles( and a small scale special?) and then use the 8 x 8" or 6x6 on the diagonal inside of the border.

If you're seeing a backsplash focal point, and you're not seeing subways in the backsplash, then the 4 x 8 in a running bond.

I'm quite impartial to stone flooring in a hopscotch pattern

http://www.findlayfloors.com/photogallery/Tile%20Room%20Pictures/Hop%20Diag%203.jpg

http://tlhomeimprovements.com/images/tile_ao_versailles.jpg

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://hardwoodfloorandmore.com/PhotoGallery/Tile/floor/Hopscotch_Pattern400x300.jpg&imgrefurl=http://hardwoodfloorandmore.com/PhotoGallery/Tile/floor/Floors.htm&usg=__WejkdZi8Kjc_3wEB0FafnGEbXic=&h=300&w=400&sz=55&hl=en&start=2&sig2=t4vRa_Vu48Be0_BgJAynuQ&itbs=1&tbnid=L9BW4ECD1pTuJM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dflooring%2Bin%2Bhopscotch%2Bpattern%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=Z3cCTNmfG8KclgeFiKWjCA

http://www.atlantabaths.com/images/Tile%20Samples/TerraAnticaRM.jpg

The most important issue in working with travertine as flooring is making sure it is installed properly. Many a thread on here about how to as well as oops contractor did not install properly - Seems GW search engine is not operational right now

I'm at the floor decision making stage too. My kitchen is about the same size as yours and I've been confused about whether to choose 12" or 18" square tiles. (Wanted less grout but worried the large tiles might look too modern in my historic house. ) This morning I taped the pattern out in painter's tape, and I think it's actually given me a pretty good idea of what the 18" will look like (I think pretty good!) Maybe you could try something similar with your sizes/patterns.

I agree with bmorepanic, I used the largest tile and since that was 16"x16", I used that wherever I could. I have a very contemporary/modern apartment, so am not sure if traditional-looking places would have smaller tiles. Personally I don't think tile size should define whether an apartment is traditional or modern. Honestly go with what you like. I went with my architect's recommendations on a few things and now regret those choices - I wish I had listened to my gut rather than my architect. So if you like smaller tiles, go with them since you need to live with them. In general I personally like less grout especially since I had lighter travertine in my bathroom which would get dirty easily. If you want I can post photos of the large tiles, but my renovation is still going on.

Thank you all so much for the input and the links to the threads. So helpful.
I can see there are good reasons for varying options. Though I still haven't decided, the advice which I thinks helps most of all is "go with your gut."

I was trying to lay out tile on the floor of my narrow bathroom. The tile was long (it was a squat octagon) and found that the orientation really mattered. In the case of the brick if it ran long along a narrow room it accentuated the length of the room. Laying it the other way helped but still looked off - that there was always an orientation to the tile and you would notice it (the orientation) not the actual tile. So I threw in the towel and got regular hexagons (at nearly 1/2 of the price which was the real motivator.) Although wood floors also have orientation, I find they blend in more with no grout and longer lengths.

I love the unexpected nature of the herringbone - it would always be a statement. You have to decide if that is what you want. If you want the floor to just blend in I would stick with squares. Orientation is not an issue - it will be a more balanced floor. I find the larger tiles more elegant formal, smaller more casual, but that it just my thoughts. Try to look at what feeling you are trying to create in the room and how the floors would support or detract from that. Of course hard to go wrong with beautiful tile. Good luck.

I told Sayde I would help her post photos of her kitchen and some tile samples, so everyone could see. (I have serious house envy, having grown up in an English Tudor.)

Original Kitchen:

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New floor plan:

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Possible floor tile, 4x8 Mojave tumbled travertine tiles:

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They come in 8 x 4, 8 x 8, 6x6, 12x12. Wish there were 8 by 16 but not in this tile).

Another shot of same tile as above:

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"These are the terracotta pavers I like and they're larger. Worried they'll be more difficult and may-be too red or too dark. ???"

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Flooring pattern. Def pretty but is it to busy, noisy live with daily?

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"One alternative to a hood that we would construct might be something like this. I like the geometry of this one . . ."

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Or copper:

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Backsplash:

"They used three different colors of off white. When you hold the tiles in your hand they look much closer together in value than they do here (below). These are 4x8 but they come 3x6 and also square. They are the only tiles I've seem that have that nice talc like matte surface, but also a very subtle craze that you only see close up. When I saw them next to that edge of midtoned wood I got drawn in. And what about these with the floor? Colors? Sizes?"

{{!gwi}}

Travertine would make a beautiful floor. I just wouldn't go dark as I had a dark quarry tile floor once and every crumb showed.

For me, the gold standard is Zolablue's trav paver floor. The tiles are in scale with the room -- which is what I feel makes the difference between nice and really gorgeous.

Thing with pavers is depth for the mud that's needed -- depends on sub floor. Also, as Allison says any stone or tile is hard on feet, knees and backs. We have a large limestone tile floor in the sunroom/dining room -- very slippery when wet. So rugs/mats are needed.

Alternately, seeing the photos, a reclaimed wide-plank floor would be beautiful in that kitchen.

Here's a photo showing Zolablue's floor that I've had for a long time -- hope she doesn't mind me putting it up.

Thank you Allison and Jane! I also love ZolaBlue's floor, so much so that I was thinking of interspersing the 4x4 with the 8x4 to achieve the flemish bond pattern she has, but on a smaller scale. (Zolablue also has the AS Sur La Mer tile that I was hunting . . .)

Wow. I had missed Zolablue's kitchen. Roccogirl, you are absolutely right that her kitchen perfectly represents the correct sizing/patterning of the tile in relation to the room size. Her backsplash is a genius in it's relation to the flooring. There is no competition between them and they are entirely complementary.

Sayde, is that the look you are going for? I think that type flooring would be the right scale in your kitchen.

Now I have to go back to drooling over that La Mer backsplash!

I had forgotten about Zolablue's kitchen. Love this pattern too. You can't go wrong with either, Sayde.

Thanks everyone! Zolablue's kitchen was one of the first I loved and the fact that you are now pointing me there just helps confirm. I am either going to use the travertine in the 8x4 or intersperse with the 4x4 in the same flemish bond pattern than Zolablue has. Copycatting Zolablue solves the backsplash too -- I'll use running bond squares! Now if only I could afford the Lacanche . . . .
Thanks again!