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nevadan What will look good depends on the architecture, the lightng, and so forth. Bring samples into the house. If you can't judge what is best, hire a decorator.

Dytecture Stone would seem more 'high end' and give a good first impression.

Darzy I agree with Dytecture. Stone is the way to go. And, the slate is really an excellent choice. Cleans up nice and even when it's really dirty..you can't tell! Until you clean it. : )

ct design studio I agree stone would be nice. Whether to go natural or not is partly a climate thing. If you live in a warm weather climate it doesn't matter. If you live in a cold weather climate, stone is a little trickier to clean with mud, snow and salt coming in. You can't use just anything to clean stone. There are a lot of great looking, stone look porcelains out there as well that will work for maintenance and cost issues.

A slate with a coloration like this would be pretty:



And of course hardwood is always classic.

decoenthusiaste If you deal with inclement weather, be careful with slippery stone - look for something with a bit of traction so you don't bust it (not the stone, lol!)

Trends in Tile I would stay away from natural stone. Although it is beautiful, it requires maintenance. Take a look at some of the new porcelains out there... mimics stone, less expensive and no maintenance.

Joann Yurchesyn Slate is a great choice! The one as seen in CT Design's photo is relatively cheap compared to other stone applications. We have this one and LOVE IT!! No maintenance at all really, just seal it. There's so many colors in it that a historical color choice is easy. We used Pittsfield Buff by Benjamin Moore. Good luck!!

simpsonc For the indecisive, maybe I should just go with hardwood....?

Legacy Floors Interlocking travertine

simpsonc Do you recommend a lighter or darker tile than wall color ( or same)? I plan to have chair rail and picture frame molding installed, thought to paint white....

Joann Yurchesyn If you don't want to see the dirt and it's a busy traffic area with kids and pets, you should choose something mid-range. Slate is a truly excellent choice if this is a concern. Too dark, and you will see everything. Too light, and the same will be true. Lighter or darker than the wall color will depend on the look you are going for and the adjoining colors in your home. It's really just personal choice. If you're planning to do wainscoting in white, a beautiful clean neutral would be stunning w/that. You may lose that Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware feel that you're after if your color changes are too contrasting w/your custom wood work. One of my all time favoriate off whites w/white wainscoting is Natural Wicker by Benjamin Moore. It looks and feels great! Any neutral is going to knock your socks off though. Good luck!

Joann Yurchesyn Take a look at these to see what too much color can do to the look of your room w/wainscoting

Cottage Craft Tile A Stone look porcelain in a medium to dark shade. Walls and door are light and you want the contrast, but you don't want the furniture to get washed out in the process.

finds2flip4 I would go with wide plank wood floors dark stain like what you will use on the railings. Hope this helps.

dcer Hi! There are so many types of stone,porcelain, and slate tiles out there. I would definitely go with a semi dark tile so that it doesn't show dirt. Also definitely choose a tile with traction, as said above. There are some tiles now that are made to look like wood, and are quite realistic. They would be a beautiful option. Good luck!

simpsonc Here is my new tile, went with a porcelain with stone 'look'. Also added molding. Any suggestion for paint? I was thinking to paint everything below chair rail white...? Will also be staining stair railings and painting stair risers white.

simpsonc Here is entry after painting.