Platinum Travertine

Platinum is a cool-toned travertine veneer in a clean range of silver, smoke and dove gray, with small hints of warm taupe in some pieces so the wall never reads icy. From across a room it is neutral and composed; up close the natural shifts in tone show without making the wall busy. The split-face texture is gently rough, with small pores and broken edges that catch light on the high points and settle into shadow along the joints.

We chose this stone new from a European workshop; it sells by the square foot. The format is free form, in pieces from 1 inch to 1 1/4 inches thick. It can be laid with grout, for a more defined, finished look, or dry-set with tight joints for a more natural, continuous face. In bright daylight it looks crisp and architectural; in warm evening light it goes softer and more dimensional.

It bridges styles easily: in a modern house it gives clean lines some texture, and in a traditional one it lightens the mood without leaning brown. Use it on an entry wall, a stair hall, a fireplace surround or a covered patio. Samples of the travertine veneer are in Marina Del Rey; send your square footage and we will quote it delivered.