You may not realize it, but there are several different factors that go into your first impression when you first walk into a home, whether you are intentionally scoping out the place or not. The choices that the homeowner made in the way of paint colors, floor and ceiling texture, furniture and design, and lighting all contribute to the feeling you get as you enter the space. So what choices do you make to ensure that guests feel welcome in your own home? How much thought goes into what you and others will see, feel, or walk upon?

Finding the right base
Whether you realize it or not, the right choice in flooring makes a big difference. Have you ever seen carpet in a kitchen? It just does not work in most cases. And though your eyes may not immediately be drawn down to study the floor, the flooring gives a room a certain feel just by being such a big part of it. Being the base of a room and taking up so much space will do that. Most homeowners, around 90% in fact, have a preference for hardwood flooring or tile in the kitchen. And in 2011, about 67% of jobs having to do with floor covering replacement were to install materials that were hard surfaces as opposed to carpeted areas. Wood and tile are popular, and many people also utilize natural stone, or tiles implementing natural stone.

Stone and tile options
For those choosing to go with tile in places within the home like the kitchen, the bathroom, the entryway or other such common areas, there are many different options from which to choose. Tile is a popular option not just for the clean and polished look, but because it can last quite long. With proper tile floor cleaning and maintenance, it can withstand decades or sometimes even centuries of use. And if tile restoration is necessary, the original look can be kept in buildings rich with history. This is a particularly attractive option if you are working with something like terrazzo restoration and polishing or travertine tile cleaning. These options give the place a regal look and home and building owners with these materials built in often want to hang on to them.

Tile restoration for terrazzo and travertine flooring
Using terrazzo in the floor has been popular for centuries, dating back more than 1,500 years, and continues to be an attractive choice. Terrazzo is made of small chips and pieces of granite or marble that are set into concrete and then polished. Travertine is also a good go-to as well, as it is known for being quite heavy and durable. Similar in nature to terrazzo as a natural stone tile, travertine is a type of limestone derived from deposits at hot springs that is then implemented into tiles to be used in buildings. While these types of tiles are often more expensive than tile alternatives for the kitchen and bathroom, if you do have one or both of them in your home, the tile restoration costs are worth it to keep the beautifully polished stone tiles around.

There are so many options when it comes to flooring and tiling. The most important thing in the decision process is that you find what fits your personal design preferences and your lifestyle. And if that just so happens to coincide with some gorgeous polished stone tiles, so be it!