16 Fresh Wall Colors That Go With Travertine Floors

Have you noticed that travertine is back? Thanks to its beauty and durability, the textured beige limestone has been prized as a building material since ancient times. In the past decade or so, it fell out of favor as interiors began trending towards cooler whites and grays. But with warm beiges and browns back in vogue, travertine, too, is new again.

Travertine can be quite versatile as a flooring material. Its colors lean towards warm, earthy shades of cream, tan, rust, and pink. Silver travertine also exists, but its grays are often still blended with a good bit of beige.

Naturally rough, pitted, and porous, travertine tiles can be brushed or tumbled to accentuate the stone's rustic texture or filled and polished to make it shiny and smooth. Tile patterns can also vary from veiny to cloudy depending on whether the slab is cut vertically or horizontally from the stone block. Tumbled travertine that's been cross-cut for a cloudier pattern (as shown in the room above) is perfect for a modern rustic space with an old world, Mediterranean feel. In contemporary rooms, a polished travertine with strong linear veining can imbue sleek sophistication.

As a natural stone, travertine has similar pros and cons to marble or granite. On the plus side, it's very durable, especially in its polished form, and will naturally hide a lot of wear and tear. Its porosity, however, will mean that it can stain and will naturally develop a patina over time. You can take steps to avoid this, including sealing your travertine if it is unpolished, and cleaning up spills immediately (especially acidic substances, like vinegar or orange juice).

As for utilizing travertine in a way that feels modern, designer Brittany Farinas of House of One Interior Design recommends not leaning too old world in your other design choices. "The key," she says, "is to keep the millwork a clean and simple design, and stay away from ornate details." The right wall color can also help, she says. Farinas likes to pair travertine with warmer colors, and then add some cool elements in her choice of metals. "Darker neutral colors like browns and taupes, and brushed nickel or steel finishes pair beautifully with travertine stones," she says.

If you're worried about your room leaning too warm with a travertine floor, a clean, bright white wall color can help neutralize some of that warmth. With its minimal undertones, Benjamin Moore's Chantilly Lace is a designer go-to. It's essentially a blank slate, allowing you to take your room in any direction you wish.

A warm light beige, Clare's Beigeing is a great neutral to blend seamlessly with creamy travertine tile. To lean into a monochrome moment, choose furnishings that stay within the cream, beige, rust, and brown color family. Or try adding some contrast with hits of blue, gray, or green from the other end of the color wheel.

A versatile greige, Farrow and Ball's Skimming Stone can read anywhere from light beige to pale mushroom, depending on the lighting. Either way, it will look beautiful alongside stone flooring with taupe undertones. Keep your color scheme light by adding in creams, whites, light wood tones, and perhaps sage green; or layer in rich colors such as plum or chocolate brown for some depth and contrast.

A mid-toned warm gray, Farrow and Ball's Pavilion Gray might not be an automatic slam dunk for all travertine tile, but it just might be perfect for yours. The stone best suited for this paint color will have some gray veining or undertones throughout. Add dark brown or black furniture and accents for a moody, elegant look.

A taupe with pinky undertones, Behr's Eiffel For You would make a good match for a travertine that leans pink. To keep your monochromatic space looking dynamic, layer in significantly lighter or darker color through other room elements, like cabinets in bright white or rich wood. You can also add dimension through texture, like a woven rug.

Beige and gray are sort of the yin and yang of muted neutrals. A perfect balance, they just make sense together — like beigey travertine floors and walls painted with Benjamin Moore Pewter. To make the warm and cool pairing look intentional, take care to continue the temperature balance throughout the rest of your décor. You can do this with other neutral shades, or even other colors completely, like pink or teal.

Soft and serene, Benjamin Moore's Santorini Blue goes with travertine floors like the sky goes with the sand. Consider these a muted take on complementary colors blue and orange; when placed side by side, they naturally enhance one another. We could see this pairing working beautifully in a kitchen, accented with cream cabinetry, or as a calming colorscape for a bedroom.

A pale green with blue and gray undertones, Benjamin Moore's Quiet Moments is another winner that takes its cues from Mother Nature. Greens and browns are as organic a combo as one can imagine, so it makes sense that this pale sage would work well with ruddy travertine stone. The pastel tone of this paint would work especially well in a bedroom or in a space with an organic modern bent.

Kitchens, laundry rooms, or any rooms with painted woodwork are ideal for Benjamin Moore's Backwoods, a rich hunter green hue. We've seen it paired with creamy white accents, brass or copper fixtures, and warm wood and terra cotta tones, for an effect that's simply stunning. It's no great leap to see how a travertine floor could take it all to the next level.

A teal wall and a travertine floor evoke for us the colors of the American Southwest. Why not lean into that with a desert palette of browns, pinks, and a blue-green shade like Blue Reef by Sydney Harbor Paint Company? It's a bold combo that sings when done right. (You can look up interiors by Justina Blakeney for some major inspo.) Think about weaving in natural elements like dark and light wood tones, as well as terra cotta pots and plants for a boho look that would make Blakeney proud.

Earthy pinks are having a moment right now, and this warm, glowy sunset shade is no exception. We would love to see Clare's Pink Sky in a bathroom paired with a cloudy pinky-red travertine stone and warm wood cabinetry. But it would honestly look equally lovely with almost any shade of travertine.

If a bold sunset shade is more color than you're comfy with in your space, try Sherwin-Williams' Pinky Beige for a more neutral rosy hue. This would look lovely with a creamy travertine or even a silvery one for some cooling contrast. Furnishings and décor in shades of cream, terra cotta, and sunset pink would make a lovely complement, or cool it down with greens or blues.

For an earthier pink with lots of depth, consider Benjamin Moore's Onondaga Clay. This dark, dusty rose is close enough to brown that it will never look cloying, but its blush undertone makes it a natural complement to warm travertine. Its subtle feminine vibe will imbue elegance into any space.

A pale chartreuse that's anything but neutral, Farrow and Ball's Citrona is from their California Collection. The line of eight paint colors is a collaboration with designer Kelly Wearstler and evokes the sun-drenched West Coast aesthetic that she's well known for. The warmth of travertine flooring is a great pairing for any of the colors in this line. Citrona might be the boldest choice, but as a yellow that leans a bit cool thanks to its green undertones, it goes well with warm browns and beiges.

If what you're after is an enveloping warm brown cocoon of a space, Sherwin-Williams' Antiquarian Brown paired with a rusty or creamy travertine tile can deliver just that. Then, layer in creams, rusts, coppers, and golden wheats, and don't forget cozy and organic textures, for a tonal, autumnal sanctuary.

Warm and rich with subtle purple tones, Farrow and Ball's London Clay is a sophisticated cocoa brown that would look lovely with a cream or beige travertine floor. This super cozy color feels made to be paired with plums and purples in a bedroom, or with other warm neutrals in a living room.

Travertine flooring can be surprisingly versatile, and choosing a paint color to go with it doesn't have to be intimidating. A great way to start is by looking at the warm undertones of the tile you've chosen. By leaning into those hues, you'll create a sense of harmony in your space. But choosing a complementary cool tone can also serve to balance out a room. Whichever way you go, you'll want to consider the ideas of harmony and balance. The other elements you add into your room can help further these goals as well. While light neutrals are always a popular choice, don't be afraid to go bold with a color like pink, teal, or chartreuse.

Here are 16 wall colors that go well with travertine floors:

• Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace
  
• Clare Beigeing
  
• Farrow and Ball Skimming Stones
  
• Farrow and Ball Pavilion Gray
• Behr Eiffel For You
  
• Benjamin Moore Pewter
  
• Benjamin Moore Santorini Blue
• Benjamin Moore Quiet Moments
• Benjamin Moore Backwoods
• Sydney Harbor Paint Company Blue Reef
• Clare Pink Sky
• Sherwin-Williams Pinky Beige
  
• Benjamin Moore Onondaga Clay
  
• Farrow and Ball California Collection: Citrona
• Sherwin-Williams Antiquarian Brown
• Farrow and Ball London Clay