Avorio travertine look tiles: a warm ivory porcelain in three formats
Avorio is the Italian word for ivory, and here it names a soft, creamy travertine look tile in matte glazed porcelain. The collection holds three products: a 292 x 286mm Kit Kat mosaic sheet, a 300 x 600mm tile and a 600 x 600mm tile, all 10mm thick, all rectified and all printed with the same slip, finish and appearance lines.
The sections below explain what the avorio shade is, how porcelain compares with real travertine, what each listing prints, and how to lay and grout it. For the wider family of stone looks, see the travertine look tiles collection and the Tuscan travertine look tiles collection. For neighbouring colours, see the beige tiles collection and the white tiles collection.
What avorio means on a tile
Avorio describes a colour, not a finish or a material. A UK retailer selling a different travertine effect porcelain calls Avorio the lightest tone in its range, a creamy ivory with gentle, sun-bleached movement. That is a good short description of this tile too: a pale, warm off white with soft cloudy variation, lighter than a beige and warmer than a white.
The word turns up on very different tiles. Searching for avorio brings up marble look porcelain, concrete look ranges and natural ivory travertine pavers as well as travertine look porcelain. So the colour name alone does not tell you the look. For this collection the listings settle it: the material line reads Glazed Porcelain, the finish is matte, and the texture line reads matt slight texture.
The Pompeii name
Some people search for this tile as Pompeii Avorio or Pompeii travertine avorio. A Queensland retailer lists a Pompeii travertine look range in other colours, so the name is one that circulates for this family of tiles. The listings here are titled Avorio Cream Travertine Look, and they do not print the word Pompeii. If you arrived by that name, the three products below are the avorio tiles in the store.
Porcelain compared with real travertine
Natural travertine is a sedimentary stone formed from mineral deposits. An Australian tile retailer explains the practical gap. Natural travertine is hard wearing and can be refinished, but it stains if it is not sealed correctly and needs regular resealing. Travertine look porcelain is high fired to a non-porous surface, so it offers consistent colour and finish with minimal change over time.
The same retailer quotes a Mornington Peninsula bathroom renovator who recommends the porcelain version for kitchens and bathrooms because it gives the natural look without the downsides of stone. A second Australian designer quoted there says modern porcelain can copy the shading, colours and veins of travertine and does not stain easily. A UK retailer says the same of its own travertine effect porcelain: no sealing is required, and the surface is glazed and wipes clean.
That is the reason this collection exists. Real stone brings a sealing routine. A porcelain tile with the same warm tone leaves the choice of room open. If you do want the stone itself, the natural stone tiles collection is the place to compare.
The three products
Each listing prints the same core lines: Finish Matte, Material Glazed Porcelain, Slip Rating P5, Application Walls and Floors, Maintenance Easy to Clean, Edge Rectified, Texture matt slight texture, Appearance V3 and Thickness 10mm. What differs is the format and the Area line.
The 300 x 600mm tile is the narrow rectangle. It suits walls, a bathroom floor or a hallway, and it takes a brick bond or a stack bond. The 600 x 600mm tile is the square, with fewer joints per square metre and a calmer look across a larger floor. The Kit Kat sheet is 292 x 286 x 10mm, a mosaic of slim fingers set on a single sheet. It is the one to use for a feature wall, a splashback, a niche or a step.
The 600 x 600mm listing prints an Area line of Indoors and Outdoors, and the Kit Kat sheet prints Indoors and Outdoors as well. The 300 x 600mm listing prints no Area line, but it is tagged for outdoor floors, pool surrounds and covered outdoor rooms in the same way as the larger tile. Check the line on the page you are buying from before you plan an outdoor floor.
For other tiles in the same shapes, see the rectangle tiles collection, the square tiles collection and the mosaic tiles collection.
Slip rating and where each tile can go
All three listings print a Slip Rating of P5. AS 4586 classifies the slip resistance of new pedestrian surface materials, and its wet pendulum test uses ratings from P0 to P5. The rating applies to floors people walk on, and it does not matter for a feature wall. P5 is the top of that scale. Even so, no single rating suits every bathroom or outdoor spot, so confirm what a wet area or a sloping pool surround needs with your builder or tiler.
The rooms tagged on the listings cover bathroom floors and walls, kitchen floors, living areas, covered outdoor rooms, outdoor areas and pool surrounds. The Kit Kat sheet adds feature walls and kitchen and laundry splashbacks. That is a wide spread, which is the point of a matte, rectified porcelain in a neutral tone.
The descriptions on all three pages name a Tech Grip finish, while the Finish line reads Matte. Read the two together: the surface is matte with a slight texture, and the grip is part of how it is described. On the Kit Kat sheet the finish tag adds Grip. For more on rating floors, see the floor tiles collection and the outdoor tiles collection.
Surface, texture and appearance
The Texture line reads matt slight texture on the rectangles and Matte, slight texture on the square. The Appearance line reads V3 on all three. V3 means moderate variation from tile to tile, so a box will not repeat the same face. That suits a travertine look, because real travertine varies from piece to piece and a flat, uniform print can look artificial.
A UK retailer advises shuffling tiles from several boxes when laying a travertine effect tile, so that the natural movement blends across the surface. The advice applies here. Open more than one box, mix the tiles as you lay, and the cloudy variation will read as stone and not as a repeat.
All three are listed as rectified. The listings print no recommended grout gap, so ask your tiler to confirm the joint width for the format you choose.
Colour: where ivory sits among the neutrals
An Australian retailer's guide to bathroom colour groups ivory, sand, limestone, beige and travertine as warm neutrals. It says they soften visual contrast, so the eye moves around the room instead of jumping between features, and that this slower pace is why warm neutrals are used in spa inspired interiors. Avorio sits at the pale end of that group.
The same guide says warm neutral tiles pair with timber vanities, brushed brass tapware, natural stone and organic textures. It adds that white reads as clear and fresh, which makes ivory the softer choice when white feels too crisp. For a stronger warm tone, move to the beige tiles collection. For a cooler, cleaner room, the white tiles collection is the opposite direction.
The guide also notes that white tiles suit smaller bathrooms because they bring in light. Ivory is a gentler way to get a light surface in a small room, and a sample under your own lighting shows how far the warmth goes.
Light, samples and finish
Tiles cover large, uninterrupted surfaces, so they shape the mood of a room more than paint does. The Australian guide says a tile's look depends on natural light, artificial light, finish, grout and the materials around it, and it recommends ordering samples to see tiles in your own room at different times of day. That matters most for ivory, which can lean warmer or cooler depending on the bulb and the window.
Finish changes the effect as well. The guide says matte finishes soften light and create a relaxed atmosphere, while gloss tiles reflect light to brighten smaller rooms. This collection is matte throughout, so the result is a gentler surface that does not glare under downlights. Ivory on a matte face stays calm.
Laying patterns
A UK retailer's care notes for a travertine effect porcelain suggest laying it in brick bond or stack bond. Brick bond staggers the joints. Stack bond lines them up in a grid. The 300 x 600mm tile gives the clearest choice between the two.
The 600 x 600mm square has fewer joints, so it works well as a single field across a floor. Laid on the diagonal it gives a diamond layout, which the diamond tiles collection explains in more detail. Running the 300 x 600mm tile lengthways down a hallway lengthens the view, and laying it across a room widens it. The Kit Kat sheet looks different again, because the fingers can run vertically or horizontally.
The Kit Kat sheet
Kit Kat tiles, also called finger tiles, are a kind of mosaic: thin, elongated rectangles that add a quiet layer of texture to a wall. A tile supplier says they are usually sold in sheets, with each piece attached to a mesh backing, and that spacers go between sheets and not between every piece. That makes a sheet quicker to set than loose fingers. The Avorio sheet follows the format, at 292 x 286mm.
Direction changes how the wall reads. A supplier says horizontal layouts make a wall feel wider and vertical layouts draw the eye upward, and that many people use vertical lines in showers and horizontal lines on splashbacks. A home magazine feature adds that sheets can be trimmed with a tile cutter, which suits small spaces and awkward shapes. The sheet is listed for walls and floors, so it can also be used on a step or a small floor area.
Scale matters as much as pattern. The Australian guide says large format tiles feel contemporary, while smaller tiles introduce movement and character. Within this collection that is the split between the 600 x 600mm tile and the Kit Kat sheet, and the 300 x 600mm tile sits between them. A room can use one of each, because they share a colour and a finish and so stay in the same family.
Grout choices
For the larger tiles, the UK retailer recommends a high quality flexible adhesive and a grout in a soft, tonal shade to complement the travertine tone. A grout close to the ivory keeps the floor continuous and quiet. An Australian guide notes the opposite option: contrasting grout becomes a stronger design feature that draws the eye across the room.
For the Kit Kat mosaic, a tile supplier recommends a fine unsanded cement grout for most finger mosaics, because it packs into narrow joints neatly. It suggests epoxy grout for showers, splashbacks and other wet areas where stain and water resistance matter. The same supplier says to match the grout to the tile for a soft, continuous look, or to contrast it so that each finger stands out. The Kit Kat tiles collection covers sheets, direction and grout in more depth.
Because the fingers are small, a Kit Kat sheet has far more grout line per square metre than a 600 x 600mm tile. That means the grout colour does much of the visual work, and it is worth testing a sample with the grout you plan to use before ordering the full quantity.
Walls, floors and bathrooms
For a bathroom, the 300 x 600mm tile can run from floor to ceiling on the walls and carry on across the floor, which keeps the room to one tone. A shower niche or a vanity splashback in the Kit Kat sheet adds texture to the same colour, so the room has depth without a second colour. For another way to mix formats, see the bathroom tiles collection.
In a kitchen or laundry, the same logic applies. The 600 x 600mm tile covers the floor, and the Kit Kat sheet takes the splashback. Each listing prints Easy to Clean on its Maintenance line. For glazed porcelain, the UK retailer says to sweep and mop with warm water and a mild cleaner.
In a living area or hallway, the larger formats keep joints to a minimum, and the warm tone helps a room feel light.
Underfloor heating
The 300 x 600mm and 600 x 600mm listings both carry a note recommending the tiles be paired with underfloor heating for a warmer, drier, mould resistant bathroom. A UK retailer says the same of its own travertine effect porcelain, that it works over underfloor heating. Heating in a bathroom is a decision for the builder and electrician, and the tile choice does not limit it.
Outdoors and pool surrounds
The 600 x 600mm tile and the Kit Kat sheet print an Area line of Indoors and Outdoors, and the tiles are tagged for outdoor areas, covered outdoor rooms and pool surrounds. Matte porcelain is a practical choice outside because the surface carries a slip rating and does not need the sealing that natural travertine pavers do.
An Australian retailer says travertine tiles are a popular choice for patios, pool decks and walkways because they handle weather and keep their appearance. The porcelain version aims for the same look with a hard glazed surface. Because the rating applies to the floor and the setting changes the need, check the requirement for the exact spot, such as a sloped pool edge.
Ordering extra for cuts and batches
The listings recommend ordering an extra 15 percent of tiles over the exact quantity required, to cover breaks and offcuts. They add that colour, size and texture may vary from batch to batch, so ordering enough at once lowers the chance of a mismatch if more is needed later. Keeping a few spare tiles stored for future repairs is also suggested.
A V3 tile with natural variation makes batch matching matter more. Ordering all the boxes together and mixing them on the floor is the simplest way to keep the colour even. Check the quantity with your tiler before you order, because layouts with many cuts need more.
How to choose between the three
Start with the surface you are covering. For a floor, pick the 600 x 600mm tile for the fewest joints, or the 300 x 600mm tile for a staggered pattern. For a wall, any of the three can work, and the Kit Kat sheet adds texture to a feature area. For a splashback or niche, the sheet is the format made for small areas.
Then decide the joint. A tonal grout keeps the ivory soft. A contrasting grout turns the layout into a design feature. Order a sample first and view it in the room, under the light you will actually use.
If this tone is not the right one, the travertine look tiles collection holds the other colours and formats, and the tiles collection covers every shape and finish in the store.
