You list is all "stone" products. Stone products are natural. The durability is guaranteed with stone. Stain resistant...remove marble and granite from your list. Both can stain and etch and both will do this with "flooring" more than they will with a counter top. Gloss levels all change...but it will take years to do it. All stones have maintenance = homeowner needs to work at keeping stone looking good. Stone = expensive. There is no "benefit" for "reasonable" when working with stone. They all cost plenty of money. Stone is expensive. No way around it. If you want "glossy" that doesn't stain for a "good price" then you have forgotten to mention the BEST option: porcelain tiles. Porcelain will do everything you want for a lower price. Stone is expensive, it can stain (especially "oil" stains) it will "etch" or lose gloss level with certain liquids (acid based liquids will do this) and they all need to be maintained and eventually need repolishing to maintain "gloss". Durable is all you can expect out of stone. The rest of your wish list belongs with porcelain tiles.

I have some suggestions if you are thinking budget friendly changes. Make a photo gallery with different size frames and arrange them parallel to the stairs, so you can enjoy each photo as you climb up. And for the area that will be on a level with your upper floor, try some pretty decal that will connect the photo gallery to upper level. And last, if you have budget add some beautiful hanging lights in the stairwell. Also think about repositioning your refrigerator.

Hi Karuna, Here are a few pros and cons of using large tiles on walls - Pros - 1] They have lesser joints to fill and hence give the space a larger look and feel. 2] They look like stone cladding if installed properly. Cons - 1] They are costly as far as their rate/square foot and labour cost is concerned. 2] They require epoxy grout / adhesive instead of the regular cement grout which usually adds to the cost. 3] Since they are huge in size, they are not suitable for small areas due to the hassle of cutting the tiles manually to fir the size. 4] There is a high possibility of warp age in the tiles due to their size and because of this either their joints wont match or the surface may look undulated. Hence, it is recommended that large tiles be used for floors instead of walls. We would suggest to go in for the smaller sized tiles like 2'x2' or less for a more aesthetic look. Just apply tiles between the kitchen cabinets and avoid doing so near the peninsula. It would make the kitchen look lighter and brighter and not like a bathroom. Also for the back splash you may go for any of the following tile options - 1] Mosaic 2] Ceramic tiles/ Vitrified tiles 3] Natural stone such as granite All the best! Regards, RnD Atelier Nagpur

Hello there, If you use water and oil on a daily basis for Pujan and plan for doing homa too nearby, it is best to avoid any paper and wood based material. Golden stencil is definitely good and you could draw a pattern as a backdrop. Else, more elaborate materials as glossy tiles, natural stones etc. could be beneficial too. Regards, Aurum Ideas and Spaces Bhubaneswar