I have no direct experience with Paperstone, but I was interested in it when we redid our master bath in 2010 and our bath designer talked me out of it saying it does not hold up because....it's made from paper. I think you are better off with soapstone or marble for the vintage look. There are probably also some quartz that would look vintage.

Using a google search for paperstone richlite gardenweb kitchen, I came up with the thread linked below. The OP shows an email address on her My Page, so perhaps you could ask her how her handsome Richlite counters are holding up after 3 years.

Also, on http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0112585030247.html , a member named klb 2000 wrote of her experience with Paperstone. Her pics have expired but her email address is also on her My Page.

Check http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg062005582183.html?3 for pics and info from Paperstone.

Check also http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cooking/msg0117083327587.html, which includes a link to a vendor whose wares include EcoTop, which apparently can be made with runnels.

Best of luck. hbk

Here is a link that might be useful: chocolate/white kitchen thread

Thanks for the responses! fouramblues I appreciate hearing your friends' experience and how you think it looks. hbk your posts were very helpful! Thought I'd read every Richlite, Paperstone + garden web google post there was (been searching for 6+ months!) but you sent me to a new one! Have been loving smilingjudy's kitchen for a while now and didn't realize I could email (or try to) so will give it a try. Thanks!!

My sister has paperstone. I would find it acceptable IF you don't need a color-fast product. Theirs has changed from the original blue to a greeny-blue in 4-5 years.
It also was not finish coated and he finished with Waterlox, which worked great, and can be touched up easily.
As a work surface it is fine and durable.

I've had a Richlite kitchen counter since 2008. It can scratch/scuff fairly easily so I place a dish towel under any thing that will cause friction to the counter when in use (i.e. cutting boards). It's often mistaken for slate and yet it has a modern look. The cabinets are cherry and together its really stunning. I understand from the installer that the surface can be buffed to help remove scratches but that wouldn't be something you could do very often due to the material. hope this is helpful, good luck!

Hi there--I don't look out here too often anymore since I finished my kitchen project, but was doing some research on washers and dryers and happened to see your post. I have had black Paperstone installed since 2006. As honorbiltkit mentions above, I did have an early problem, where it seemed like a pit developed in the top layer of the surface. My installer came out and was able to perform a fix that involved crazy glue, a sharpie, and buffing that area. It seemed to be a problem he had seen before (seeing as he had a fix for it) but at the time I did some research online and didn't see any other mention of it. If you look close you can see where he fixed that spot, but it happens to be in a back corner, so I don't notice it at all and it doesn't bother me.

I haven't had any other issues with my Paperstone since then--no discoloration or issues around the sink. The surface will scratch, like if you drag something across your counter. I tend to be fairly gentle in my kitchen so that doesn't happen too often, and it seems like the scratches disappear if you oil the surface, which I do periodically--maybe once every nine to twelve months. Looking at my countertop today, I don't see any scratches--so somehow they disappear. I also used Paperstone as a threshold between my marmoleum and hardwood floors. I have never used oil on those, just clean them with a wet swiffer pad when I clean the marmoleum floors. The thresholds are also in great shape--no scratches or discoloration, in spite of dragging my vacuum cleaner through there, plus obviously walking on them.

So--overall I have been very pleased with how the countertops have held up, and still love how they look. I wouldn't hesitate to use Paperstone again.

Hope this helps--and good luck with your project!

There is an article about choosing countertops on Houzz.com today (pros and cons) Paperstone is one of the choices.