I'm almost finished with a kitchen remodel due to a water leak. I got new cabinets and appliances, the granite was reused. I didn't care whether or not I kept the same backsplash but the insurance said it wasn't necessary to have it replaced. So when they installed my new cabinets, to make them level, they were running higher (above the bottom of the lowest tile) so they took off the lowest row of tile. They explained that once the granite was reinstalled, it wouldn't look right to put something back in that area because you'd see how it runs uphill (or downhill) so we tore off the entire backsplash. I just had the cheap white 3"x6" subway tile from lowes, and I like it so that's what I'm having done again. But I'm soooooo glad that we tore it all out and re-tiling the backsplash. It will look so much better. It's getting done tomorrow. I personally would rather have the backsplash redone than to go with the 3" piece. JMHO BTW the insurance paid for a new backsplash since the granite couldn't be installed exactly where it was before and I got $1100.00 for a $300 backsplash :)

Hi- We have soapstone countertops, but no soapstone sink. I went with a silgranit sink (Blanco) because I knew I didn't want stainless, and at the time I was choosing sinks I didn't really consider getting a soapstone one (I'm not sure why). We've only had our countertops since the end of July, and have really only been using the kitchen completely for about 2 weeks. Sometimes I wish I had gotten a soapstone sink, because they are sooooo beautiful and I think the idea of having integral runnels on the side of the countertop is such a great idea. But-I think I'm glad I didn't go that route, mainly because I'm clumsy, I bang things around in the sink a lot, and I think I would be making lots of little nicks and chips. Our soapstone is sort of middle of the road with respect to hardness, as far as I can tell, but I think I would have driven myself (and DH) crazy if the sink were also soapstone. But that's just me. I do LOVE the countertops, though. HTH

When you already have cream and bright white, and the solidish gray or black sink, I can only think of something like an aggregate pattern to try to tie the colors together. I have a hard time picturing another solid added to the bunch. Maybe just something to blend with the sink? You haven't told us much about what you like or want. Do you prefer strong/bright colors? Dark or light? Cool or warm? You must've had some vision in mind when you chose cream and bright white, which usually aren't used together. I think you need to share more about the idea you're working toward before we can offer suggestions.

Silestone, Caesarstone, and similar are what is known as "engineered stone". They consist of crushed up quartz and resin mixed together. They're mostly quartz (95% or so), but there is a small percentage of resin (5% or so) mixed in to hold it all together. Soapstone is a type of stone that is quarried directly from the earth and is sold in slabs -- the same as granite, marble, etc. It can be relatively soft (compared to engineered stone & most granites), but it can be sanded to "fix" scratches -- one of the nice features of soapstone. You probably saw and worked on it in the science labs at school. Many people have soapstone and love it. You will find many threads on the Kitchens Forum about soapstone. In particular, look for posts by Florida_Joshua, he's a soapstone fabricator who used to post here frequently to help those with questions. Both types of counters are good choices, it just depends on what you like. (There are also many threads about engineered stone/quartz.)