Hi, To start with the soapstone- we have had it in for about a month now and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I cannot get enough of the charcoaly black color and feel of it--like a baby's skin. It is from Brazil so is the very soft version of it. It definitely dings and scratches easily. The scratches disappear with an oiling and the dings blend in with oiling. I plan to try and sand them soon so I will let you know how that goes. I am not sure where you are located but we are in PA and got it from Bucks County Soapstone. We paid a tiny bit more to go with them (maybe $5/sq ft more) but I cannot say enough about how wonderful this company is. It was so worth it. It is the best company I have every dealt with--with regards to anything I have ever purchased. They are just wonderful! Maybe I should do an add for them;o). With regards to your island--I LOVE the wood. We had butcher block in our old house and I just loved it. We thought of it for here too but I didn't feel it fit with the style of this more traditional house. (I like a much more funky house with more character but this made more sense to be in a neighborhood with lots of kids). I think a soapstone perimeter will look gorgeous. My aunt has a different kind of soapstone--little more greenish to it and it is much harder. It is equally beautiful and is what made us think of soapstone originally. As far as the posts go, how big are your cabinets (total overall dimensions of it)? When we were working on ours--they suggested a minimum of an 11" overhang on the sides with the larger counter stools. They actually suggested it on any overhang side but we didn't have enough room on the stove side and we knew we would just have a small stool there so it didn't bother us. We did a bit more on the fridge side than the 11" as we had the space. I would say that once the counter is installed, try to put a piece of wood or baseball bat or fed ex shipping tube... to mimic the post in the place you want it by the kitchen table to see if it bothers you. That is what we did with the extra overhang on the island on the stove side as one of the handymen we got a quote from said it might feel too cramped. It didn't bother me. What I would say about the posts is they don't make it feel closed at all. It still feels as open as when I just had the counter without posts. You could also do slightly smaller posts. IMHO I really love the posts. It used to bother me before we replaced the counters and expanded the island that the counter was just floating there with no support--but that is just me. I know many like it the other way better and I think it just comes down to personal preference. I am by no means any good at designing though--I am very mathematical and love symmetry:o) so hopefully someone else who is more artistic or with design experience can weigh in. Good luck. Keep me updated and let know about the dimensions of the cab to see if you can do the posts! Also, LOVE how your kitchen is turning out!

Based upon all of that, it does sound like either the new GE 755 or the Maytag Commercial is your best bet. I have a GE Profile top load from 2006 and use Tide pods. I've had zero issues with clothes not coming out clean or there still being odors. The key to a good top loader is enough water and agitation. The ones with just the disc on the bottom that use 1 gallon of water are pretty bad when you watch the videos of them, I would never buy one. The GE 755 does have load sensing for water, but once it begins washing if you press and hold the Deep Fill button for 3 seconds, it will fill up the tub. The Maytag Commercial only has two water settings, half and full. Both also have the 2 rinse option. The Maytag unit also includes a 5 year factory parts and labor warranty.

As a small gallery owner and a new vetted seller of vintage period fine art paintings on 1st Dibs let me add a note. Buying retail invariably includes a high markup. Buying antique and vintage items has a markup and carries additional risk, especially buying online. I know for every ten purchases in my niche market there WILL be one that is a problem, and there may be one that is a blessing. Both had markups paid, shipping costs, insurance paid, business expenses, gallery expenses, inventory and installation costs; loads of time spent, risks taken and specialty knowledge/research involved. Then there are restoration/repairs as needed factored into pricing. and the cost to get that wonderful unique work of art visible to you, the buyer. if you look only at the estate sale price paid before commission then the price on 1st Dibs may seem quite high. But so much more is in that price, and in the value of an artist and genre of art at any particular time. The beauty of 1st Dibs is finding that one of a kind object, that sought for artist, that is actually available for sale right now. It cannot be simply replaced. 1st Dibs offers some security providing payment, shipping cost with insurance, and written return policy. You can always make an offer too, just like being in the gallery. Try that buying retail. As with anything, if you find that perfect one of a kind piece, that artist whose work you love, that painting that just fits that space, the price is what seller and buyer agree in that moment.

Add me to the list of soon-to-get Schmidt's Smooth Yellow. When those of us in the cheap seats finally got the list (reminding me to stop forgetting and upgrade my level of support to the Friends of Vintage Roses already...), only one was left and I figured I didn't have even a forlorn hope of getting it, though I sent my request in immediately. But fate was kind, so I will be picking it up in Sebastopol in a little over a week. Looking forward to it!