I LOVE YOUR HOUSE! I would absolutely get the soapstone/subways. No doubt. White marble would also look nice but I think it looks better with dark cabinets.

I think the soapstone would look great in there.

Laurie

Absolutely! Don't second guess your first decision. It would fit in your lovely house perfectly.

Fabulous place! I think that the soapstone would look wonderful! I wouldn't paint your rms. the same color. On my monitor though (& I'm sure that the color reads more yellow on mine) the kitchen wall color looks really yellow. Is it that way in real life?

Just to throw out another suggestion on subway tiles have you considered soapstone subway tiles? Candice Olsen did a fabulous kitchen primarily in white w/ a soapstone counter & backsplash done in matching soapstone subway tile. It looked amazing (and light) - in fact I saved the episode. I believe it was called Cara and Anthony's Kitchen episode #1108 if you would like to check it out.

Here is a link that might be useful: Divine Design

YES! Soapstone will be perfect. Right now your light counters look a little "lost" in your kitchen. The soapstone will add great visual weight and richness to the room.

I'm going to post a pic of my marble subways that I used with my honed jet mist, which is a granite that resembles soapstone. I really like how the subtle veins worked with the cabinets and the counters.

{{!gwi}}

mlraff53: Thank you for the compliment. I'm a very casual person so this look might not be for everyone but I love it.

Laurie: Thank you for your opinion. I just sent you 3 emails with pictures of my home staged/redesigned.

mrsmrv: Thank you for your input. I seem to be second guessing myself a lot these days. It's like buyers remorse except I haven't made the purchase. Maybe it should have a name like Pre-buyers remorse. Kind of like PMS only PBR.

declansmom: Thank you. This is just the type of reasurrance I needed before taking the plunge.

ttodd: Thank you for your compliment. The room definitly comes off more yellow on the monitor. Who comes up with the names for paint colors? I'd love that job. This color is called Beach Sand but it certainly doesn't look like any sand I've ever seen. I'll have to re-evaluate the color once the soapstone is installed. I couldn't find that Divine Design episode but I'd love to see it. I had no idea you could get subway tiles made of soapstone. I live on the west coast and it's slim pickins.

deee: Your kitchen looks beautiful. Do you have more pictures? How do you like your honed granite? Why did you go with granite instead of soapstone?

Add me to the group that thinks soapstone would be a perfect fit in your kitchen. I think it would provide some grounding to all the light colors and complement all the black accents you have in your home.

In the interest of full disclosure - I have white cabinets and soapstone myself, and I just love that combination. Good luck!

I think soapstone would look GORGEOUS in your already pretty, bright kitchen. It definitely won't darken it up too much. You have a ton of white in there already. I love it.

OMG!!!! I just got my first quote and I had to call the company to make sure it wasn't some sort of typo. I had no idea it was this expensive. My DH is gonna have a stroke or at the very least an aneurysm. That's one way to pay for it! Life insurance money haha. I better head over to the kitchen forum for advice on pricing and installation.

amck: Do you have pictures of your kitchen. I'd love to see them. I'll print them out and paste them all over my kitchen for reassurance that I'm making the right decision. I'll point to the pictures everytime one of my kids come asking for a new cell phone, ipod, video game, food, college, school clothes, school supplies (just kidding). I'd love to see your kitchen.

Here is the address for that divine design episode that ttodd mentioned:
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_design_kitchen/article/0,,HGTV_3375_5762678,00.html

I agree with everyone else that the black countertops with subway backsplash would look great in your kitchen. Have you done any searches on soapstone over in the kitchen's forum? I know many people love their soapstone, but just as many are frustrated with the oiling or the lack of dark color when they don't oil etc...I have no personal experience with soapstone, and do love the way it looks, but if it were me, I think I'd go with a honed black granite. It stays a dark matte black with no maintenance! I think the only big difference is soapstone has the white marbling effect and the honed granite would be consistently black.

The other thing I'd look into for the same look is the engineered stones. I've seen some beautiful honed black engineered stone that has a beautiful touch/feel, and again is very consistent color wise and is maintenance free.

As far as color, I like the current kitchen color, it's light and creamy. I don't know that they do have to match, but if you want them different, I would stay in the same color family - ie. a few shades darker etc.

I have just been shopping this week for a honed black granite for my island. I love the look of soap stone, but I'm not the type of person that could live with the "patina" . I already have perimeter granite in a different pattern. I think the honed granite will give a similar look to the soapstone.

I am probably going to go with a Andes Black granite in 3 cm. If you use 3 cm , you can get a nice edge without laminating it and that saves a lot of money. 3 cm costs a little more, but not nearly as much as a laminated edge.

Anyway, while shopping, I saw a honed uba tuba which was absolutely gorgeous. I can't use it because I have some blue in my perimeter granite. But thought I would mention it in case you decide to go the honed route.

I really love soapstone but no one in my small southern city had ever installed it. As it was, I still had to travel 75 miles away to get a simple honed charcoal counter. We went with the honed Virginia mist. It's also known as jet mist. I've been really happy with it.

Around here, jet mist is a little cheaper than soapstone. I paid around $75 sq/ft for a the slab, simple edge, fabricating, undermount sink, one cut out and installation.

Here's a link to some great pictures of the granite:

Here is a link that might be useful: This is NOT my kitchen (unfortunately)

I love your kitchen and family room. They are so liveable and stylish! I think soapstone or a honed granite (probably less expensive) would be beautiful on your long counters. However, I would leave the island counter tiled as it is, and consider either painting it a dark charcoal or doing a black glaze on it.

lyban: Thanks for the link. WOW!! What a beautiful kitchen!! I really need to purchase a Photoshop program that actually works with Vista and play with the different back splashes. Thanks for stoking the soapstone fire.

caroleoh: I have to admit I have not done much as far as researching soapstone or other substitutes. I've liked it for so long and I didn't think of other alternatives. I'm such a novice when it comes to counter tops and I'll look into honed granite. Thanks for the advice

chloe45: I live in Orange County, CA and I've found 3 dealers and this includes Los Angeles. I'm the opposite of you where I like the imperfections and patina of soapstone. It's very me. I just wish it didn't have to cost so much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your advice. I'm taking everyone's opinion into consideration and I really appreciate you taking the time to reply to my post.

deee: Is that really soapstone?!?!? It looks just like the real deal!! I was quoted $98.00 a square foot and that didn't include the demo of my tile. THANK YOU FOR SHOWING ME THIS!! Possibly another option.

kswl: Thank you for your positive post!! My home is as livable as you can get with 3 kids, 1 dog, 1 snake, 4 goldfish and 44 kids on the same cul-de-sac. My backyard is a virtual pet cemetery. I've gone back and forth about the island. I love that look. My neighbor has a green distressed island, which looks more like furniture and its exquisite. My DH on the other hand does not like that look. I normally just override these decisions but lately he's been right more than wrong. Thank you so much for your advice.

mldao, there is a company that will resurface your existing countertops with a thinner granite that you can get in a black or charcoal colour that is honed and looks similar to soapstone. I know one person who has used this service and was very pleased with it, both the durability and the look---and the fact that they did not have to have their tiled counters removed. That in itseif was a huge savings. Granite Transformations is the company she used, I know nothing about it except that the results in her case were very good.

I would still keep the tile countertop on your island, even if you don't change the colour of the cabinetry underneath. And, regardless of what you decide, you have a lovely, well-designed home that ALREADY looks beautiful!

I have never seen anyone talk about going this route but what about actual lab countertop material. Not real soapstone; it some sort of engineered product. I have this is my classroom -- it is a uniform soft black -- not glossy at all. When this stuff is clean, it feels like velvet. It wears like iron except for concentrated nitric acid ! You probably won't be using that at home...

Here is a link that might be useful: Black lab counters

The address for the kitchen that I was referring to is actually on the Divine Design website. Just follow my link & then you will need to 'Switch Episodes'. That will bring you to the current series and then on the side it will list the past series. Select 1100 and from there select episode 1108. There is an option where you can see the entire resource list right down to where she got the tiniest miniscule things on the counters used to decorate.

kswl: I looked them up online and there's a store about 20 minutes from my house. Thanks for the source.

rucnmom: The black lab counters look very sleek and clean. Thank you for the link. I really like the imperfections and patina of soapstone so I don't think I'd be happy with these. Thank your for trying to help.

ttodd: Thank you, I found the episode. I'll have to go and check out silestone.

ttodd:

Mldao - Are you a DIYer? Because soapstone countertops can be DIYed by a competent woodworker and a buddy for the heavy lifting. DH and I DIYed ours for $25/SF and they're lovely, if I say so myself.

sweeby: My DH has an intense work schedule. By the time this project was completed we'd be ready for our nursing home. Do you have pictures of your soapstone? What is the name of it and how long have you had it? Thanks for your help.

kswl: Checked out Granite Transformations and it does very nice. They didn't have anything that resembled soapstone in texture or with that soapstone patina I love. It was a good try. Thanks.

ttodd: I went to my local Home Expo to check out silestone and they didn't have the silestone used on that Divine Design episode. I'm going to try a couple of other dealers before I give up on silestone. I really hope they have one that closely resembles soapstone. Thank you.