My favorite marble is the 2nd one. Even though it's not as bold as the other two choices, it seems to be more interesting, like it has more depth or more visual texture. Does that make sense? I haven't had all my coffee yet this morning, lol, I might not be coherent. :)

Not crazy about the splotches. I'd stick with 2 or 3, both are lovely.

Good luck!

I'm vote is still with the relatively quiet Carrara because I think the movement is more complementary to the soapstone. But if you want a more dramatic marble top on your island, and decide to go with the Venetino, I know I'll still rave about how good it all looks! Sorry, not feeling the new choice at all.

I love 2 & 3. Probably 3 just a hair more then 2 but either will be fantastic.

Heres another pic of the new one, but this is the polished side. The 1st pic was the cut side, which he said would be very similar to the honed finish.

I was thinking it went better because it looks like it has some dark veining in it and it would match closer to the soapstone? I dont know. Im losing it. Sounds like no one else likes it? And I dont know how accurate these photos are from a cell phone.

here's a close up he just sent too.....

No, sorry, from the monitor pics, just do not like that black splotchy one. The second pic (from your OP) seems like it would go very well with your soapstone.

On it's own or with a solid-nearly solid black, I think you could use that newer one, but I think it has too much pattern and contrast to look good with the soapstone veining you have. It's tough to combine two patterns. I couldn't find soapstone that worked with my marble and had to go to a black granite. I have gone back and forth between the other two -- I'm not that excited by the one you show as #2 here, but it would work and has the least potential to fight the soapstone. It's a safer bet. But it isn't that interesting on it's own and I'd be afraid that it might look muddy compared to the soapstone. I think I'd have to see it in person to get a feel for it.

The last one in your OP is most similar to my marble, but I do have some darker spot and squiggles -- I call them ink markings because they remind me of stray marks in old papers or sketches. For some reason they reminded me of DaVinci and I was hooked. On the counter, cut into pieces, the look is softer, so I tent to think that one would be good too. You will only be using one part of that slab. What ever you pick, you can template it to get the part you like best.

It looks like everything else is going to be pretty cool and calm, so you can have a little more on your counters, but I still think the spots would look better with a solid or nearly solid black.

I agree with pattyk #2.
Two girls - what did you use to make your kitchen rendering?

#2 looks like it might be great in person and very interesting in a what stone is this kind of way. I couldn't pick it off my monitor though. It's not as classic a marble look as #3. Will you be happier if people walk in your kitchen and say "Cool stone -- what is this?" or if they say "Love the marble on the island"?

Another thought -- what is the wood and cut you are using at the other end of that island. If you said on the other thread, I don't remember. The more color, grain and pattern there, the more I'd go plainer (#2) witht he marble.

I see lots of pink in the 1st one, i wondered if it was a camera issue but see it in all the follow ups - so, no and splotchy too

my preference of the lot is #3

good luck

I think they are all lovely but with the gorgeous dark stone that the marble has to team with, I'd say #3. It is almost the negative image of the dark stone.

When I looked at the photos, I chose #2...HOWEVER, the new one is quite unique and I can appreciate you wanting to have something with that quality when your kitchen is such a classic look.

-Do you love it?

-Is your soapstone really green or black? (I don't think I see that one going with green)

-Is there a chance you might like the unusual marble enough to find a calmer, blacker soapstone?

It's hard to tell when the pictures aren't side by side, but maybe it's a different enough pattern to go OK with the soapstone anyway...I liken it to doing a quilt, when you can combine prints, and it works well if one print is large and one print is smaller/busier.

It may be just a matter of personal taste, like Tigerwood or the contrast in rustic hickory. Let your opinion be the final word. Your marble is the center of your kitchen and it should be something you'll absolutely love.

The new one is kinda neat, but I don't like the dalmation with the stripes either.

I suspect they will all look GOOD, so maybe picking whatever you like best is what you should do. And of course you need to see the spotty one in person. It might be perfect in ways that have nothing to do with soapstone.

The "Dalmation" (pic 1) is interesting, but with your soapstone, I like #2 best, followed by #3.

But...do you plan to oil your soapstone? That might make a difference...#1 would go best w/ a bolder black.

valleigh - All credit goes to rhome410 for the rendering! Not sure what she used.

lascatx - We are using an end grain butcher block. Still waiting on our samples. Im sure that will be another post! LOL

rhome - I was kind of liking the new one, for some reason. Maybe my brain is mush at this point though. No one else likes it! Im going to stick with the same slab of soapstone. Nothing else they had did anything for me. We tend to like things like rustic hickory and tigerwood.

Im going to throw out some of my thinking...

#1 thoughts - Kind of different. Wonder if the black will be more grey when honed. Is it too splotchy? Like the pattern in it. No one else likes it! Whats wrong with me?

#2 thoughts - Very cloudy looking in real life. The middle section of the stone is very cloudy grey. Not sure I like that aspect of it. However, it might blend well and be nicely understated next to the end grain butcher block and soapstone.

#3 thoughts - I see grey & white and its more jagged looking. We have creamy white cabinets, will it be too white? I like that one strong vein. But do I need something softer with more creamy undertones?

Still voting for #2 with your soapstone although I don't think you could go wrong w/ #3. Not crazy over #1--kind of looks like it got splattered w/ black paint and I would probably be trying to clean it all the time.

I forgot to say that I think our soapstone does have green in it. We do plan to keep it oiled.

You can kind of see the green here...

See how cloudy grey #2 looks?

For the record, I DO like the new one. But it doesn't say "classic marble", or anything like it. It's interesting and different and not at all subdued and sort of shouts LOOKATME! Not bad at all, if that's what you want. But it doesn't integrate as neatly with the soapstone unless you want your soapstone to be neutralized.

It's a shame you can't get the stoneyards to put the slabs side by side to see how they really go!

If you are getting the slabs from the same yard, they should offer to move them next to each other for you -- or at least do it if you ask. It only requires moving one of them.

I do like the spottier one, but I'm not sure how it will look with your soapstone and wood. Can you get the wood sample and take it to look at them together?

If you don't like #2, which I'm definitely reading, DON'T GET IT! As I said before, you need to love it.

I agree with everything Fori said. Nothing wrong with choosing something that doesn't have the classic marble appearance if you are OK with giving that up. Are they from the same yard? Like Lascatx, I'd like to see some of your elements together, instead of separate photos with the lighting and angle differences that can change the looks of each.

Valleigh, the rendering was done with Chief Architect. Chief Architect also authored all the Better Homes and Gardens design softwares, which are meant for homeowners and can be found in stores, on Amazon, etc. It's pretty user friendly and makes great plans and fairly realistic 3D renderings. I couldn't have designed my house and kitchen nearly as well without those 3D views!

For the record, I love the new one! Really love it.

I'm going through the same thing, btw.

Waiting for a price on Azul Cielo and New Emperador light for the island. My perameter countertops will be soapstone, probably Black Venata.

Twogirls - I'm still liking the venetino, BUT - it's not my kitchen! Sleep on it, don't look at the photos and try to ignore us for a few minutes! and then come back and see what "grabs" you without over-analyzing it.

These are hard decsions but it will all be gorgeous!

Eliz

twogirls -- keep breathing......you're getting there and it is all going to be gorgeous! I so remember the grip of my stomach for days when I was in this decision making phase and it can seem like agony, but......there is light at the end of the tunnel for you.

In an attempt to re-cap:

You are keeping your chosen soapstone slab and will oil it. Have you done that and does it change the color of the slab that you are posting pics of much? Does it go more green or more black once oiled?

New marble slab - you are attracted to but worried that no one else is. You mentioned that the black may tone to grey when honed -- I would look at a sample of that honed, I'm not thinking that honing will significantly change the color and it will still be black, just not shiny, but I'm certainly no expert on that!

#2 - I don't hear you "loving" this one much, but only tolerating it b/c it is calmer looking.....please LOVE, LOVE, LOVE what you ultimately choose.

#3 - You like the strong veining on this but are worried that the white is too white with your cabinets.

I agree with others that if the slabs are at the same yard, they should be able to put them next to each other for you. Also, could you take a cabinet door sample, butcher block sample, etc. with you and set these with each of the choices to see which overall combination you like the best? I know that it really helped me when I did this, I stopped considering each element individually and it was much easier for me to visualize the whole. I ended up with 1st and 2nd choice slabs of marble, leaning heavily toward 1st choice. As it turns out that one didn't work and I was heartbroken to have to go to my 2nd choice. But.....it was truly divine intervention, b/c once the kitchen came together, the slab that went in was truly the "right" one and I love it now.

Hang in there, deep breath, glass of wine and remind yourself what a wonderful job you have done on other decisions......this one will work out, too.

I have white marble on white cabinets, but the marble has more grey and I don't' think it is too white -- even with white subways. My white is along the preimeter too, so a lot more of it. you could go stark white on that island and be okay.

I told you I have what I call ink markings on my marble. Of course, I wasn't there to see it polished and honed in progress to see a side by side comparison, but I wouldn't say that honing makes the ink marks lighter as much as it makes them softer. They might go from black or near black to a deep charcoal, but they seem like they are in a bit of a soft focus -- like certain magazine covers. ;-)

You'll get it worked out -- but seeing as much as you can together will make it easier.

twogirls

Just wanted to let you know that I absolutely LOVE the new one. I have been looking at tons of marble slabs and think I love that one the best!! Do you know the name of it?

Remember that YOU have to live with it and YOU have love it. I'm getting black cabinets and tons of people have tried to talk me out of it. I am just sticking with my vision and trying not to get distracted !!

I like the third one the best, bec it seems like the mirror (?) reverse (?) of the soapstone, with the distinct veining in the marble being a darker colour, whereas it is the opposite in the soapstone.

But if your gut is telling you that the new choice is the one, there must be something to it (and if you chose something else, will you always wonder if you made the right choice?) The marble may look different once it is horizontal (it can lose its impact a bit?), but I wouldn't worry about any of your options being too pale or too white as you don't seem to have uppers over it

I agree with chloe_s_mom, #3 looks best to me, the mirror thing. It seems to mesh well with your soapstone. #2 seems too, idk, blah? Maybe it's my computer. #1 looks to spotty/harsh? Good luck! It took me a year to choose my island slab for our beleza soapstone.

karla

Thank you everyone, for all of your input!

We are going to drive down on Sunday and he's going to put all 3 marble slabs outside so that we can see them. This place is 2 hours away from us. Probably not my 1st choice of things to do on Mother's Day with my 2 girls and 6 months pregnant, but the new slab is leaving for Chicago on Monday. This is the only opportunity for my husband and I to see everything one more time together. I wont have my butcher block samples until Tuesday unfortunately, but I'm going to take the cabinet door samples. The soapstone is outside as well, so maybe it will be close by. Should I take some mineral oil to see the soapstone oiled? What should I be using?

They are installing the kitchen cabinets and wood flooring today! I went to take a peak and I am SO excited!!! It looks AWESOME so far!!!

Congrats twogirls on the installation of such important parts of your project and, the fact that you LOVE what is going in!

Hope that your Mother's Day adventure tips the scales for you and one of these marble slabs becomes THE ONE! As far as oiling the soapstone -- maybe someone else will comment, can't imagine it would hurt, if you are going to oil them anyway, but geez, just no clue here. When I was looking at our slabs and templating, they wet them down for me and although they had to wet them more than once, they really looked the same then as they do oiled now - worked b/c we could hose the whole thing down and really see how the veins looked.

Oh, and I apologize for suggesting you relax w/a glass of wine - I did not realize you were expecting.....a glass of sparkling juice instead?? This is a hard process no matter what, but balancing small ones and being pregnant -- KUDOS to you! Can't wait to hear about your trip -- hope it goes well!