do you have a pic? it doesn't sound like too much to me since you have white cabinets. but I think it's hard to say without seeing it kwim?

Your right, pics are priceless. I took a few pics and will try to get them on tonight. I have to head out for bit. Thanks!

It SOUNDS very nice, actually.

But if it really is too much (light) wood, and it works with your plan for use, you could always stain it. Unless you intend to return it, leave it there, finish everything else, and see how it looks with the soapstone. I think you will be pleased.

I think it sounds nice too...but then, I'm biased. I have a similar mixture of finishes: cream cabs, soapstone perimeter, and ikea island top ( which I stained). I love the warmth the wood top brings to an otherwise cool color palate.

This ikea countertop is oak, and it's already a medium brown. I think it has a finish on it because I don't think untreated oak is this dark.

Here are a few pics

more

I don't think it's too much wood at all. I love it! I was just wondering about what wood version of numerar butcherblock to buy for our kitchen and this oak looks gorgeous! I love it and I think there's enough contrast between the pine and the color of the floors that it doesn't overwhelm

I think you have just the right amount and distribution of wood tones to warm up the coolness of white cabinets, stainless appliances, and soapstone. The effect is charming in an unstudied way.

Cheers.

LOVE it!
I agree that the white cabinets break up any overpowering you perceived.

Thanks for your comments. I should mention this is all part of our budget kitchen update. We're also changing knobs, backsplash, and maybe wall color. My husband has already done a number on the island trim, he's so handy! I'm up for any other comments you may have also. I'm hoping the island top won't seem so overpowering once it's cut down.

I think it works well. Not too much wood for me.

Will you have stools at the island? That will help bring another texture between the oak top and table, and between the oak top and hutch. I think the room on the other non-kitchen side of the island is a bit cold for some reason. Maybe because there's nothing soft like a fabric or pattern to break up the area. No rug, drapes, upholstered pieces or anything textural on that big back wall. That could be why you feel like it may be too much wood. You have a big space! I'm envious!

I think it looks good also. Is your husband putting a sealer on the surface or is it already sealed?

Actually I have the red barstools you see with the old countertop sitting on them. I'm thinking of painting them black but want to wait and see if I decide to paint the walls. The old island shape had a "bend" in it like the old countertop you see. My dh took the top off and put the three cabs together making them straight. By doing that the island actually became smaller, because there wasnt's "empty space" under the countertop. I love the new straight look but it doesnt fit 3 stools as well. SO were thinking of overhanging one end of the bar to make room for the 3rd stool..

Lake Girl- I love it! We wanted the same for our island, we need a 3'x6' wood top. We went to IKEA in PA and they told us it will not be available... indefinitely, so we went back to the drawing board. We still haven't made a decision! If I can ask, which IKEA did you get yours from?

I had been watching the Atlanta store's inventory. To my surprise they had 8 in stock on Tuesday!

paige16 - The countertop comes pretreated with "wood treatment oil from the factory". You're supposed to treat it with oil occasionally. The top comes with all the instructions so I need to read up.

oh I think it's great! not too much wood! beautiful!

I think it looks lovely!

We used the oak Numerar in our kitchen. We're very pleased with it and I think it's going to look great in your kitchen as well (I do love wood).

Before ours was installed I applied about 5 coats of pure tung oil (it's not in an area where we do any prep or where it gets much use, not like an island, but I still wanted it to be well sealed). The color changed significantly, becoming darker and richer but also somewhat more orange.

Here's a picture of what ours looked like shortly after it was installed.

Everyone...I've been a "lurker" on this site for about a year and finally registered. Just wanted to say thanks to all of you who inspired me to buy my own island top too! My pictures aren't good enough (all it's done is rain in OH lately and the lighting isn't great), but I'll post soon! I bought mine online from Craft-Art and think their quality was much better than Ikea, because they have only one board end to end and it doesn't look like a hardwood floor with all those planks, etc.

I'll post my pictures soon! Thanks to everyone for your excitement and ideas!

Here is a link that might be useful: Craft ARt Online DIY Store

Thanks for the pic sw in austin. It really does look different. Right now, it seems a little rough feeling, but we haven't done anything to it. How do you clean it? Ours will be used as extra surface area, but I wouldn't cut meat or anything there. After years of laminate, I don't cut on anything but cutting board. I wouldn't dream of sitting a hot pot on anything unless there were a hotpad under it. How do you like that beautiful soapstone??

Lake_Girl - sorry to be a dissenting voice, but there's something that isn't working for me. I noticed the grain of the island is running perpendicular to the floor, not in the same direction. For some reason, this seems disruptive to my eye. I've not seen that many wood counter tops with wood floors, so maybe it's done all the time, but it just doesn't do it for me.

katkatf - I know what you mean, maybe that's what's bugging me too. I wonder if it will not seem so big and obvious once it's cut down to fit.

Wood is good.

How funny! I was going to say it looked great and I loved how it was perpendicular to the floor!

I have an Ikea oak Numererereerar counter on a freestanding piece and just hit it with regular old mineral oil every so often.

Can you rout the edges into an ogee or something frilly to make it different?

It's still stainable with the factory oiling, but it's so nice. Save the stain option for later maybe, after you get your area rugs down and your fruit bowl out. Betcha learn to love it.

That's a good looking kitchen!

Lake Girl -- I just wipe it down with the same 7th Generation clean-everything spray that I use on the soapstone. It cleans up nicely (although as I said I don't do much actual work on it. We have left fruit sitting out that got a bit overripe and those sticky bits just wipe right off).

And my soapstone! I love it. In fact I just went and picked out a beautiful remnant piece of soapstone (Minas this time instead of the Beleza we used in the kitchen) this morning for a bathroom reno we're working on. And we're thinking of replacing our fireplace hearth and surround with more!! Could there be too much soapstone in one house? Hmmm . . .

Oh and I meant to say that during the process of applying the tung oil I sanded a lot -- both before I started and between each coat of oil and I ended up with a silky smooth top.

Lake Girl - I know completely contradictory advice isn't helpful, but I too wasn't going to comment until I saw the pictures, saw how the wood on the island was perpendicular to the floor and felt overwhelmed with the urge to tell you how much I *liked* that!

Dunno if diametrically opposed views cancel one another out; probably. Sorry! I guess you just have to reach down inside of yourself and pull out your own opinion on the matter. I like wood; I *love* the visible 'graininess' of yours. Absolutely love it. I am feeling sad I didn't think about doing what sw_in_austin did patching some in along a run .... actually .... it's not too late maybe; I could do it?

Anyway - your thread! Your kitchen; your opinion, ultimately. But at least some of us like it explicitly for all its "woodiness".

I just noticed that mine is perpendicular to my floor as well. I think that once it's cut down, it's going to be less noticeable. And with white cabinets, I definitely don't think it's too much wood!

ok, sw in austin, i was wondering how you got that nice finish. it sounds like sanding is the way to go.

fori - did you rout the edges on your wood countertop? if so, can I see???

another question for sw in austin - did you happen to diy your soapstone? that's what we're considering, though nervous.

Nope, I didn't rout mine--it was already sized to fit one of their cabinets in a discontinued line (sort of like Vaarde, but oak, if you know your Ikea) so it was just a plunk down operation.

I know others HAVE done the edges nicely, and it shouldn't be too hard, especially with as much extra as you have to practice on. :) And someone here dyed theirs black. Maybe not oak, but oak does stain nicely.

Lake_Girl --

No we did not DIY, although I've read many descriptions on this forum from people who did so successfully. Seeing the several very strong looking guys who carried our counters in from the truck made me glad we hadn't tried it ourselves. Those pieces were heavy!! We have one remnant, about 15"x45", left over and it takes two people to pick that up. And that's even considering the skill needed to actually cut the stone!

Good luck with your project. I don't think you can go wrong with soapstone and butcher block.

Oh and you should search for that black-stained Numerar counter that fori mentioned. I think it was stained with India ink, if I'm remembering correctly. Totally cool looking.

I meant to say "not even considering" in my previous post. Sorry.

Agree, fori. The first thing I noticed was that the grain was perpendicular to the floor and that I really liked that.

And the red stools are very cute. It adds to the "grown" look to the kitchen, like it evolved over time, not like it was all bought at once and everything matches.

Thanks so much for the helpful comments! This kitchen has definitely grown over time. It's coming along...