You have some gorgeous elements to work with, but I can see your dilemma. Soapstone would be a wonderful fit with both your existing pieces and the farmhouse style. I agree with you that wood counter tops may be too much of a very good thing. But I fear that laminate/formica counter tops won't complement very well your existing antiques or the style of the home.

Have you thought about soapstone tiles? They are much less expensive than slabs and if you use a narrow grout line in a similar color they are easy to maintain. You could also choose another type of tile; I've seen some lovely counter tops using larger tiles (again with narrow grout lines).

Alternatively, you could get some very inexpensive formica now with the intention of replacing it with the perfect soapstone a few years down the road.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the ideas! I had not ever thought about the soapstone tiles, but that is an interesting thought. We are almost entirely DIY on the entire house and if I can give DH clear directions, he can usually produce my desired result :)

My concern with the idea of a "temporary" countertop is two fold. First of all, on either side of the sink we will have cabinets that rest on the countertop. I am afraid of the logistics of future replacement and having to remove the two cabinets to change out the countertop. Also, I hate the idea of putting in and paying for something temporary to just rip it out five years later and have that first item take up room in the landfill. It just seems like such a waste!

I will definitely price out soapstone tiles and see what the difference would be from DIY slabs. Thanks again!

I found a GW thread on soapstone tiles that might be useful.

Good luck with your project!

Here is a link that might be useful: Re: soapstone tiles

I also saw some oversize tiles that were maybe 20 inches, so there are far less grout lines. I liked them but didn't keep details. There are also corian products that are made to look like marble in their private selections....not sure how much $$ either of these are. Rain Cloud was one of the prettiest, I thought.

Also, you could put a different surface on your perimeter cabinets, as those appear harder to change out later and the lesser expensive one on your island(s).

We built a Foursquare, too...More craftsman than farmhouse, but a mix. There are laminates that look a lot like soapstone, but I know some cringe at the laminates that imitate stone. I don't. I would rather have laminate than deal with cleaning out grout lines, but we all have different priorities, and it depends on how you use your counters.

There are a lot of other choices in laminate besides a stone appearance that I don't think will hurt your look. But if it's not something you like, you don't have to go that route. Have you thought about zinc or stainless? We had stainless done for the counters flanking our range. The local sheet metal shop fabricated them for $17 sf. Of course, they don't have an integrated sink or anything. We used laminate for the rest of the perimeters and wood on the island.

There have been a few pictures here of wood counters stained black - it looks great.

You could always change out the beadboard color to white and use wood for the countertops or like John suggested use india ink to stain them. Here is the famous and DIY inspirational Brickman House.

Here is a link that might be useful: black counters in farmhouse

If you can swing a very dark wood like walnut for your countertop, I think it would be a great fit and provide some nice contrast with the golden oak tone of the other wood.

If you'll be sealing the countertops (if you use face-grain oak you absolutely should fill and seal the open grain), then you can just stain/dye to a darker color.

Another option to consider is copper-clad countertops. That might a good fit with your overall look and probably even cheaper than solid wood counters. I think someone on this forum did DIY copper.

Oh something I just thought of is a combination of butcher block and pre-cut granite, or granite scraps. Pre-cuts and scraps are very inexpensive, and if you do a combination with butcher block you might be able to get the sizes to work for a unique combination look.

For many who dislike laminate, the dislike is a mental thing, not a function thing. For functionality, cost, and appearance (except up close and perhaps using the fingertips) the laminate is a good competitor. Who are you trying to please? What will you gain if you don't use laminate? In ten years will you have the same priorities?

The wood countertop is very good in many ways, but it is not a set-it-and-forget-it surface. Even if you stain it as well as oil it, you will be caring for it forever in ways that you won't if you use laminate. "Veteran" wooden work surfaces look much more haggard than veteran laminate ones. We have put oiled Ikea butcherblock either side of range but do not use it for primary chopping surface. In the 9 months since it was installed, the wood has begun to collect oil stains, drag marks from rubber feet of a countertop appliance, nicks, and color irregularities. "Been there forever" is nice to think about in the abstract, but are you sure sure sure that is how you want the Newly Built room to look to you every morning when it greets you? Are your antique pieces sufficient to address your interest in old kitchen components?

Personally, I would like the overt differentiation between the new surfaces (laminate) and the veteran butcherblock and seed cab and Hoosier cab you have planned to include. I don't look at laminate and say to myself what stone it is assumed to be imitating, I look at the laminate and say to myself "hmm, an X colored and textured surface to work on." I may like old stuff but I live in the modern world.

One more thought....In the modern world, there's dust. The more plain dark surfaces you have the more you will live with the look of modern dust. I really appreciate being able to simply sponge my mottled color laminate when I know I've made a mess, but it's so good at camouflaging dirt that I have to purposefully attend to deeper cleaning occasionally. You won't have that trouble with matte black countertops--you'll see dust and spills all the time.

>We have put oiled Ikea butcherblock either side of range but do not use it for primary chopping surface. In the 9 months since it was installed, the wood has begun to collect oil stains, drag marks from rubber feet of a countertop appliance, nicks, and color irregularities.

Yes, but there are more durable options than oil if you don't need to chop on it.

Should have mentioned that a finish like waterlox etc. will protect against stains, but wood is wood and if you nick it, it will nick, but then so will formica. I once lived in a rental where the previous tenants evidently used the edge of the counter near the sink as their cutting board. If you don't do things like that, either will be fine.

Here are more options. We did our remodel about 10 years ago now.
Have porcelain tiles for the main counters, and oiled Boos maple butcher block on the island. We cut right on the island, and really like it.

The floor tiles were around $3 each. Notice that the front face tiles have a finished edge so there is not a rough edge on the bottom of the counter.

Above shows the porcelain floor tiles we have for counters. Here is our Boos oiled maple BB on the island:

juliekcmo - you did your reno 10 years ago. Wow - how do you maintain your wooden top on the island because it looks great.

I looked through the finished kitchen blog for a kitchen from a ways back that was very farmhouse traditional but didn't spot it. If memory serves it was custom inset white cabinetry with exposed hinges and a tile floor with an inset pattern. Homeowner wanted but couldn't afford soapstone so she did the Wilsonart oiled soapstone and was thrilled. At the time she posted her final pics she said she wasn't sure she would even bother to replace it with real soapstone she was so pleased. In the latest Consumer's laminate scored very high in many areas (heat resistance was one that surprised me) and it can give you almost any look you could possibly want. Check out Arborite's Inkshuk has a similar vibe to the Wilsonart soapstones.

Thanks, blfenton,

I can't say enough good things about the Boos oiled finish butcher block.

First off, it is hard rock maple that is NSF rated for food safe use and is a hard wood that is designed for counters. I don't know if other woods would give the same results.

It is so wonderful. It's literally like having a 7 foot long cutting board.

We have the Boo's mystery oil finish. When the counter was installed, if I remember correctly it came with 3 layers of the oil impregnating the wood. Then we did 2 more applications right away. First year I would oil every 6-10 weeks. Then I would do it about every 3-6 months. Now I do it once or twice a year. The only stains I haven't been able to get out with baking soda and vinegar have been sharpie marker. For that, I sanded with fine grit sandpaper, and then oiled several coats.

This "oiling" is literally rubbing on oil that is a food-grade mineral with a old towel or paper towel, letting it soak in for a couple of hours, and then wiping off the excess with a dry towel.

Daily maintenance is just washing with dish soap and water. If it's very wet, I do towel it dry.

I put hot cookie sheet on it straight from the oven. I will tend to use a hot pad under a cast iron pan straight form the oven, but other than that we don't baby this counter, and it still looks fantastic.

I appreciate all of the thoughts. You all have given me a lot of ideas to research and talk about with DH.

I have had wood countertops before, in a kitchen about 8 years ago. I liked them and didn't have an issue with maintenance, stains, etc., however, I do think it would be too much wood in my current design.

The zinc, stainless or copper idea has me intrigued and I like the concept. I will have to check into how much work it would be to DIY these, or where I would begin to look for the materials to purchase. DH looked at me like I had just grown a second head when I mentioned copper. He is very concerned about the cost of a material that currently has construction thieves taking wire out of houses. My other concern with the various metal options is how it would coordinate with my larger stainless appliances and the antique brass light fixtures, cabinet and door hardware.

Finally, I keep going back to the formica. This would probably be the most bullet proof and easy to maintain surface. We have a five year old daughter who isn't hard on things, but spills do happen. We also are building on 10 acres and I would like to start a garden and do some canning in the future. The formica is the most practical for these activities, however, I just can't get over the feeling that I would be "cheaping out" on this one surface. My biggest problem is that it isn't soapstone, which I didn't know about before this forum, but am now unfortunately obsessed with!

Westiegirl, go with the formica! You can choose your look and if you get tired of it in a few years, you can always have DH put in soapstone when money is there (is it EVER there, btw??). Formica is a low-cost solution and I'm sure it'll look great. Always remember: Value is a good thing and never to be embarrassed about or regretted. I'm excited for you!

Since you are going with retro/vintage pieces in your kitchen, why not embrace that and do laminate counters with chrome edgebanding? I wanted that for our kitchen, but dh fell in love with Corian Rain Cloud in a display kitchen (during a 40% off sale!). Rain Cloud has the marble type look (not a copy of marble, but the vibe of it). It would also work for you, but is not a budget choice...

The laminate we chose was Manhattan Glamour by Nevamar.You will see what it looks like here,
http://www.cabinetparts.com/p/nevamar-laminate-sheets-for-countertops-NMH6001H54X8/ but it looks much better in person. In the web pictures it looks blurry and less distinct. The pattern has a real retro vibe to it and yet is not boomerangs. I had ordered samples from them of other styles and had room for one more. This was my least fave of the samples, but when it arrived, it was "the one". I still wish we had gone with it at times, even though I really like our Corian. I'd have liked to see both side by side to compare....

I'd embrace the pieces you are using and go with a true vintage countertop. I have seen many in laminate with chrome over the years but the only soapstone I have seen is in new kitchens, which are often trying to look older.

Here is a link that might be useful: metal edgebanding

Caryscott, were you thinking of janie-k's kitchen?

Westiegirl, I love stainless countertops, but I think they can be pricey (no idea how DIY works with stainless...I'm not that ambitious!) I share florantha's thoughts on laminate. I had my heart set on butcherblock with white beadboard, but DH opposes wood, and I'm nearly as bad as a kid about maintenance. I'm 99% sure I'm going with the Wilsonart Pearl Soapstone, but Wilsonart Oiled Soapstone and Formica Basalt Slate were contenders, too. DH was worried about laminate looking cheap, so I'm hoping to go with one of the nicer edge options that curves under, so the particle board isn't so exposed. 2"x3" chips are free at Home Depot, and both Formica and Wilsonart will send you bigger samples for free; get a few to live with and see what you think. I don't know what your timeline is, but Home Depot (here, possibly nationally?) is having a 10% sale on countertops June 23 - July 10. Or if you don't mind the regular flat edges, Janie-k's father DIY'd their laminate countertops, and the sheet material for laminate is ridiculously cheap. Janie-k's are also thinner than the usual laminate, so they more closely resemble real soapstone.

Here is a link that might be useful: Janie-k's awesome kitchen

before making any decisions, I'd see just how permanent those cabinets on top of counters are. I think with a little care they can be installed so that the counters can be replaced if needed--maybe a chunk of plywood or just extra height under them or something so that the counter goes around them instead of under them.

I think as a farmhouse with so many acquired old pieces (all of which I want, by the way!), Formica would actually look perfect, and a lot more authentic than soapstone. I probably wouldn't do a fake soapstone laminate, but something interesting and, well, laminate-ey!

Oh, also check out the possibilities of using linoleum as a counter. Very retro, and actually a darn good counter material (although maybe not around the sink).

I think you want your kitchen to feel as though it's evolved through the decades, and an old farm kitchen would have had to pass through the 50s to get here from the 20s.

Formica! Cheap. Easy to go over it or rip it out if you want something else later. Sounds VERY 'farmhouse' to me.

I live in a part of the country that has an Old World ethic--be humble, don't show off, "just fine" is just fine. Of my friends, only two have installed stone countertops during a reno; everyone else says "who needs it?" This includes a number of teachers, a lawyer-professor, another professor, a banker, a businessman, an entrepreneur, and a lot of retirees. Another banker has part stone and the principal's widow has granite. All of these are good kitchens and except for the widow and the lawyer, they are used by real cooks. Peer pressure can make us do things against our own best interest-- who says your kitchen will be "cheap"? I prefer "economical" or "sensible," especially when you have a lot of countertop to cover and a number of irregular lengths.

I did a quick google and turned up this thread from the gardenweb metalworking forum. Some great pics and instructions/tips on DIY countertops.

Here is a link that might be useful: Copper counters

Formica. Cheap, tough, easy-to-maintain...easy to replace when the soapstone-money-fairy drops by. Plus---once you live with the formica you may just decide you prefer it! And if you are worried about re-sale...don't there will ALWAYS be someone who doesn't like your counter choice. Even if it's an ever-so-neutral granite. For me, functionally, smooth surfaces are just easier to clean/set things on/etc. than tiled surfaces.

And, since you DO have lots of countertop and an evolved feel, it would make total sense to actually do soapstone in one spot, perhaps with an inexpensive remnant or tiles. Then you could have the soapstone you desire without the debt. Put it in a hardworking area or a baking area.
Perhaps between the stove and fridge.

It's an old farmhouse. It should have sensible materials. Farmers put soapstone where they need it and something less expensive elsewhere.

I'm a big fan of prefab granite counters if you don't have a lot of complicated cuts to do. Our local seller has some really niced honed black granite for about $225 for an 8-foot counter section, with finished edges on 3 sides. Honed granite comes close to the soapstone look, and is pretty easy to install. When I did my last kitchen it was cheaper than having laminate counters fabricated by a pro.

What fori said, at least twice. Plus others: Formica! I grew up with it and it's still always been my favorite coutertop. Maybe wood seems wonderful in theory and I do love julie's, but given your constraints and point about wooden-overkill, I see why that's out. We happen to have just installed a stone mostly because we're both (nominal) geologists and it sort of felt true-to-spirit in that sense. Short of that, I would go for warm, comfortable, pretty, serviceable, formica in a heart-beat. It's still what I think of as the paradigm of "countertop". And when I think nostalgically of the kitchen I grew up in, it is the feel of those smooth soft counters that I remember.

I think leanings toward otherwise in this case may be a perfect instance of getting carried away with the "kitchen-Jones'", and feeling the need to "keep up" when in fact there are lots and lots of fantastic options that are more sensible for your own situation anyway.

I absolutely love that Hoosier thingy. Does it have space inside for flour and the like? A all-in-one baking station I'm guessing? And those seed cabinets. What a wonderful new life you have in store for them! Beautiful...

Julie - I still love your sink!

Bulletproof is right. As I said, I have stainless, wood, and laminate in my kitchen, and other than not setting hot things on it right off the stove or out of the oven, the laminate is the surface I baby least, and worry about least with the kids (Not that I worry about any of the surfaces very much. They're all fairly tough and meant to be used). But with the laminate...No dents, no scratches...can take a literal beating and still looks great. If and when it doesn't (years from now, if ever), DH can scuff it up with some sanding and apply a new layer.

I haven't read all of the replies, but just this past weekend I was invited inside a beautiful federal style (I think!) home....one of the older homes on our street. The house was absolutely stunningly maintained and decorated, but I did notice their kitchen had soapstone-like laminate countertops (along with the original 1940s white cabs and recently put in red marmoleum floor).

The countertops really looked fantastic, even among the other "higher end" moldings and furnishings in the home.

OT: I forgot to say hello from Eliot, our fourth (consecutive) Westie. "Woof!"

Will you have the money for soapstone in 1 year? 1.5 years? Could you live with plywood tops until then?

I know I have seen this suggested before on GW and I have seen some pictures here. Maybe you could start a new thread asking about more of a temporary/short-term solution. Some DIY people have even had soapstone delivered to their back doors and installed it themselves. Perhaps this option would save you some money.

Your vision is so specific and the complimentary pieces for your kitchen are beautiful. I see the soapstone there too - like YOU!

You are in FROZEN and can't choose because you don't want to....you want soapstone. So, maybe you should do nothing. Move into the house, get organized, get some rest and then get the soapstone you want. Are you really going to be OK with this substitution or are you going to be terribly disappointed? It is something to think about....

If you like dianalo's suggestion of metal banded laminate, I think Formica Flax Gauze or Jute Gauze could look vintage 40s/50s. I've seen discussions of vintage linen formica patterns, and I'm pretty sure my grandparents had something similar in their old ranch house.

Another vote for looking into a metal edged formica. I think it could work well with your existing pieces and still be budget friendly. Retrorenovation mentions it for 50's remodels but it was used well before that.

Thank you all for your responses! You have made me feel much better about the possibility of using formica. I live in rural Iowa, and formica is definitely the norm around here and I have never actually seen soapstone in anyone else's home, so I would be keeping up with the "Jones" by putting in the cheaper alternative.

I was feeling like I was doing a disservice to my vision by not putting in the soapstone, but you all have shown me that it really wouldn't affect the overall look. We are currently in drywall stage, but have lots of flooring to lay and finish and cabinets to install before I have to make the final countertop decision. It will probably be August before that is done.

Traceee, I would love to just install the plywood countertops and live with those until we saved up more money. However, in order to transition from our construction loan to a permanent mortgage, this is one detail that will need to be done first.

I think I will go forward with the idea of using formica, but keep in the back of mind the soapstone just in case we come in below budget on any items in the meantime. Because this is one of the last purchases we will need to make for the house, I will have a much better idea of our final numbers at that point.

Chisue, we love our Westie who has been with us for over 10 years. Our daughter refers to her as her "sister" :)

Thanks again for all of the thoughts, I really do feel more at peace with my decision now. I am no longer afraid of "ruining" the kitchen with either option!

You can't ruin it. There is too much nice stuff in this kitchen plan to be ruined by a little countertop mistake, and all the options you're considering are good ones anyway.

Julie, your butcher block counter looks wonderful after 10 years. I wanted oiled bb but have been deciding against because it's the main counter with a sink. I've got a drop in. You don't worry about splashing from the sink? Must you wipe it constantly of water to not get black marks? Have you ever found you've left a small puddle? No kids to do so? No soap dispenser foils with drips or whatnot? It just handles those things well?

I recently decided to give it up as it probably was not practical with the primary sink in it. What about the sink edges? I think that was another area warned about water damage. You don't wipe it down constantly naturally as you work that might keep it looking so good? I don't know that I'd be good with needing to worry about a delicate surface. I love a good patina but black water marks or careless stains might bother me in my own home made of modern building materials. It's not a country or antique style home.