Like any dark countertop, soapstone shows crumbs and and other solid stuff, but if it is regularly oiled it does not show grease.

Aesthetics aside, a tile floor is hard to stand on. Linoleum would be much more comfortable. And the right linoleum would look really nice with the soapstone too.

I also thought about soapstone....but decided I didn't want that chalk board feeling....but it sure is pretty....I would actually do laminate wood flooring over laminate since some laminates are just as expensive...If it had to be laminate, I'd do a wood tone laminate...best of luck! Home Depot also sells these laminate wood looking floor planks that I put in our bathroom/closet area (VERY strange layout...will renovate in a few years...had carpet! fun! LOL)...They were super easy for me to do alone and I have to say they look very nice...I have real wood in the rest of the house and it looks great!

Why not a wood floor? It would be fitting in your period home.

I have never heard anyone describe soapstone as "that chalk board feeling".

I guess there is a first for everything. . . lol

You will probably live with soapstone in a state anywhere from the color it is when you oil it, to a charcoal color. It really depends on how much you decide to oil it. . . I oiled mine more often than most because I loved to do it. . .there are others that choose not to oil and they mainly live with a grey to charcoal color.

It also depends on what soapstone you get and how it is finished. Other things like how much you use and are introducing oils (cooking) and or cleaners in your kitchen. These all take part in how your soapstone will react to you in your home.

Hoep this helps

Where do you live? Maybe one of the soapstone owners on this board would let you come by and see their counters. I know you're welcome to see mine if you're anywhere near the San Francisco bay area. I am not a meticulous oiler or cleaner (and have a 3 year old).

I'm also wondering why you have nixed the idea of wood floors in your kitchen. Especially if you have a small kitchen area it could visually "chop" the space even more with a switch in flooring.

Carrying the wood throughout would give you nice material contrasts with your cabinets and soapstone and also, as eandhl noted, be fitting with the period style. Plus it's easy on the legs and back.

As regards the upkeep of soapstone, I've been working on my countertops and island at our lake house since December. I also serve casual meals on my ss bi-level island and I find it SO easy to clean and maintain.

I have polished granite at home (love it, too) but it is more of a challenge to keep streak free, especially on the island where we eat most of our meals.

I've only oiled (beeswax/min.oil paste) my ss 3 times since installation last fall. I've rolled out pastry dough for too many pies to count while entertaining up here through the summer, and prepped dozens of meals for large groups. It is the most user-friendly surface I've ever had.

My soapstone holds up very well to my moderate-heavy use of the kitchen. They don't show crumbs/grease any worse than anything else I've had. Soapstone (IMO) is much "friendlier" than a highly polished surface like granite or marble.
My only caveat for the kids: Don't play with knives or scissors on the countertops. Soapstone scratches fairly easy, but it's not the end of the world when it happens. Light scratches disappear with a good mineral oil rubbing (I use wadded up cheese cloth). I haven't had any gouges yet, but I'm told that kind of damage can be wet-sanded out (400-grit or higher). A few scratches add to the patina of soapstone.
After all, soapstone countertops and sinks stand up quite well to decades of apathetic (and/or energetic) freshmen muddling through their first chemistry labs. In fact, the chemistry labs in Lymon Hall at Georgia Tech were over 100 years old when I did my time in them. Many designers prize the look of salvaged soapstone counters and sinks from just such college chem labs.