I'm not fond of finishes other than gloss for engineered stone, but several friends have leathered granite that looks fabulous.

We have installed leather granite in our recently remodeled kitchen. It is fabulous and I love the matte texture, we have no issues.

Joseph & chickadee70, some people have told me that you cannot write on a sheet of paper on top of leathered granite, as it is too rough. Is this true? Also, what can you use to clean leathered granite? If you find a slab of shiny granite, does the color change much when you have it leathered? Thanks!

Corian is another option.

Get leathered granite. I think it looks fantastic. Not shiny, but not mat either.

Dough71- Long shot and close up of our leathered granite "White Springs". No problems with writing on paper on the counter top, it has a subtle texture, not rough.

Durable, non-shiny? Consider concrete: Concrete countertops

You can have them made in a wide range of finishes from matte to polished/glossy.

Honed Virginia Mist granite is a great look for a farmhouse kitchen. It looks like soapstone but is easier to care for. Honed marble is also beautiful but it has its drawbacks--etching and chipping. Sintered surfaces (Dekton and Neolith) are also low-gloss and beautiful, but they are fairly new and you'd have to research them to see if they are good for your lifestyle.

IMO soapstone is the best choice for your style

A big NO to concrete. I've never understood why people install them. I guess if you want a really rustic look, then go for it.

http://www.countryliving.com/remodeling-renovation/a43247/pros-and-cons-concrete-countertops/

Regular Granite comes with a high gloss resin finish, unless it is honed or leathered. Set a sample of any Quartz next to a regular Granite... you can see that the Quartz doesn't have the same shine. Quartz is never as high gloss as Granite, and it isn't as reflective as Granite. It also doesn't have any issues with the UV lights beaming in on the tops all day (can be a problem with natural stones like granite, marble, and soapstone).

For the most durable, long lasting, timeless counter top I would do a standard Quartz. There are problems with honed Quartz, honed Granite, and soapstone that can end up being very disappointing for people.

There is a reason people don't use soapstone very much. The look is BEAUTIFUL, don't get me wrong, but it is high maintenance and very soft. I have seen slabs of it that I could simple scratch with my finger nail. NOT recommended for a kitchen, but maybe a guest bath or something not used everyday.

Bring home a 12" x 12" sample of a few different kinds of quartz and lay them on your countertops in front of the window for a day or two. Seeing the samples in your space is so important, it is the same as picking out paint!

Corian is soft, I have seen Corian scratch and scratch with just simply sliding something across it. Yes, it can be buffed out fairly easily, but that's just anther thing to worry about.

Concrete has a whole list of it's own issues, and I wouldn't call that "timeless". It is more of a trend right now.

Quartz is the way to go!

Cambria Quartz now makes their colors in a matte finish, which are suppose to be superior to other matte quartz finishes. I have not worked with them yet, so I cannot attest to whether that is true or not. I do know that Caesarstone and Silestone both make matte finishes, but they stain and show every finger print.

Dee, I read the same thing about Cambria. Also, I heard from a dealer today that Caesarstone and Silestone show every finger print. That would drive me CRAZY! Thanks for posting!

Diana Bier, does the Honed Virginia Mist granite show every fingerprint like suede Silestone or Caesarstone?

" It also doesn't have any issues with the UV lights beaming in on the tops all day (can be a problem with natural stones like granite, marble, and soapstone)."

Ms. Schwanz:

Engineered stone manufacturers do not permit storing slabs in direct sunlight because the UV rays will ruin the resin binder. A little sunbeam occasionally is fine, but all day every day exposure to UV rays will destroy estone, just ask the manufacturers.

We had honed Absolute black granite in our mountain home for over twenty years. Bullit proof, no fingerprints.

leathered or honed would be perfect. or soapstone.

black granite leather

virgina mist, honed

here's a shot so you can see the texture.

leathered, Duetto Quartzite

soapstone

Is a real farmhouse "perfect' ? Why do we seek antiquity or even a more current rendition thereof, and then demand perfection from it? Soapstone is "soft" . It contains talc. That is the beauty of it. It has survived frog splaying in 10th grade biology labs, it has survived the coroners lab too. ....and has survived countless acids and toxins thrown at it. A simple hunk of sandpaper will remove a ding or scratch or "stain" That is its beauty. Honed absolute granite has its virtues too! . But no expert will mistake it for soapstone. BOTH will far surpass in beauty any man made substance. But "perfect" remains a beauty in the eye of the beholder.

The wet and dark look above phot can be achieved or NOT. An un enhanced seal will remain light as the original slab., mineral oil will get you the dark as above. The photo of my clients kitchen was not subjected to enhanced..... or mineral oil. It remains the soft gray. The fire surround is same soapstone

Honed Virginia Mist does not show fingerprints like a shiny surface will. However, it can show dark spots from grease, and I have a bit of a blotch on it as well from what I don't know! As Jan says, though, don't expect any product or material to be perfect. It's a work surface and not a piece of art, so expect wear and tear.