I'm not sure what the answer is but I have one cat I've had for 16 years and I'm quite sure he has never been on a counter or tabletop as long as we've had him. Ya know even if they are the type that don't ever do it when you're around you still catch them once in awhile. We have never seen this cat on a table or counter - and now he's too old to jump up so I know he's never up there. He was a stray about two years old when we got him so obviously neglected by his previous owners. All I can think of is that they maybe also really severely punished him or beat him if he got on the counters - something that was enough to scare him from ever doing it again. I don't tolerate cats on the counter but I just swat them a good one and yell at them - probably not the kind of life altering event that keeps them from taking the liberty of hopping up there when I'm not around. I long ago got in the habit of never putting any food directly on the counter.....

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses, and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you! First of all I want to say that I'm not sure, but it seems a few of you may have the idea that my kitchen/house is from the 1930's but it's 1913. I may have misunderstood your comments but someone may have confused 1913 for 1931 - not sure! ;) Thank you for the link! Prill - yes I'm considering soapstone as I *think* my first choice as far as something dark grey/black goes. Thanks! rjr220, artemis78 and the others, YUP I totally hear you about starting w/ needing just a dishwasher. Ha! First it was dishwasher, then it was oops we need a new electrical service/box, then it was well since they're tearing up the drawers and half a cupboard to install the sink, we might as well FINALLY give ourselves the excuse to replace the god-awful countertop...and we can't put in something nice and then just leave in the god-awful backsplash (which needs new outlets put in anyway)...and so it goes! rjr220: I've always loved hexagonal tile. My parents' bathroom had it and our current upstairs bathroom has it too (with the occasional blue one thrown in). Are you sure that would be appropriate for a kitchen countertop of 1913? I thought those were seen more in the '20's? It's tempting, and I've seen how tight they are - at least the original ones - but still, I think I want to avoid so much white on the countertop. That said, you've got me intrigued so darn you - I might have to do some googling for nice examples. Feel free to share pics! Cute little kids are a bonus! :) Oh and btw, I live in the NW - not the NE. bmorepanic - thanks for the info on metal. From some googling I see that there was some metal used at that time but not usually stainless steel itself quite yet, as it was invented the same year. Still, in the metal family...not too bad a stretch it would seem. Caesarstone is indeed one of the materials I've considered because - while it looks less natural to me - their dark grey color is perfect. Not too close to black, and not as light as unoiled soapstone. What I'm wondering now is what the price is - or how much less it is than things like honed granite, soapstone and stainless steel. The reason I ask is that it would be great if it were significantly less, cause I've fallen in love with some VERY EXPENSIVE subway tile and could only pull off getting it if I downgraded in the countertop material. I would never have considered slate, but now from googling I see there are some very nice, not necessarily modern looking options there! Thank you. As for your comment that my kitchen is nice?! Really?? Are you sure? I think it's pretty horrid! I mean there is definitely some charm there, from the original things still being in place...but the wood floor is pretty badly damaged and probably can't take another sand, and the lower cabinets aren't original and are just plain...the drawers are awful (one won't even close) and the countertop/backsplash is painful. Oddly, very oddly, I'm feeling a sense of loss over getting rid of the warm tone of the backsplash. I'm fighting the white thing because of all the other whites around. The backsplash I can't really afford but love is actually a similar color but more muted and beige than pinkish. But there is a hint of peach or pink, and they are 2x6 tiles which is the way the kitchen's subway tile would have been. I just don't think it would have been anything but white, unfortunately. I don't mind going off the beaten path but if I ever want to get my home registered on the historic list, I wonder if they'd accept a colored backsplash (?). As for the lower cupboards, I'm assuming that originally the kitchen had wooden counters on lets with curtains or something like that. I think the reason they put only new lower ones in and not upper is cause the upper ones are original (at least I'm guessing they are - I should show you the West wall which is ALL cupboards including an ironing board cupboard and spice cupboard. On that wall they are very big and fat and deep - but they all have the same solid wood faces w/ same molding. I do like how the upper cupboards go all the way up to the ceiling. I love your sink cab idea, thank you! I like the look right now of lower cupboards being a darker color than the upper ones. So I could always just paint the lower ones something interesting...maybe a farmhouse kitchen green type color? Or someday if more money comes in, I'd of course love to replace them with something like real wood with the proper furniture-style legs for the period. Circuspeanut - when you suggested colorful tile for the backsplash, did you think the house was from the '30's? It seems people here were assuming that which is why I ask; I don't think they did that back in 1913. That said, I'd love to see pics if you have any examples. Thanks for the positive feedback about stainless steel, and no I wouldn't do a shiny surface for the countertop! ;) cheril27 - you love my kitchen too? What's going on here??! :) I appreciate your comment about soapstone turning a charcoal color after some neglect. I REALLY don't want black, and I REALLY don't like the lightness of the unoiled soapstone. And hey - I'm really, really good at neglect - haha. lazygardens - I just don't think I have it in me to do too much white/light, but that may also be cause i have a history of being unadventurous and I want to try something different. I'll be doing splashes of color regardless, as I've always loved that look in a kitchen (as long as not over the top silly). That's basically all my kitchen is now (a bunch of white), with the exception of the horrid pink backsplash. And already it feels too white. But I see your point about how kitchens were back then. Except that I've seen a LOT of 1913 homes w/ original wood countertops which are pretty dark. Also, our kitchen is small and dark and I'm in the camp of going with dark when in dark and wowing with light when in brightness (sunlight). To a point, that is. Thank you for your suggestions! honeychurch - your kitchen sounds beautiful! I have to see pics! As for having light colored wall paint, which I currently have, I think I'm going to get a little weird this time and do either bright or dark paint on the walls! That's because there is very little wall space, and also cause with all the light on the cupboards it needs more contrast. There is no molding to separate the walls from the ceiling, and I was pleasantly surprised by how nice it looked to paint right onto the ceiling the same color as the walls. Sometimes that works in a house and sometimes it doesn't, but in ours, it offered a cozy cave feeling while also feeling less cluttered somehow, if that makes sense. Or just...I'm not great at describing things here but it gave a feeling of continuity (?). farmhousebound - I'm having a hard time doing searches on this website but i"ll try again in a bit here. I want to see your pics! I agree that one should just do what one wants. I struggle with wanting to impress others since I've always had awful, outdated kitchens (!) but also, if the home becomes historic (registered), I'm sure there will be a few rules. In the end I'm sure I'll go with my gut and happiness over the historic home thing, if they put too many rules on me! sweeby - charming kitchen! Again, 1913 though - not the '30's. I would love to do wood, but between the upkeep and the fact that when looking from the dining room you see the room-length dining room real-wood buffet which leads straight into the kitchen's countertop... It's almost like one really long countertop that starts in the dining room and ends at the far end of the kitchen! So too much wood is maybe not a bad thing but...I don't know if the color would need to match or would need to be in great contrast in order to be gotten away with! Allison 0704 - That link was great, thanks! I like the cottage look best, much to my surprise. Either that or it just reminds me of my grandmother's house (also 1913). Her house was/is a 9-bedroom farmhouse and was big. The kitchen was huge and yet was totally cottage style, it seemed. I thought I liked the Shaws sink - and I do - but the sink in the cottage pic from your link is very nice. Also, I have two windows just above my sink that look just like those windows. Holligator - thank you for the encouraging words about soapstone! Artemis78 - I very much relate to everything you wrote. I want a period kitchen with a hint of eclecticism and my own style. Thanks again everyone! More questions to come but for now I need to go to SLEEP as it's 2:24 a.m. here! p.s. is there no way to respond to each individual more easily having to go back and forth so much? Not "quote" option to respond to?

Thanks everybody for your suggestions. It never occured to me to mention they were indoor, I've never had a nice enough lawn for an outdoor sprinkler systems so I just assumed everyone would know I meant indoor. Hm.......maybe that's why I've never had a nice lawn since I never had outdoor sprinkers? ha!! Anyway, I have done alot of thinking about this and decided (even though I'm mad about it) to go ahead and replace the sprinkler heads. Afterall this is business, not personal though at times you do take it personal. As a 1st time home buyer, it would bother me too. I try to keep good karma around me, or the "do unto others thing........" Doesn't always work that way, but hey......at least I feel better about it. The average cost will be about $4k but I know I will have to do it for the next buyer as well, as no one is probably going to buy my house if I disclose "recalled sprinkler heads" or I will get a lowball offer. I actually have a friend who does this for a living and he will do it for me at a reduced cost. In my counter-counter (whatever count we are now on), I offered to replace the sprinkler heads but retracted my offer of $1k repair credit. So, this is what I'm doing: 1.) fixing the roof w/a warranty on work (which is all they wanted afterall) 2.) replacing sprinkler heads 3.) putting soil under front step 4.) replacing missing flaps on outside exhaust hole 5.) $10k in closing 6.) $200 carpet cleaning allowance (on brand new carpet) 7.) throwing in my dining table + 6 chairs That's all I can remember off the top of my head. Anyway, we'll see what happens. Thanks for the advice. P.S. I had NO idea these sprinkler heads were recalled. They were apparently recalled the month I bought my house. I have a feeling the owners got the letter and hid it. I talked to my neighbor today, (we bought at the same time) and she said she never got notice either and thinks her seller's probably hid it from her too.

You missed the entire point of my post.. I was looking for feedback from anyone that has used the finish on wood counters (not a cutting surface butcher block) I was not looking for someones thought on the product that hasn't used it. I did understand your point, you don't like that it is Vermont "natural" coatings you don't think it is any more natural that other products out there. And it seemed implied that I couldn't possibly have done any research if I had any thought to use it. I have done my research. They use whey protein (a byproduct of making cheese) in place of heavy metal driers and the toxic binders and carcinogenic solvents typically found in finishes. My thought is is more natural than many other finishes and it holds up great underfoot! Is it the perfect finish probably not there maybe something better out there. I know a LOT of people use waterlox on their non cutting wood counters and I was thinking of this an an alternative. So back to my original question does anyone know how it would wear on a non cutting surface counter top, Or even how it has worn on your dining table.