Thanks, RJ, great to know. Tumeric has anti-inflammatory properties that make it a must-have.

Yes, the one labeled Jet Mist is probably what I found. And yes, Negresco can look like the darker grays. If you’re worried about the scratches on soapstone, then take it slow. Try to find an installer and ask if he/she can refer you to a customer who has soapstone and will talk to you about it. Cheri has given you her first hand experience with it.
I’m not sure I would be able to use it if it scratches easily because I’m so OCD about my kitchen. I am also a big fan of granite since it is easy to take care of. But I LOVE the look of soapstone so I’d look at both the “real” stuff and the granites that mimic it. Your #3 is a good slab. With a copper sink, I would look for something more deep grey with white veining like Negresco.

RedRyder: I've been reading so much on soapstone. So it seems the harder the soapstone is, the less easy it'll scratch. Also seems like the darker the natural shade, the harder it is but not sure on that. I plan to scratch up the samples, try to fix it like in the videos on that website above and see. Some of the samples on that website are called out as harder. I'll let you know what I find.

R J - I couldn't find any photos of my counters that were sharp enough to show the uneveness of color or dings and scratches. Read the long thread linked below and you'll learn all about the problems some folks have had with their soapstone. It almost scared me off but I went ahead with it and ended up experiencing all the same issues. Having said that, I'd use it again because I love the way it feels. But I would test many samples to find one that behaves well. :)

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2683491/life-with-soapstone-patina-pictures-galore

Cheri - that's exactly the thread I read last night! Good to get confirmation it's a good post to study. There were some named varieties mentioned in it, Julia is one I beleive that's supposed to be hard. Thanks for looking for pics for me. I appreciate your time.

Look at Silestone Charcoal. It looks like soapstone without the maintenance.

R j, if you do the brick backsplash and copper sink, the patina'd soapstone will look beautiful in your kitchen. Our house was very old and imperfect so the stone was a great match. You may be able to see the uneveness of the finish in the photo below. (The counters at this point are around 10 years old and probably hadn't been oiled in 8 years). It's a living finish, just like copper, so it's not for everyone.

Maybe something pristine with those rustic finishes will be too stark but I do really love the contrast of your first choice. However, I would never use quartz because I put hot pans right on the counter all of the time and don't want to give that up. I've read it chips too. I know nothing about how well it holds up to stains.

Cheri 127, that's a beautiful kitchen!

Cheri127 That indeed is a lovely kitchen! The countertop looks amazing! I actually can love that if that's how it ages! Thanks for sharing. My samples haven't shipped yet. Here is a pic of the front of my home while we wait 🙂 Its a gloomy winter like day here in PNW.

Pivoted to look at front doors while waiting on the countertop, flooring samples and brick backsplash samples. I'm looking for some with some more glass in it as the foyer is very dark ( North facing house). This is the current door

Looking forward to seeing your samples. You house is beautiful! It looks very appropriate to the style direction you are planning for the kitchen.

Thank you. I did fall in love with the elevation when I first saw it. And it is a farmhouse style house isn't it?

Yes, your house is very much a farmhouse. It will go with the kitchen you are trying to create. You’re doing a good job of getting samples, reading articles and considering various materials to enhance the farmhouse feel without being literal. We live on a horse farm and I am conscious of that with everything I buy. But I also like antiques and older things that aren’t “farmhouse” but lean towards more elegant. Adding in things you just like will work since it’s all your taste.
Here is our house.

Very nice RJ and RedRyder!

RedRyder your house looks like a dream! Horse farm! How wonderful! I used to want to be a farmer when I grew up. My grandparents on Mom's side were farmers owning some very fertile land back in India. Rice paddies, Coconut groves, all a shade of vibrant green I don't see anywhere else. Lotuses in streams running either side of dirt roads, the gentle mooing of cows, heck I even liked the smell of cow manure around lol. Though I was born and raised in the city, I guess I inherited the love of it. I'm also pursuing a Backyard Habitat certification creating a chemical free habitat full of native Flora to support the native Fauna. That huge woodchip pile is part of it. I had cultivated and maintained my own garden by the age of 12. Used to water them by hand drawing water from the well and carrying it in buckets. It's funny how subconsciously I veered to that aesthetic in even buying the house given how much work it was inside to make it more efficient. It has a nice big yard with so much potential to create my habitat, and a little creek flowing along the property line. It doesn't feel like I live near a major city. This was first froat here few days ago. I don't think I can start learning to be a farmer at my age, I'm not that old but I know owning and operating farm is no joke, and probably takes years to master. But my spirit is totally of one 🙂

*Not along property line. Just a few feet away from. I live near the biggest urban park in US atleast and hear Coyotes many a nights. This is about as close as I'll ever get I think.

I found this at a thrift store 3 years ago. The idea for the Blue cabinets came from this base. I find it very beautiful. I can't quite find the right shade for it. And can't wait to find the right spot to showcase this lamp. Not sure what about it but I almost grabbed it when I saw it.

I think I’ve found my kindred spirits RJ and RedRyder! We are on the Big Island on a 9 acre farm of coffee, mango, avocado, and many othe fruits and veggies. Cow fields behind us. We have rhode island red chickens and 2 scrappy Jack Russell Terriers. You are right it is no joke hard work, but we love it! We have been slowly fixing up the 3 small farmhouses on the property, still so much to finish. Here is the view from the lanai.

I love antiques too. I treasure my g’ma‘s antique love seat I inherited. I have many thrift store treasures I love as well. Right now, much of my furniture is Craigslist finds until I can afford new. Love love that lamp!

Rebunky, your last weekend's weather was in the news here. Looks like you are high enough you didn't have to worry about flooding. It was interesting to see snow in the attached link. I love to watch the meteor showers in my mornings:
https://youtu.be/eH90mZnmgD4

RJ, you would have made a great farmer...you have engineering genes. A lot of farming is engineering water, electricity, chemistry. You have a lovely backyard. Can you take a picture from your kitchen window?

I like the low glare of the soapstone in the picture by cheri127. It reminds me of asbestos countertops in science laboratories. Talk about tough...

Rebunky - Am Jealous 🙂 Must feel like paradise! I haven't been to Hawaii yet. If you plan to open a vacation rental in one of those farmhouses, I would love to rent when things get better! Kudos to you to take on fixing up 3 of them!

KL - yeah I would have been a good farmer! The expectation was I become either a doctor or engineer and I chose latter as I do enjoy that too. Here are pics from the windows on the wall facing backyard. The one in Den and dining are becoming patio doors to expand the view more. The baywindow over sink will be level with countertop.

RJ you have some beautiful views out your kitchen window. I like the white bark and evergreen tree in winter.

I could have enjoyed engineering, and I loved math. I like to play with the golden ratio in decorating. It doesn't always work out though.

You have great windows! I like what you’re doing with your backyard.
Yes, running a horse farm is a lot of work. That’s why my husband does it! 😂
We have 18 horses, 2 miniature donkeys, 4 outdoor cats and two parrots. We are ALWAYS looking for barn help and now has been the worst time for finding good people. Living on a beautiful farm has a ton of rewards, but luckily my husband loves it. It is his retirement plan and it keeps him fit and young.
I am a business trainer and continue to do my work but I love seeing the horses outside my office. And I can ride my own horse when I have enough time in between Zoom meetings.

Hi, popped back into the thread and I see you are waiting for samples. I wondered if you had ever considered Richlite for the counters?

I just saw this redone kitchen that used it (at https://www.remodelista.com/posts/kitchen-week-faux-martha-melissa-coleman-minnesota/ and described it:

Richlite, an eco-friendly paper composite material that has the look of natural stone, was used for the counters. “We have them in the bathrooms at the cabin as well. Ours has a muted matte black finish, which looks a bit like soapstone without the price tag,” says Melissa. (For more on Richlite, go here: https://www.remodelista.com/posts/remodeling-101-paper-composite-countertops-pros-and-cons/

@RedRyder, 18 horses!! We have two horses at home, also my retirement project, and I can't even. Your home is beautiful.

Hey RJ and all you soapstone fans. I read this and thought of you all:
https://www.houzz.com/magazine/kitchen-counters-durable-easy-clean-soapstone-stsetivw-vs~3561803

@barncatz That is such an interesting new product! I wonder if it will become more popular than all the stone options since it is more eco-friendly. Great idea!

@R J I don’t do any of the horse work, and the 18 horses are not all ours. My husband has one thoroughbred and I have one retired Morgan and a younger one I ride. All the other horses have very wonderful owners so our barn is its own little community of horse nuts, who all get along very well.

I think the copper sink looks great with the white countertops especially if you use copper colored cabinet pulls!

RedRyder - you got best of both worlds! Barncatz - I will look into that! Thanks for sending it. KL- Thanks for the link. Bummed to hear it's not ecologically made. Norwood - thank you for that perspective!
I got the samples. I divided each sample into two parts. On left is unoiled. Here are when they arrived. I ruled out 3 out the gate. It was scratching with my finger nail. The others needed the corner of a handle of spoon to scratch. Unlikely we will do that in real life. Also dragged glass on them and didn't scratch. 3 showing this curious green mineral in it. 2 also has slight green veining. Only lets me post 4 pics at a time?!

This is 1. As it came in

The right side of each slab oiled with mineral oil. I left water glasses on left 'raw' side as I read about water marks and wanted to see that.

Also for a brick look backsplash sample home. I put it on current also black countertop. I dig the top row. For reference this is my brick fireplace in Den

Clarification: right side is oiled. Also the I had glasses sitting on left side which I took off for pics. So those are fresh water marks.

The test you did is a nice demonstration...you're such a scientist! From one to another... The article I copied had this in it about the green color you mentioned in some of your samples: 
"When selecting your slab, it's good to know that the greener the slab, the softer it is. So seek out slabs with less of a green cast if you want a harder slab."

KL yup. Perfect timing 🙂 and it proved in my experiment too. The lighter colored ones are supposed to be softer and scratch easily. And looks like so do with pronounced green! This slab had both. I left the wet glasses on the slabs overnight. Hardly any water marks. My guess is the water mark will evaporate over a few hours.

Just FYI, my soapstone is really dark. Black with sparse white veining. And, it is fingernail-scratching soft. So, be careful of relying on color to judge the hardness.

We had soapstone in the kitchen we put in our last house, and are putting it in again in the house we are currently building. Being able to put down anything anywhere is huge, as is the fact that nothing, absolutely nothing, reacts to or stains it. That’s why it is used a lot in science lab counters, which is where I first encountered the stuff. I had wanted a place with soapstone countertops from when I took chemistry in the 10th grade, and finally got it the at the ripe old age of 51 when we re-did that kitchen. It’s like getting custom cabinets - you’ll never go back! ? (at least not happily, she said, looking around her rental kitchen…)

I was looking online a couple of days ago, and it looked like there were at least a couple of yards up your way with a slab or two of soapstone in stock. None down here in Eugene, unfortunately. I have a feeling we’ll be road-tripping for a lot of things for this build,

Which slab are you leaning towards? Looking at JUST the oiled colors, I like #6 and #2. Did they pass the tests? Great idea to do this at home on your own....

Bluesky - thank you for that heads-up

TheOther - I saw some slabs at Elemar. What other places did you see them? I was going to ask my contractor if ordering online from the same place who sent me samples is a good idea. Assuming they keep the variety in stock.

RedRyder: I was thinking 1 with more pronounced veining on island and either 2 or 4 for perimeter. There is no 6: my horrible handwriting may have made 4 look like 6. Thoughts?

This my pathetic attempt at plugging the colors and a flooring choice in current layout

Hood obviously needs to be different

The water ring test has to be done on the oiled side, not the natural side. The problem occurs when the counters are oiled. For some reason, water and rubber feet lift the oil from certain stones and leave a light gray ring or spot. Also, the oil can fade unevenly.

Good to know. Will try that. Thank you!

Nice mockup RJ! Did you use the youdoodle app? I have been playing with it for years now and it still can be a challenge for me. So, you did great for your first try.

As usual I agree with you. #1 was hands down my favorite. Of course you’ll want to see the full slabs before making a final decision.

I was thinking the same thing of having the slab with more bold veining go on the island. The perimeter can be more plain, since it will be next to the variegated brick backsplash. I would just make sure the black background colors matched fairly close, as well as matching on the scratch tests. Glad you found a few that were a harder stone.

Oh and I was going through my ipad and found these three photos saved from back in Sept. 2020.

Notice the Soapstone and Brick!

I love the slab on this island.

Thanks so much for keeping us all posted on MY, oops, I mean YOUR dream kitchen! Haha!

RJ, I love the contrast of cool cabinets and warm wood, brick, copper in your mock-up. I also like the contrast of white cabinets with dark cabinets and counter, softened with middle tones in wood, brick, and copper. Then there's the contrast of rough brick and shiny copper. You chose a really good base cabinet color. I love the way it balances all the wood and brick. The cabinets colors are a really clean contrast with the earthiness. I like your choice much better than the inspiration photo from way back, and I really liked that too.

RJ, the range...will it be just like that one? Can you get one with controls that are not going to interrupt the line of your base cabinet? Maybe the controls can be to one side? Do I remember you have gas for cooking in the kitchen?

Oh, and why is the hood "obviously" going to go? I thought you wanted a copper hood.