I love soapstone, it has a soft , velvety feel; classic look that would look wonderful with your wood and rugs. It does have to be sealed with oil occasionally but it is very durable. If you do use it I would suggest trying to bring your backsplash down to countertop level though; especially behind the sink area. The racing stipe effect you have going on there now isn't good. In the "wet" area it is best to bring the counter top material all the way up to meet that high bar. It's not wide enough for backsplash. If you use soapstone you may want to upgrade you lighting as we discussed earlier, some hanging pendants to replace the lamp also!

Isn't soapstone very dark? I'm just afraid that you would have dark countertops, cabinets, and flooring - is that the look you want?

No. Don't want dark. Kitchen is dark enough already. Ha

Yes. My backsplash concerns me a bit. Will cross the bridge of what to with it when I decide on countertops.. Great idea on that little area near sink, lynartist.... I love the pendant lighting. Would like those above sink where those two recessed lights are. Decisions, decisions!!, I have seen some of the lantern fixtures that I just love.

Yes soapstone is mostly black, but with warm wood cabinets, wood floors and a more traditional bent to this home that would be gorgeous. I would say your husband has rather sophisticated taste. Please don't discount this choice just yet, it would be gorgeous. Do your lighting first then see how you feel.

Will certainly look at it. Thanks. I would have to change backsplash then, I would think. Might be worth it..

Soapstone is great with light cabs. It starts off looking gray, but when you put mineral oil on it it cures to almost black with some green. Not sure it would work with your current cabs. Also expensive.

If truth be known, I would like to,really have my cabinets painted......then it would work! Ha

It is true that some soapstone will have a variety of grey and green with some white veining like most natural stone but I disagree that it does not look stunning with natural wood! For some reason Toletray my pics won't download so go to my page under kitchen ideas to see what I mean

Ok. Just link when u can. No problem..would,u believe I am sitting on my iPad doing all this while we are driving to Pensacola beach from Atlanta.. No...I am not driving...daughter is. Ha

Yes I would! Have fun:) can't understand why it won't attach!!! I know I have a lot of pics in there but they are at the end:(

Just saw them on your ideabook

Here are some links

Good, thanks Suzyq53, still can't get mine working!

http://www.caesarstone.ca/en/The-Catalog/Pages/5134%20Urban%20Safari.aspx

http://www.caesarstone.ca/en/The-Catalog/Pages/5212%20Taj%20Royal.aspx

http://www.caesarstone.ca/en/The-Catalog/Pages/4255%20Creme%20Brule.aspx

http://houzz.com/discussions/3132424

Thinking about my kitchen project again. Does anyone have any experience with a copper farmhouse sink? Went to a local granite/stone warehouse yesterday. My husband and I both fell in love with the copper sinks. Only thing my husband has reservations as to how well they hold up and how easily they are to keep clean ...any input on the fireclay ones or stainless as well.

We had a small copper sink in our wet bar, so it wasn't used much, but I remember having to use copper polish to keep it shiny. Some are fine with the blue/green patina, but it would drive me crazy for a kitchen sink.

Hi Toletray, the copper farmhouse sinks are very nice in the showroom aren't they! But you have to be willing to live with a whole lot of patina if you know what I mean. They are a big investment and you have to like the look of them being dis colored and rustic as you will not be constantly cleaning it because that is the way it is supposed to look. Different foods will have a reaction to it and that is what some people like and others hate.

Stainless steel and porcelain have their issues too. Maybe look at the new ones that come in colors. I don't know what the material is but its supposedly impervious to any damage and matte finish does show water stains and easy to clean.

Yes. Those copper sinks are gorgeous, but I sure don't want to make a mistake. I saw some of the stainless ones that were farmhouse and the white ones. I know that I originally was looking at Quartz for the countertops

but seeing those whole slabs of granite was beautiful.i saw only one piece of soapstone and the Quartz had to be ordered. I don't

believe this particular place had any slabs of Quartz. I fell in love with these slabs of granite, both the polished and leathered... Any opinions anyone??? Sometimes the more I look, the more confused I get.

If you love that granite I don't see a copper sink in your future! Stainless would probably look better .

Although I don't mind mixing metals, you have stainless appliances. I think copper farmhouse sinks look nice in a kitchen were some of the appliances are hidden, oiled bronzed fixtures, etc. so the sink can be the star of the show. Look on Houzz under copper sink kitchen.

http://houzz.com/photos/14335

http://houzz.com/photos/870498

First picture looks great to me, second one I just don't care for. Too much going on. Why pay all that money for a copper sink when it has to compete for attention with everything else!

Lynartist, do you think that granite is too wild looking? I am so leery of some of these sales reps who I believe would tell you anything looks good just to make a sale. No decisions made here just yet. I think something more subtle might be better... I will probably just end up with a good old stainless sink! Ha

toletray for me the granite is beautiful..but I think because of the large splattered pattern it would be best suited for a large island so you can see the lovely colors.

There are stainless farmhouse sinks that are quite nice looking too.

I think Marc is right, it is beautiful but when you cut that up in smaller pieces you lose the impact of the movement you would have in a large island. By the way, very nice sink, Marc. People very often get caught up in the beauty of the whole slab and forget it's going to get all cut up!

Marc, the sink above, they actually had in the showroom. My husband went to it immediately. I personally felt the granite was a bit much for my area. So are you all saying that I should go with something with less movement? We are calculating about 55 sq ft of whatever we choose. Thanks both of you.

I'm not surprised your husband liked the sink. All farmhouse sinks, ceramic, porcelain, copper, all have their drawbacks. I think I would either go with a porcelain or a stainless steel.

You have great taste toletray you will find the granite when you see it. Just keep posting pics and we will give you our honest opinions.

Thanks Mark...you are very kind.

Here is another one that I looked at a few weeks back at another warehouse. Is this a little more like what I should look for

That looks nice toletray. I quite like the Bianco Romano too. Have a good evening all :)

I think that one is white galaxy or white river? With 55 sq. ft. of granite you would probably just need one slab, but to bookmark the seams you need two slabs and then you can bookmark the apron too. What size apron to you have it mind? I'd look for granite that is more uniform in color if you could get away with one slab.

http://houzz.com/photos/27288. I wouldn't want to discourage you from a granite that you love, just let you know what to expect. The second one you posted looks a bit pink on my screen.it certainly is a very personal choice though! I am still waiting for my dream kitchen covered in Callacutta gold marble! Or better yet, maybe a Quartz co. Will finally come up with one that looks like it so I won't have to worry about cleaning:)

Toletray, I went back to the beginning of your post and noticed your countertops are grey now. Your backsplash is a beige tumbled marble. Are you still planning on keeping the backsplash? If so I don't see any of these granites working particularly well. Are you planning on getting rid of the small splash made of counter material? Need more info to help because you seem to be veering towards predominantly grey granite.

Hi Lynartist. We are open as to whether to replace the existing backsplash. The gal yesterday at the place where we went seemed to believe that whatever Granite or Quartz we chose could work with the present backsplash taking away that gray corian small place at the bottom and replacing it with the new countertop. Hope I made sense there. We are both thinking it might be better to replace the entire thing. I really hate this present grey corian. For the life of me, I don't know why someone put it in this house. We just assumed that we wou,d,be replacing it someday when we bought the house. I really like the lighter granite or Quartz. If u want to know,the truth, I would give anything for white cabinets and a farmhouse looking kitchen. I will try to post some inspiration kitchens on my ideabook.

Ok, I will go look! That helps a lot. Truthfully, I don't think you can use that either one of those granites with that backsplash, and You should get rid of the small riser piece. It looks dated and if your going to redo makes no sense to put that back in. If you have a very good tile guy he may be able to salvage your backsplash, but matching the tile could be a problem.that being said, finding a granite you love may be the way to go and then you can decide to redo the backsplash. It may not make sense to find a countertop to match something you can't salvage. Your existing counter and splash really don't go together that well which may be why you hate it so much. The busier your counter material is , the simpler your splash should be. You started this dilemma wanting to change your floors! Now we are talking sinks and counters and splash oh my!!!

I know Lynartist. My husband waxed and buffed the floors and they don't look so bad now, but truthfully I would like tile of some sort. Wood floors in a kitchen take a beating, especially if one cooks,and washes dishes! Ha Will add pics soon. I agree that the riser looks outdated. I can purchase more of the tumbled travertine tiles. Husband is kind of the opinion that I will fuss and not,be happy if backsplash isn't changed... He knows me well.... A lady from the place where we were yesterday is coming Monday to look at my kitchen, so I hope she will steer me straight. Ha.

Inspiration pics

Absolutely love

Had to go to my computer to see the last four pics! Omg girl, you don't want farmhouse!!! You want French country!!! High style French country no less.

Number3 isn't to dissimilar to yours but I'm guessing it's your least favorite of the bunch

Hm, wrote a whole post a pff... Gone with the wind. Anyway, if you want to recreate your dream look it will take some real planning! You could add glass to some of your overhead doors and have them painted and glazed. I know I'm going to hear wailing from fellow Houzzers but it's what Toltray wants. And it's not a big deal, it's still wood, just painted wood! Like all those other beautiful light colored kitchens out there. You could add some extra details (like the corbels in pic1) or the beautiful end cap details like in pic5. If you paint your cabinets you can add details to them and it won't matter if they don't match before they are painted.these all have rustic details, seeded glass bronze pulls, open lanterns etc. I think they are pretty oh la la!

U got me right, Lynartist. I love French country/farmhouse.... I live a dream in Charles Faudree books....

Ahh, the late great Charles Faudree! Well looks like you have your work cut out for you. I do love his work too.

Thought this was nice

Hi Toletray, just wondering how your meeting with the kitchen planner went. Did she have some wonderful ideas:)

Good morning lynartist. She did come in this week. She suggested a granite called white Galaxy. Says I cannot have the farmhouse sink because of how my sink area is angled in. I would not,be able to open dishwasher door. She was in agreement with me that my kitchen is dark, and that I might consider painting cabinets if it still doesn't lighten up a bit after I choose a granite. She believes that they can save backsplash when installing granite if I choose to,keep present backsplash. Have not had opportunity to visit warehouse this week as husband has been out of town, and I want him to go with me.

I have been looking at pillows again for sofa online though. Still haven't done anything else with living room at this point. Lots of idea, but no,action yet. Ha

That sounds so encouraging!keep us posted every so often. Noticed you have been looking at lots of pillow; so many choices out there:)