Our Farmhouse Countertops: Why we chose Soapstone

When restoring our farmhouse kitchen I researched in-depth about the countertop options. We looked at granite, quartz, butcher block and concrete. Then one of my grandmother’s friends mentioned that Soapstone was used a lot in the early 1900s.

What is Soapstone? It’s a natural quarried stone with a surface that’s soft as soap. It has a smooth, solid quality that looks great, with durability to resist stains from spills and hot pots. However, keep in mind that since it’s a softer stone, it can scratch and chip, but any dings can be sanded out. That’s pretty much the only potential drawback.

Another thing to consider is color. With Soapstone, it’s not so much about choosing a color as it is about just loving Soapstone. The coloring of Soapstone can be grey, grey-blue, green or dark grey. It is normal for the color of a Soapstone countertop to change over time because of oxidation. Some people apply mineral treatments to adjust the color while others choose to leave it in its natural beauty. One of the reasons we chose soapstone was because of its contrast to our white shaker-style cabinets with farm pulls.

The subtle appearance of soapstone can suit a traditional country farmhouse just as well a modern urban interior. One of the things I love the most about soapstone is its beautiful and timeless appearance. I wanted to be sure that we chose a countertop material that would withstand the test of time, and not be a trend as we are giving the house to our future grandkids.

Krista Cunningham
Marketing Guru for The Columbian and Sprout Digital
360.735.4583
Krista.cunningham@columbian.com