We admit that soapstone wasn't always in our vocabulary as an option for kitchen and bath countertops; we've only recently discovered the neat aesthetic and physical properties of this stone. We were excited then, to hear of the recent opening of the Dorado Soapstone of Texas showroom in Austin. More after the jump...
If you're not quite familiar with soapstone yet, it's a natural stone product touted for its delightful properties in kitchen and bath use. It's non-porous, does not stain, doesn't require a sealer, resists bacteria and is overall easy to maintain. Most soapstone products come in a green color that deepens over time (its patina) and comes in a few varieties of vein patterns.
Dorado's soapstone is naturally quarried in Brazil and shipped weekly to the new showroom, which has worked to present the product being used in different and surprising ways. Though it is often used as countertops with great success, soapstone can also be used to create sinks, desks in offices, in laundry and utility rooms, as a flooring material and even as a fireplace material (we've even seen it here on AT as "ice" for drinks!).
Though it does not require it, many soapstone owners periodically oil their soapstone products with mineral oil to speed up the natural patina process and give their countertops (or sinks, fireplaces, etc...) that distinctive deep green color as soon as possible. And while not the cheapest countertop product today, many consumers would be surprised by how affordable soapstone is.
To find out how you could use soapstone in your own home or just find out more about the product, visit the Austin showroom of Dorado Soapstone at 2157 Woodward Drive in Austin. You can also visit the national website, or check out more showroom and inspiration photos at the Dorado Soapstone of Texas myspace page.
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Comments (11)
I love soapstone, but I was under the impression that it nicked really easily and had to be careful with it? Maybe someone can verify this for me. This kitchen is really beautiful and I DO really love the darker almost black soapstone.
http://www.carinagardner.com
I think this is just lovely! I love the low lustre (vs. high like alot of granites).
When I build one day, I'll definitely keep soapstone in mind!
@carinagardner: I can vouch for the nickability - we just installed some in a kitchen and the person installing the bar top dropped his drill on the counter and put a nice nick in it. That said, it doesn't bother me, because it's not polished shiny like granite or quartz, and it doesn't look quite so much like a mistake.
I went into it knowing that, over time, it will look scratched and worn with the muted patina of mineral oil rubbing. I like that contrast against some very modern cherry cabinets and a quartz island. It is incredibly, incredibly gorgeous. I'm thrilled.
I love my soapstone counters for all the reasons mentioned in the post. They are really beautiful and easy to maintain. And yes, the scratches and patina are part of the character. I will say that my counter has chipped a little along the edge of the counter around the the sink and dishwasher from the occasional whack of heavy pot.
There is quite a bit of soapstone quarried in Quebec - it would be much more "green" than stone shipped all the way from Brazil and India and is equally attractive.
We have soapstone counters in our kitchen, and yes, they do nick on the edges, but we like the patina. The matte glow is the result of oiling -- we did ours once a week (haven't a clue what our tenants are doing). Scratches and deep nicks can be easily toned down with some sandpaper.
Soapstone makes the loveliest sink, as it retains heat beautifully. I'd also like to have occasion to install a soapstone fireplace/bakeoven sometime. (http://www.tulikivi.com/www/kotien.nsf/WWWTakka/Fireplace!OpenDocument&id=TA )
Soapstone reminds me of chemistry/biology laboratories, and the black ones in the first two pictures only solidify this for me...
Still, I understand the appeal of it...it has a much "softer" look to it than many other countertops.
I splurged on a 9' section of it around my kitchen sink, and someday I'd like to replace the remaining laminate tops with it. If you've ever seen a really old soapstone top, like in a Victorian home, you know how beautifully soft it looks with age. I love not worrying about spills. Also love the matte look and the "big" grain as opposed to the busy look of granite. I have sanded a couple nicks, and after an oiling you barely notice them. It's also fabulous for rolling out dough because it's so smooth and cold.
The top pic of the white kitchen looks horrible w/ the white soapstone - quite a 'dirty look'. yuch
The white stone in the top pic is marble, not soapstone.
We installed soapstone counters last summer (sourced from Dorado in Austin; the showroom has actually been open for about 18 months) and the variety we chose, Beleza, is quite hard. After eight months the counters have suffered only a few minor scratches -- only we could find them -- and no nicks or dings. And the people at Dorado were lovely to work with. The soapstone is one of the best choices we made in the new space.
Oh and we chose not to oil our stone. It's naturally quite dark grey, with some green streaks and white veins, and has darkened a bit more with time.