Create a Whole New Kitchen With Soapstone Countertops

Your kitchen is most likely the busiest room in your home. The reason is because of it's many different functions. The kitchen is mainly a place for cooking and eating meals but it is also the social hub of the family home. It isn't surprising to see families gathering in the kitchen to write out bills, help the kids with their homework or to simply relax and talk about their day. Since your kitchen fills so many functions, decorating it requires careful planning to achieve your desired results.

The best place to begin creating a whole new kitchen is putting in new countertops. A countertop can add to both the overall look and feel of a kitchen while improving its functionality. A big decision when installing countertops is the choice of material to use. Materials differ in aesthetic appeal, maintenance required, resilience, and applicability. One such material to pay attention to is soapstone.

Soapstone counters have a variety of uses. Soapstone is best known for its heat retention and is used extensively in the construction of fireplaces, stoves, masonry fireplaces, and fireplace liners. However, soapstone can also be used for sinks, countertops, island tops, patio counters, and backsplashes. Purchased in slabs or tiles, it is a soft stone that is quite easy to carve and work with.

Another popular reason for installing a soapstone countertop is its many rich and beautiful colors. Soapstone counters can be found in ash gray to smoky blue-grays to a rich charcoal black. Some stones even have little flecks of green and blue in them or contrasting veins of color twisting throughout.

Many homeowners use a special mineral oil to enhance and deepen these colors and give it a more dramatic effect. The mineral oil will also darken the stone evenly, bringing out its natural beauty. You don't need to apply the mineral oil, since soapstone will eventually take on its own patina with time and use but it does help. Soapstone will darken with age. Usually in a year you will be begin to the full depth of color of your soapstone.

Soapstone can last a lifetime if treated with care. Your soapstone countertop will develop its own unique patina based on you and your lifestyle. It is a soft stone, more so than other natural stones. It doesn't burn, isn't porous, won't stain, and acids won't etch it. Care is also minimal. If you want to achieve a traditional rustic look in your kitchen, soapstone counters are your answer.

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