Right now it's natural and easy...haven't oiled in over a month. We really like it both oiled AND unoiled. Just haven't gotten around to oiling again.

Great job! I love the backsplash!!

You have picked a lovely combination of soapstone and backsplash. What an inviting, warm kitchen, congratulations!

I love how gray the soapstone is and the backsplash is really nice!

Your choices look very good together - congrats to you!

Great space! I think our soapstone (not installed yet) is very similar to yours. Just a local stone yard and fabricator so it doesn't have the same names. I love yours though! And the backsplash is great with it. Enjoy your new space!

The kitchen is quite lovely. I love your soapstone most of all ;)

Nice job! I love the backsplash. Beautiful combination with the soapstone. Enjoy!

Forgot to add this view:

I love how it all came together! Isn't it funny how much one can love a countertop in a variety of states!? Whether I just oiled it, it's in the process of fading, or faded... I think I love it best at that point till I oil it again. Congrats on a great job.

This space looks just so comfortable. I like the soapstone and backsplash combo.

Great kitchen! Really like the backsplash.

You did a wonderful job. It all lookes great together, now to relax and enjoy!

Time to cook! It's looks great and you achieved the look and feel your were striving for.

Your new kitchen looks so much more spacious then previously shown. You must be having fun spreading out on that beautiful countertop! Love all your finishes including backsplash and paint color(curtains too!). Your kitchen is a charmer!

Beautiful~~ Can you open your right door of the frig all of the way without hitting the counter? Your finishes are wonderful!

What an inviting space- you are so right, it is very warm looking space! Beautiful choices, especially the soapstone.

Thanks for posting since my Belvedere will be coming in September and this is the first time I've actually seen it installed!

Enjoy!

Great backsplash choice, looks very elegant in your space.

I th1nk I just found the backsplash of my dreams. Hope you don't mind if I copy, but how beautiful!! Great job!!!

I love the transformation. It is quite dramatic. Looks like a great layout for really cooking. Beautiful, beautiful soapstone and integration into the rest.

I like the pencil rail on your backsplash; same color as the rest only different -- very cozy. And I like what you did with the refridge too It really keeps it contained; well heeled. Very cozy!! Congrats.

Great space. I want your bunny. So cute. Thanks for sharing it with us.

WOW is all I can say. I am humbled by all the warm replies. I can honestly say this was truly a test on our patience with each other. My DH and I do not have the same decorating style, nor do we see things the same way. This is the vision I had for the kitchen to become. But there were some hard faught battles. Flooring was one. I wanted hardwood, he wanted tile. Countertops were another. He wanted granite, I wanted soapstone. Backsplash tile was heated. He wanted tumbled marble, I wanted Horus crackle subways. Our tastes are worlds apart. He wants everything to look shiney and new. I wanted things to look like they've been there a while and loved (I collect antiques (nothing in particular though), but there are no period details in a 1950's tri-level split...so I have to take it where I can get it). I also wanted things to blend and flow as far as the 3 rooms on the main level (kitchen, dining room, and living room). In the end, I honestly believe him when he says he loves the way it turned out...LOL. I know I am completely happy with it and it functions so well with the layout we agreed on. I was unsure about moving everything around but it works, even with 2 of us in there. This is a 10 x 11 kitchen, and we used every inch we could. What you can't see on the back side of the penninsula is a cabinet facing the dining room for serving pieces (utilizes the corner underneath the glass cabinet) and on the back side of the drawers in the penninsula, we put doors and have our calendar and notices, announcements, telephone lists, reminders behind there on a bulletin board. Our homemade communication center.

Phoggie: If the door on the fridge is swung open completely, it actually hits the left drawer pull on the top drawer. Rather than put a "bumper" on the fridge door, or on the door pull, we keep a dish towel there. It cushions the door if it does venture in to the drawer pull. Unerneath is some more cushioning as well. This was a design issue we decided we could live with since we didn't want to move things around any more than we did. Originally the filler piece between the fridge and the penninsula was 3". We extended this to 9" (by removing the wall between the dining room and kitchen and pushed the penninsula in to the dining room by 6") to accomodate the door swing as best we could. It really is a non-issue.

This is really really great! I'm so glad you got to guide your dream through! It IS cozy and looks like a wonderful place to be in and cook in. Our soapstone choice is the same and, since it looks like it's going to be a while before we get ours, I'll just visit yours. Great work!

It is a very pretty kitchen and you did a great job. It seems so easy to cook in--all so convenient.

Entertaining must be a breeze with that peninsula separating the dining room. Very nice flow. Great space planning. Enjoy your lovely cooking room!

I'M SO JEALOUS!!! YOU HAVE A BACKSPLASH!!!! Still waiting on one for my kitchen. And it's sooo beautiful!!

The whole thing looks perfect.

Just so you all know, I am not a crazy random poster. Five and I are friends IRL, we live in the same neighborhood, but we met on GW.

Stencil some bunnies on the pendants! :)

I like this kitchen a lot, vermin and all! Love the display cabinet.

I'd be tempted to do the door white with a fluffy sheer shade on top and treat it just like the windows. (I like those window treatments!)

Thanks everyone!!! This was a total DIY job and we're so happy to not have something to do every night and weekend!

Polly, you are a crazy person, but that's one of the reasons we get along so well. You were so kind and helpful throughout this whole ordeal and in the end I found a friend! I couldn't be happier about that.

Fori, I never thought of bunnies as vermin, I love them though. LOL. We have a family of them living under our shed. Our chocolate lab walks right past them in the yard. So I think he must think of them like family...LOL.

I was leaning on painting the door white and treating it like a window. Lets see if I can get another sheer drape shade. Pottery Barn doesn't have them any more, but maybe Ebay will. Thanks!!!

Everything looks great together, despite your decorating battles with DH. Love the counters, cabinets, BS, and layout. We have the Delta Saxony faucet, but I seriously considered the Leland.

Beautiful! Especially love the soapstone and the backsplash. It is a nice warm room. The chandelier over the dining table is very pretty. What brand is it and where did you get it?

What a great combination of materials & textures. Better layout too.
The soapstone is absolutely beautiful and the backsplash goes with it so well.
Congratulations on a great job, well done.

Really great selection of materials. If you have a dog in the backyard you might
not want a glass door because you will be cleaning nose prints all the time
and also - at least my dogs scratch the glass

Love your new kitchen. Love the soapstone ( glad you won that battle). And I love the backsplash. Do you have bunnies as pets? I have one,Jude. He was a rescue bunny. My daughter went away to college and came home with the rabbit after spending a night in a field because some idiot let two domesticated rabbits go to be free. One got hit by a car and the other she " rescued". Now she is in Germany for a year and we have the rabbit. Oh well, the dog doesn't mind. Great job on the kitchen. You added a lot space .

Love it!!! What a great job!! P.S. I love rabbits too!

Very cozy, unique, and beautiful! I love the splash of color from your Fiestaware. I'm drooling over that backsplash, and I love other details such as your cream cheese box and the bunnies, and your faucet and the elongated dishes holding the garlic and the tiny bunny.

Now, your layout...it's interesting to me because I have a split level w/ the kitchen, LR and DR on the main level. Is that door btwn the kitchen and DR your back door, or a side door? If you happen to have a sketch of your main floor layout, would you pretty please post it? Always looking for good ideas, and would love to hear more about your layout.

Enjoy that gorgeous home of yours!

Wowza...was I surprised to see emails responding to this thread after a few months. Thanks everyone.

To answer the questions:

Chandalier: It's from Pottery Barn. For $149 no less! I am really in love with the Hubbardton Fordge chandy's and pendants but my bank account was not. When I showed this to the guys in the lighting store, they said to go for it. If it isn't the color I want (was worried it would be too brown/bronze), they said to just paint it...it would be WAY worth it. I'm happy with it and didn't have to paint it.

Dog: We have a 12 year-old chocolate lab, so I am well versed in nose prints on the doors. We have 2 full-view storm doors. Between the dog snot, and 2 kids...I find warm water and vinegar and a microfiber cloth every few days works fine.

Bunnies: I just collect them, and we have a family of them that lives in our yard, and tons across the street in the field...no real ones though. While I would love one, I don't think I'd like to clean up after it.

Layout: I don't have a copy of the floor plan our our house, but I can tell you it has many levels. The door you see is to our back yard (it is in the dining room). On the wall behind our fridge is the living room. The door opening to the right of the range is stairs to our den/garage level. Next to it on the right is the door opening to our living room/front of the house and stairs to go up a level to 2 bedrooms and a bath. Another flight of steps gets you up to our room and a full bath. An attic is above that. Beneath the den/garage level is also a full basement. SOOOOO many steps in this house.

I guess I missed your kitchen the first time it was posted. Very nice! I really like the pencil edge detail in your backsplash! It adds interest but in a subtle way, the grays are all lovely together.I also really love your display cabinet and all the colors you have in it, looks great!

Hi, Fivefootzero,

I missed your kitchen the first time too, probably because I have been so busy with mine. I love it! Such a personal space.

I like the chandelier a lot. I will probably have to rope mine over too because that is how my old one is. I didn't plan ahead of having my ceilings done to change it. (one of those little glitches).

Also love the details like the soapstone windowsill. I didn't think to do that with our granite, although we are making our sill a little bigger like that instead of straight up framing.

The soapstone and backsplash are beautiful. Do you like your KA slide in range? I have been looking at slide ins and not sure which one to get. Don't really need all the fancy bell and whistle types.

Marissa, I love love love our range. Then again, I had a 1970 Caloric 36" gas range with 4 burners, an oven with one rack, and about 6" of storage space on the side.

This range is wonderful. Heats evenly. Love the burners on top and the fact that you can slide stuff across the grates. I wish it had another higher-heat burner, but the one in front is fine.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the warming drawer on the bottom too.

I had a choice between this and the GE Cafe slide in. I chose the KA since it had heavy-weight metal knobs, and it just felt "beefier" than the GE.

Thanks for the info on the chandelier. We must have similar taste because I bought one of the Hubbardton Forge chandeliers to go over the dining table in the family room side of the kitchen!

Oh my goodness, I CAN'T WAIT to have my soapstone counter!!! ONE DAY...

~Jeana

Congratulations! The belvedere and carrara go so well together!!! Looks great and you have your Fiestaware on display in the glass cabs. Fun! Enjoy. I love it!

I really love what you have done. You have everything you need in a smaller space and it's beautiful, very high end and upscale looking. Love the soapstone with the backsplash you chose. I'm especially happy for you getting a dishwasher!!! I LOVE your dog, such a sweetie!

So happy for you! Your old kitchen was ready to be retired. Great job.

Beautiful! Especially love the soapstone counters and the gorgeous backsplash. I love your new appliances also! The cabinets are very warm and nice.

Did a search for Soapstone...and here's your lovely kitchen. I thought I had left a comment before but guess I didn't. Well, here's your first comment for November !
The Soapstone, wood floors and marble backsplash with stained wood cabinets looks very cosy and warm and welcoming. I'd like to sit with you and have a cup of tea and oatmeal cookies.
A REAL kitchen, and I love the bunny too. :)
I'm getting Soapstone with an (Indian slate look) Italian tile floor...I'm lucky my husband and I have the same ideas and love materials that are warm and look like they have been well loved(All I have is used or inherited furniture, it now has many scratches from being moved around in a small area but I can't bear to buy new)

Hi There,
Love your kitchen! Looks to be about the same dimensions as mine. I'm wondering how you're liking having your refrigerator "behind" you? We're pulling out cooktop out of our island, which is displacing our fridge. Trying to figure out the best location for it.
Thanks!

EATREALFOOD: Thanks for the comments. It is a nice space to have a cup of tea. I'm looking forward to the winter when I drink more of it. If we hadn't done the hardwood flooring, we would have gone with something in the slate family...I love all the warm colors in slate. My porch actually has PA blue stone for the floor in shades of lavendar, burgundy, gray, blue...with some rusting added to it. My only regret is that we do not have enough room in the dining area to put stools on the penninsula...the dining room is rather small.

mgreenman: Thanks so much. Our kitchen is approximately 10' x 11'. I don't find the fridge behind me to be an issue whatsoever. In fact, we have a lot more room INSIDE the kitchen now; our penninsula is only 18" deep vs. standard 24" so that gave us some additional wiggle room as well.

Fivefoot, I didn't see your kitchen when it was posted, it is beautiful. I've wondered what marble BSplash would look like with soapstone!

I saw you DIY, did you do the counters yourself as well? Everything looks so comfortable and cozy!

Congrats, I know that DIY and dealing with DH's can be a pain!! I love it when I tell my DH I want such and such, and he says fine, then when it gets down to it, he starts inserting these little comments like, "you don't really want the door there, do you?" Means, "I don't want it there and I'm going to make you question your decision"...
LOL