Here's a great depiction of the holy trinity of kitchen station workflow: first a deep apron sink, then a built-in butcher block countertop, then a stovetop. You can wash, prep, cut and cook in a smooth flow."If you are using your countertops plenty, it should show its age; that's the beauty of having these butcher block surfaces," says Eric Rauser, the designer of this farmhouse kitchen. Tip: Rauser recommends religiously cleaning butcher block surfaces with nontoxic cleaning oil after use. "We use a salad bowl oil that's mixed with a citrus oil, which is the drying agent," he says.