Hi reronic,
I'm happy to tell you the pros and cons of soapstone, which we used throughout our kitchen, but I'm a little hesitant about how the soapstone will look with the Cambria Hyde Park counters on the perimeter. Engineered quartz counters have such a different look than natural stone that I'm a bit hesitant to mix them. I love both, but I'm just not sure how they'll look with each other. But let's let others weigh in on that question.

Soapstone is wonderful, and we love it, as it is absolutely impervious to staining and heat. It does scratch, but those scratches disappear into the patina the minute you wipe them with water (if they are shallow) or oil or wax (if they are deep). So we do not find the scratching a problem at all. The one drawback to soapstone is the upkeep. It isn't sealed, but usually people wax or oil their soapstone to get the beautiful lustrous effect (like rocks that are wet vs dry). For the first few months they need to be waxed or oiled often (about a 10 minute job for our whole kitchen). Then once every few months, and after a year or two only a few times a year. But if you want them to look perpetually perfect you can wax or oil them more often (I often do it before dinner parties). Their matte finish has a warm, almost buttery texture to them that is really lovely.