Should also note that I can’t get a sample of the charcoal in suede but do have the gloss. Also adding that I have a toddler and even though I am always cleaning the kitchen it is never actually clean (haha). But I do wipe the counters about 20x a day, if anyone has opinions on light or dark being more forgiving. With the brown speckled granite we have I can’t see anything (which I hate).

Misterio. Better overall match to your cabinets, backsplash and floor. Pretty kitchen!

Thanks! My thoughts too, I just love the soapstone look.

Here are some pics of the other side - we’ll go with either a stainless steel workstation sink or retrofit farmhouse sink - not sure on color (would love white to go with white counters but we have very hard water so not sure if it would look griny all the time). As you can tell, trying to make updates without changing layout or doing a full reno.

I’d pick a stainless sink vs a farmhouse and I’d try really hard to get a vertical panel to enclose the fridge. Either counter looks nice. Under cabinet lighting is important too.

Soapstone for sure. It is dramatic, attractive, and makes your cabinets and backsplash pop. The misterio looks boring. Even though you are piecing your kitchen bit by bit, you can still fall in love with it along the way. Soapstone will do that.

As for kitchen lighting, do you have under cabinet lighting? Can you add more ceiling lights? Only half of your kitchen has ceiling lights, which are insufficient no matter the counter color. Also Also, can you increase the brightness of the bulbs?

Mistero!

Definitely agree about adding under cabinet light. Trust me I’d love to get a panel to enclose the fridge but it is an awkward space (smaller than standard - could maybe have it rest on the counter top but couldn’t fit it to have it run next to it all the way down. Also, wouldn’t it look weird without changing out the cabinet above to come all the way out?

I understand your dilemma! The soapstone is so striking, but I see how your kitchen could seem dark at times. Regardless of your countertop choice, I would explore options to improve the lighting. Have you don’t a Houzz image search by filtering kitchen pics by flooring color, cabinet finish, countertop, etc.? It will give you a general idea of how the finishes look together. Here are some photos. Tough decision because they both would work. I lean toward white. I’ve had both dark and white and like white better. Dust shows more on the very dark surfaces. I have white quartz and it has never stained.

floor by far is the stand out element. the way that the tiles are large-ish and lighter grout lines....... and you have a lot of width. I would do the lighter counter . You can get a couple mats on the floor w dark geometric pattern or similar if you really want more drama w the dark shading. the floor is where it's happening . keep the counter working w the backsplash for a nice counterpoint.

Yes I’ve looked at SO many photos. I lean towards white because of what I really like in the photos with similar finishes and colors. The white just seems blah in person compared to the suede charcoal, which is what is keeping me from making a decision. and yes, we will be adding more lighting.

FIRST addressthe lighting no other thing will brighten up the space like good lighting. You pot lights and lots of thme all LED 4000K bulbs then you choose colors for anything should have been done even before the floors.

I prefer the white Misterio. I like the light/ bright look of it.

Also, you have a heavy element of gray with the floor. IMO, the darker counter will drag down the space with too much gray.

If you decide on the suede charcoal, make sure you know what you may be getting: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5489087/silestone-quartz-countertops-polished-vs-suede-finish

Complaints about smudging, etc.

I like the darker counter but I would not buy the fake stuff. I would get either real soapstone or something like Virginia Mist leathered or honed.

I've seen this charcoal "soapstone" product in large applications, and it definitely has a blue undertone, which I'm afraid wouldn't complement your floor. If you were going to go dark, I'd look into actual soapstone. That said, I prefer the white Misterio with your floor and also the other white elements in your space.

Your kitchen looks great so far. Because of the light issue, I would do the mysterio. If this is possibly a forever home, you'll appreciate the white when your eyes start to go.

If you put in the white and the space seems boring you can always add personality with a washable runner

Love both options,Misterio would definitely lighten it up.
I would do a mock-up with both counters(forget app/website name).
I have to say,I’m in love with soapstone.I want it so bad for my kitchen but hard to find where I live.Also, I have cherry cabinets,worry it’ll make my north facing kitchen too dark.
I’ll probably play it safe with a lighter quartzite.
I’m tempted by that charcoal grey though,gorgeous!
Good luck

@deegw I'm very interested in your comment about white counters being good when your eyes start to go. I have read recommendations for mid-tone, and against white because of glare with cataracts. If you are actually old with poor eyesight, I would value your experience! What can you share? I was headed to mid-tone soapstone like this OP but now am worried.

In your first photo - the sample to the left of the Misterio - did you look at that one at all?

Either choice would be lovely, but I'd probably go for the white to keep the kitchen from looking like a gray cave. Your floors are very nice, too. Will putting in the new counters AFTER the backsplash cause issues? It seems like the counters should have come first. It would be wise to have some extra subway tiles in case removing the old counters cause some damage...maybe this is done all the time, and I am concerned where there is no need to be. The Misterio definitely looks more "plastic-y" (we have a similar quartz (Caesarstone Frosty Carina) in a bathroom, and after 10 years it still looks brand new, but it is a bathroom, not a kitchen). I, too, love the soapstone look of the charcoal suede, but I think you have enough gray in the kitchen as it is. Good luck with this ongoing project...the counters will really make a huge difference.

KL, I mentioned the eye issue because the OP referred to the fact that the kitchen was dark during the day. When I made the comment, I was thinking about counter cleanup and doing quick tasks in the kitchen when you don't turn on all the lights.

I think if your kitchen has good light that soapstone would be a fine choice.

FWIW, I started my cataracts fairly young, in my early 50s, and they got pretty bad. The only glare issues I had were from light halos from fixtures or oncoming headlights. I don't remember any issues with surfaces.

Pretty kitchen! I think both samples are pretty but I'd go with white so you're not competing with the floor. What about the white but in a suede/honed finish? I think the matte finishes look more current, and your space feels kind of organic and would be fitting of a honed finish. Would you consider natural stone at all? Is that butcher block on your bar top? I like it! One minor thing you might consider is swapping out your outlet covers for white so they blend in with your backsplash a bit more.

My vote is for charcoal. Will look great with those cabinets.

Charcoal, especially if you're keeping the white backsplash. The white counter choice is so....blah...especially with the white backplash. The charcoal will look terrific with your cabinets and tie in with the floor. The white backsplash will keep it from looking like a "cave".

I love Misterio but agree the charcoal is a better fit with the other elelments, including the backsplash grout.

@deegw Thanks for the reassurance! Whew! I just love a medium grey soapstone with stainless steel appliances and espresso slab cabinets with pillow edges….like Hershey's chocolate bars….

Country contemporary Kitchen · More Info

@lizaanelson you posted a lot of great pictures but I'd like yet another please. Can you lay the samples on your counter and photograph in a way that shows the samples, the backsplash AND the floor? I worry the white one will look off with the backsplash and the grey one will look off with the floor. Thanks!

@K L does this work? The other two white on the far left seemed too ”fake”

Wow kind of changing my mind here, maybe the charcoal?I think your cabinets are pretty light so won’t be too dark in there.
You’re lucky,mine (cherry) will be too dark for soapstone.

Oh, now I'm with @jtkaybean. It looks like the veining in the charcoal coordinates nicely with your floor. Something you might want to check on the sample, is how much do water spots show? We have a honed dark Caesarstone in our bathroom, and it never ever looks totally clean. Fingerprints, water, makeup, everything smudges and shows even right after I clean it. For some reason, it doesn't make me scream every day in the bathroom, but it would be a deal breaker in my kitchen.

Definitely the charcoal.

In such a sunny bright house i wouldn’t risk adding a dark counter in such a shadowed ? location…the kitchen should be bright not dark

@lizaanelson Oh, my, yes, that works! The grey is much darker than I imagined. I am torn. I like that the charcoal is enough darker than the floor that it isn't matchy matchy. I like that it provides contrast with the wood and helps it have depth. I like that it repeats the dark of the windows of your appliances. You have or will have under-cabinet lights, right? That's how to get light on your work. And I like that the charcoal doesn't mis-match the backsplash. 

With the backsplash being white, I am uncomfortable recommending the white counter, because they are close but not perfectly matched. I don't recall if you said if you were keeping the backsplash. If you had white counters with the maple cabinets, I'd be excited by a multi-olive-green glass mosaic backsplash.

Both! my friend has a raised bar in a different (darker) color counter and it looks sharp.

I have Silestone charcoal soapstone polished quartz countertops in my kitchen and a Thassos Pental white quartz vanity countertop in my bathroom / laundry room. I love both counters, easy to clean with dishsoap and water, and both counters look as good today as the day of installation (several years ago). In your kitchen, I would prefer the charcoal soapstone. Best of luck in your journey.

@lizaanelson I just saw something of an eye-opener on another post. The OP matched three near-white cabinets, counter and backsplash. It looked great because she varied the reflectiveness. The cabinets were painted a semi-gloss. The counter was honed. The backsplash was glossy. If you prefer the white, would you be happy with honed?

Definately soapstone with your cabinets. I don't think the white goes at all with your cabinets and looks blah.

Although everything is pretty, your floor and wall tiles have no pattern and your cabs have no pattern, and a plain countertop is going to make the whole kitchen feel like it lacks interest. I would go with a countertop that is less plain than the ones you propose.

Tough decision. But beautiful kitchen!

The white is only available in polished. I think I’ve decided on the charcoal (or real soapstone) for the bar that is above the sink and currently a butcher block. just still not sure - I love all this advise but even more so making it 50/50. I had also liked the Ethereal Haze which seems less ”blah” than the Misterio (but my husband preferred Misterio) - any thoughts on that?

I also prefer the charcoal (I have black counters) for a less stark feel.

A vote for soapstone. Real soapstone for the soft look and feel.

If you are leaning towards the charcoal and your husband prefers Misterio, could you two compromise on Ethereal Haze?

Silestone Ethereal by Cosentino · More Info

A picture of etherial haze

@cupofkindnessgw I’m wondering if white with some more character would be good - I want the light but am just not in love with the misterio. Perhaps a lighter soapstone ……

Now I’m going back and thinking I’m looking for white but more exciting, while still subtle. I remember liking Ethereal Glow, and maybe the browns in it steered me away but thinking it might tie all the colors in nicely. I don’t have this sample but did take a pic in the show room (unforunfortunately without the cabinet)

@lizaanelson Ethereal Glow is beautiful, it seems to be a crisp white with warmer veins. It looks good with your floor tile too!