Do not use granite whatever you do. That ship has sailed....

Anonymous wrote:Black (ish) honed granite. More durable than slate or soapstone and not glossy.

My in laws in have black slate and it looks terrible because of oil staining and is chipped. Only 10 years old

EW. No!!!!

Anonymous wrote:Marble. In a white variety, not to vein-y.

See: Rome.

*too

Marble. In a white variety, not to vein-y.

See: Rome.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Black (ish) honed granite. More durable than slate or soapstone and not glossy.

My in laws in have black slate and it looks terrible because of oil staining and is chipped. Only 10 years old

Soapstone is extraordinarily durable—requires no maintenance, heat-proof, antimicrobial. They use it in labs for a reason. It does scratch, which can be an aesthetic issue for some. But it will last forever with no upkeep.

This is not all true. We have soapstone counters and love them, but they are not extraordinarily durable. They are actually softer than most counters, so you need to be careful about cutting on them or pushing down on them. They will scratch easier than granite or marble. They do require some maintenance. You should oil or wax them a couple of times a year.

I like our butcher block countertops. I think wood is timeless and it's very forgiving. Scratches and discolorations can be buffed out, and reoiling makes it look brand new. And you can go dark or light stain depending on your taste.

Anonymous wrote:White Carrara marble

+100

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Black (ish) honed granite. More durable than slate or soapstone and not glossy.

My in laws in have black slate and it looks terrible because of oil staining and is chipped. Only 10 years old

Soapstone is extraordinarily durable—requires no maintenance, heat-proof, antimicrobial. They use it in labs for a reason. It does scratch, which can be an aesthetic issue for some. But it will last forever with no upkeep.

It can look like hell after a few years, though. I want to love soapstone because it seems pretty "timeless" and I like the look. But my neighbor put it in and five years later it looks so tired. Lots of discolored patches, especially around the sink. A very uneven mottling. It's not a pretty kind of patina, it just looks bad.

Anonymous wrote:Black (ish) honed granite. More durable than slate or soapstone and not glossy.

My in laws in have black slate and it looks terrible because of oil staining and is chipped. Only 10 years old

Soapstone is extraordinarily durable—requires no maintenance, heat-proof, antimicrobial. They use it in labs for a reason. It does scratch, which can be an aesthetic issue for some. But it will last forever with no upkeep.

You should spend some time looking at house listings and kitchens from the 80s/90s/00s. Are any of those timeless? If so, look to incorporate that into your new kitchen.

If I had to guess, I would think a dark granite would be the closest common thread - we definitely saw that in the late 90s when we were first looking at houses.

All this to say - pick something you like!

White Carrara marble

There’s no such thing as “timeless.” What kind of house do you have? When was it built? What does it look like? Stick with that and you will be as close to “timeless” as possible by which I mean “it suits the house.”

This is the only timeless kitchen:

Black (ish) honed granite. More durable than slate or soapstone and not glossy.

My in laws in have black slate and it looks terrible because of oil staining and is chipped. Only 10 years old

Black slate.

I’m renovating my kitchen and want it to be timeless. What are the most durable classic countertop options in your opinion?