we have soapstone counters and i adore them down to every last atom in my body. i don't mind them un-oiled ... they look soft and weathered. i love them oiled ... they are dark and dramatic and all of the amazing veining pops. i'm still toying with the idea of sealing them. like yvette said above, occasional oiling lets you try both looks without commitment. btw - i just found your site and am hooked. two years ago, we built our own "farmhouse" and there are quite a number of similarities to what you are building, and even more similarities to things i wanted to do and for one reason or another did/could not. and i may be a wee bit obsessed with your deck rails; did the deck builder make those or did you find them somewhere? love.