Rustic Soapstone Matte-finish Vermont soapstone offers a more rustic, understated look than granite and is less porous, offering an easy-to-maintain surface for countertops and backsplashes. It's softer than granite, but nicks and scratches can be sanded out. The natural color of soapstone is gray, gray-green, or blue-green, but a sealer or mineral oil can be applied to darken the color to black. You'll need to reapply the mineral oil occasionally to maintain the dark color.