Decisions... Decisions

Well ... the kitchen cabinets have been ordered for a couple of weeks now.  And even though the clock starting ticking slightly before Christmas ........... I have approximately 3 weeks before they arrive.

And guess what???

I am not ready!!!

You knew that, didn't you???

We have made a lot of progress.  (We .... as in Honey)

We have been repairing plaster, patching holes, scrubbing the ceiling and now the priming of the ceiling is done.  Tonight, we are painting the ceiling.

We work hard ... don't we???

Me .... I do the brain stuff.  I pour over catalogs, websites, Houzz and Pinterest, trying to make decisions.

And this one has me stumped.

Counter tops.  Actually, I am beginning to hate counter tops.  Why is this decision so hard???

Well ...... because what I want and what I want to pay .... collide.  OK ... my checkbook bursts out in laughter when I mention the word soapstone.

I don't want granite.  It is nice ... it is beautiful .... it is durable .... but most patterns are too busy for my eclectic style of decorating.  And it makes my checkbook giggle.

Marble is more conducive to my decorating style ........ but not my lifestyle.  One wine spill (and there will be man!) and it would be stained for life.

Solid surface is nice ... but can look a little "plastic-y", depending on the composition.  And I already have and will have solid surface in the island.

Wood is lovely ..... and I will have wood on the baking center unit.  But with all the moisture in canning ... and how we work our big canning events ... I am afraid of de-lamination.

And then .... there is quartz.  I have quartz in my bathroom.  It is easy to clean .... awesome material ... and after almost 10 years ... it looks great.  But it is a little too contemporary for my 120 year old farmhouse that I am trying to keep somewhat historically correct.

And  then Rachael suggested ............ zinc.  Twice.

I pretty much poo-poo'd it.  Zinc.  No.

Then I started thinking ....... zinc was on old work tables.  Zinc was the countertop of Hoosier cabinets.
 
It really was the counter top of Midwest farmhouses at the turn of the 20th century.

Zinc is water resistant.  Heat resistant.  You can't chop on it but I have 4-1/2' of butcher block, a solid surface island and I do own cutting boards.

 
Historically .... it is perfect.  It forms a natural patina over time ... it does react to acids by staining.  But I think that gives the aged look that interests me.  And I don't have to wait for the patina to come ..... if I want to treat it first.

Now you can polish it .... and it will look more like stainless steel ..... like this photo.

And that is soooo not me.  A little to industrial.    And besides ..... seeing my wrinkled face and gray hair in a mirrored polished countertop at 6 am as I reach for my coffee....... ain't happenin'!!!

Now .... it is up to me to do more back-breaking research.  First, I have to talk to the checkbook and then I have to find a source of zinc.  And look at more how-to videos.   Fabricators aren't hanging around the corner so I need to do the research so we can do this.

Yes, we can.  :)