Top 5 Quartz Countertop Designs for Soapstone Alternatives

Explore Cambria’s top 5 quartz designs that double as soapstone alternatives.

Written by:Cambria USA
Modern kitchen with blue cabinets and hanging light fixtures with Charlestown quartz countertops and backsplash

Cambria design shown: Charlestown™

Cambria’s American craftsmanship and industry-leading innovation bring you quartz that looks like soapstone and provides exceptional maintenance-free performance.

Soapstone-alternative, black-inspired Cambria quartz surface and countertop designs, like Charlestown, Woodcroft™, Blackpool™, Sharpham™, and Blackbrook™, elevate the look of soapstone, and the Cambria Matte® low-sheen finish perfectly completes the aesthetic.

Dark and moody is coming on strong in design environments and with a non-sheen,” said Summer Kath, Executive Vice President of Design at Cambria. “More and more we are seeing so many options in matte black and charcoal in plumbing fixtures, appliances, and cabinets, and Cambria has several black and dark quartz styles to choose from.”

Benefits of Quartz Countertops

Whether you choose polished or the low-sheen Cambria Matte finish, Cambria quartz surfaces do not require sealing or polishing, and cleaning them is as simple as warm water, a soft cotton cloth, and mild soap, if desired. This makes quartz a perfect soapstone alternative for your space.

Busy families and home cooks will love the durability of quartz countertops that are able to withstand daily use while resisting scratches, chips, and stains. Quartz is also nonabsorbent, so it doesn’t harbor bacteria. Cambria quartz surfaces are always professionally installed and are backed by a transferable Full Lifetime Warranty.

But, best of all, Cambria’s wide range of quartz designs allows you to select a surface that specifically suits your individual style—sure to make you smile every time you enter the room. Here are a few of our favorite quartz designs.

Woodcroft: Soapstone Alternative with Metallic Streaks

Woodcroft is a bold soapstone-alternative black quartz design with sparkling golden lightning strikes and paler metallic streaks that drizzle like rain against a window pane.

“This design is really playing into what is coming,” says Summer Kath. “If you get close into these really beautiful, organic veins you’re going to see a surprising delight. I love the shimmery gold, I’ve never seen it before and I’m really proud that we were able to achieve such a masterpiece.”

Detailed view of Woodcroft quartz

Cambria’s Woodcroft design provides a bold and organic surface, fit for any space.

A restaurant booth with a Woodcroft quartz surrounding wall

For a statement-making design choice, introduce the luxe of Cambria quartz surfaces to interiors beyond countertops.

Blackpool: The Darkest Soapstone Alternative

The powerful Cambria Blackpool quartz design is the darkest ebony with a stealthy silken Cambria Matte finish that absorbs light.

Our 2020 Trend Forecast highlights mixing metals, and we love how designer Christopher Peacock added a brass metal band around the edge of Blackpool countertops in the 2019 Kips Bay Decorator Show House kitchen to bring the space together.

“I like to push the envelope a little bit,” he said. “The metal detail on the island matches the shelving and hood canopy detailing.”

In another standout kitchen by Gretchen Black and Artisan Signature Homes, Blackpool quartz countertops make for a stunning soapstone alternative as a waterfall edge island.

White and Black kitchen with floral accents and Blackpool Matte and White Cliff quartz countertops and island

A stunning Cambria Blackpool island in a matte finish makes a statement in the Kips Bay Decorator Show House kitchen.

Cambria Blackpool Matte quartz kitchen island countertops

A standout waterfall quartz kitchen island in Blackpool.

Black and white kitchen with oak cabinets and Blackpool Matte quartz countertops

Cambria Blackpool™ in a modern kitchen design.

Blackbrook: Soapstone Alternative with White Veining

Imagine a dark black sky during a powerful lightning storm, this is Blackbrook. The highly saturated black quartz background contrasts beautifully with white veins throughout. White lightning-strikes dramatize a smooth black background in Blackbrook. Stark and chic, this high-contrast design is powerfully modern and elegantly simple, making it a great soapstone alternative.

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Cambria Blackbrook makes a stunning statement wall.

Blackbrook Matte locker room

Blackbrook shines in a modern fitness studio locker room.

Charlestown: The Refined Soapstone Alternative

Looking for a bold and dramatic statement? The dark and dramatic charcoal gray quartz surface of Charlestown should do the trick. Its subtle white veining atop a black backdrop lends the design to any aesthetic, whether paired with lighter hues or mixed with other dark tones. “Charlestown represents a new refined look of iconic soapstone,” said Kath. “Charlestown in matte finish with its very subtle light gray veins is organic, yet easy on the maintenance.”

Modern kitchen with blue cabinets and hanging light fixtures with Charlestown quartz countertops and backsplash

A bold kitchen featuring Charlestown.

Sharpham: Dark Gray Soapstone Alternative

Icy, crisp, and cool like the dry white wine England’s Sharpham Vineyard is known for. The Sharpham design’s white veining against a dark gray quartz backdrop adds drama and class yet remains comfortably neutral.

Kath swooned over this men’s closet island featuring stylish Sharpham, calling the closet a perfect opportunity to showcase your style and take more risks than you might in another space. A Cambria quartz countertop is ideal for laying out style choices, using retail inspiration to showcase accessories, and keeping essentials at hand.

In this sophisticated black and white bathroom design, a simple color palette allows for a creative installation with geometric flair. Hexagonal floor tiles and a custom Sharpham and Newport™ quartz shower surround bring character.

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A men’s closet island featuring Cambria Sharpham.

Cambria Sharpham™ and Newport™ quartz bathroom vanity and shower wall

Sharpham pairs with Newport for a custom shower surround.

(Updated on 12/05/2023)

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