I also lean towards the all the same color camp. I love some of the kitchens with the accent island, but I do worry it will be a trend, and I know some people don't like it so for resale it may not be a great solution. (I know it's a balance between what you love and what will work long term, but since you're asking for other's opinions...) Glaze can look nice, but I only like it if it's really subtle, and if it's really subtle, you may not even notice the difference between the island and the cabinets. I think with dark cabs and light/white granite there will be enough contrast I wouldn't worry about making the island stand out too. Just my $.02! Good luck!

White paint was too expensive except for the best parts of the house. The inventories for the neighborhood houses (1830s-40s) list a (cheaper) trim color called stone or buff, that was probably a warm light grey, and this is supported by some of the lowest layers of paint on my woodwork. (On the third floor) The hidden portion of my pocket shutters was an ochery light gold kind of color, and it appeared to be a single layer of paint. However, since this surface was hidden when open and faced out when covering the windows it lends credence to the theory that they may have been white and this is how the 170 year old paint oxidized. I did pick a dark charcoal grey as one of my cabinet colors, but more to match the black&gold marble fireplaces than to be "period". So while I do agree that a second color may be good for the unfitted look, maybe not something as strong as black necessarily. As far as the baseboards go, a paint analysis of Lemon Hill, a Federal house here, indicated that there was a dark brown band painted around the entire perimeter of the room corresponding with the lower portion of the baseboard, the doors and their surrounds and the mantlepieces, as if a level line had been painted around the entire room without regard to what detail it was going on. This was apparently done because the floors were mopped or swept with sand and the dark band camouflaged spatter.

I like your color scheme for the contempo look--but WITH the Tiffany style pendants instead of the modern ones.

I don't have photos yet b/c my kitchen is currently under construction, but I just ordered (!!) kitchen cabinets with the perimeter in a creamy white (topped with Virginia Mist) and the island in a medium dark stain with a charcoal glaze - somewhat lighter than gglks' beautiful island (topped with White Fantasy quartzite). I'm also doing a desk in the dark stain - it's at the end of a counter run, on the perimeter of the kitchen. I love the look (thanks to great inspiration on this site), plus I've heard that if you'll have seating at the island, the dark stain takes wear and tear from kicking feet better than the white paint. I don't know if that's true, but as I have two messy boys who like to kick things (and occasionally each other), I figured better safe than sorry. Either way, your kitchen will be beautiful.