My kitchen cabinets are on order (yeah!!) and should arrive in 2 weeks. Until then, I'm planning to shop granite yards for the "perfect" countertops.

Here's my dilemma: my perimeter cabinets are cherry with a "burnt sienna" (aka pecan) glaze. My island will be an onyx stain, somewhat like an espresso finish. Although the island will be narrow (32" x 68" with a 1" overhang on each side), I would like it to look like more like a piece of furniture. I've ordered a base molding to give it a finished look and I have tentatively planned to use drawer pulls and knobs in a different finish (possibly pewter) from the burnt sienna cabinets.

The remaining question is whether or not the granite should be the same as the perimeter cabinets. I found a beautiful slab called "Top Star" that goes wonderfully with the onyx stain. This granite has lots of movement to it (creams, blacks, caramels) and also goes pretty well with the burnt sienna glaze. I'm struggling with whether or not the granite should be throughout the kitchen to maximize the "wow" factor, or whether I should only have it on the island and maybe use absolute black (or other neutral granite) on the perimeter cabinets. Conversely, I've thought about using "Top Star" on the perimeter cabinets but can't seem to come up with a good choice for the onyx island. I want a chohesive look.

Anyone with cherry cabinets and dark islands out there?? I'd love to see your kitchens. Can't seem to find too many online---so many white kitchens out there! Guess I'm either bucking the trend or going old-school. It took me a year to figure out that white just wasn't "me", although the look is beautiful.

Your suggestions are greatly appreciated!