Are you doing soapstone everywhere? I like it. I think the *almost* tone-on-tone thing will look dramatic and elegant. I wouldn't do one soapstone on the island and one on the rest. If you want to do something different, make it a distinct difference...How about butcherblock on the island? Or the classic marble?

If you have real Brazilian cherry all through the level and the kitchen floor has maple look Pergo, I'd take out the Pergo. I'd go with a non-wood kitchen floor so that you don't have to worry about matching or clashing species. Paint the island and if you don't like it, you can replace it. The cheaper/simpler option is the one to try first...

it really is a personal preference, but i am doing my perimeter cabs in a cottage white with distressing and the island will be a tuscan sun cherry with distressing. i wanted to be safe at first and do it all white, but each time i flipped through a magazine my eye went to the contrasting color on the perimeter cabs and island. good luck with your decision; i don't think you can make a "wrong choice".

Whether you go with white or dark cabinets (personally, I prefer the dark, even with white appliances) is your choice. However, keep in mind that if your cabinets are in good shape, they will outlive your appliances. You're not enamored of white cabinets, do you want to commit yourself to them "forever"? Unless you plan to redo your kitchen when the appliances die, you will have a similar decision to make when you need new appliances...and they won't die all at once, so you'll be re-committing to the color over and over again. If the cabinets are in good shape and painting is intended to be your only redo of them in the foreseeable future, then paint them the color you want, not to match your appliances. As Rosie mentioned, you can paint the appliances if they really bother you (using, I think, appliance or auto paint or a paint meant for metal). The bottom line is this: If the cabinets are not going to be replaced when your appliances die, paint them to please you, not the appliances. Then, for your appliances....(1) patiently wait for them to die and replace them with black or stainless, (2) sell them on Craigslist and then buy new, or (3) paint them now. I would wait b/f I decided what to do w/the appliances until you've painted your cabinets...then make the decision based on how you think they look! (If it were me and I didn't like them, I would probably go with option (2) or (3).) (If your cabinets are in only fair or poor condition, then you may be replacing them sooner than you think/plan! So, if you're willing to live with white for a couple of years, then it might not be so bad. Oh, and if they are in only fair or poor condition, don't put an expensive countertop on them now...it would be a waste of money b/c existing countertops very, very rarely fit new cabinets...even w/the same layout...and if you end up replacing cabinets, I recommend looking closely at your layout and changing it to be more functional if it's not ideal now.) Good luck!