We just went through this same decision. We are using Shiloh cabinetry - soft white in the kitchen. I saw tons of pics that went both ways, and I thought they all looked great. My opinion is that it depends on the kitchen design and if you have cabs to ceiling, or some other design that needs to match. We opted to match but only bc of our hood design and built ins that we had in the kitchen. Our hood is going to have the room crown wrap around it, and I didn't want that white color to be different from the cabinetry white color below. So, that led to all the crown being the same color...which led me to have the baseboards the same color. In addition, we have a kitchen fireplace/tv built in and that goes to the ceiling. Plus, I always have preferred an off white/creamy trim to bright white trim. And, I didn't want the creamy color to look like I tried to match but messed up. So, after all that analysis paralysis, I just matched the interior trim to the soft white cabinets! hth!

jmcreque Lovely kitchen! We have the same issue in our current kitch. We used a plinth block to separate the trim in the meet up corner and it looks fine. This seems glaring now only because nothing else is in the kitchen. Counters and BS will tie it all together. I would consider first painting the trim WD in the kitch only, this keeps costs down, and staining the doors to match the island. In fact if it were my kitchen I'd do that anyway. Those big white doors distract from your really beauiful cabinetry. Are the doors to be closed most often? Then this is also a non issue. I disagree with your architect/designer, sometimes everything too matchy-matchy just doesnt do well. All that leads me to: is the WD the best color for this kitchen given the light in the room. Window light, lighting isnt in yet? and time of day all play into color. Your finished room will look quite different with all the colors involved plus accessories. I certainly wouldnt pay thousands extra to change out the cabinet color at this stage. YMMV

Thanks everybody for your input. The shaker cabinets are new -- so that's why I hesitate to paint them. True, the lighting in the kitchen isn't that great -- so perhaps it would be difficult for people to notice the difference. I would love, however, to change the hardware. Currently they are the tubular pulls which seem too contemporary for this pre-war apartment. I know I may have to paint the cabinets depending on the new hardware I select. If I can fill in the holes with wood filler and have it paint so it would be seamless, I'd leave it as it is. But not sure if that will happen. If I end up having to paint the cabinets, I figure might as well paint them the same color as the trim/moldings. Decorators White looks good in all of the rooms (with the exception of the master bedroom where colors are more muted) because the furniture tends to run on the fresh clean side.

i say go with a white or a really light gray can pare nicely