I have the same question. following

Although many have 2 tone cabinetry and tops, it is more traditional and universally accepted to keep the cabinetry and tops the same throughout the kitchen. It is definitely a personal choice. Best wishes!

Hello there! I'm a big advocate for mixing things up. I believe that adding another color or tone into the island gives the kitchen a little more interest and excitement rather than keeping it all one color, especially with a large island. You might think about a soft french gray, gray/blue, navy, or black for the island cabinets. These all look great with white and your choice of granite. Of course there are lots of other choices (depending on the style of your home) especially if you are doing custom cabinets!

Yes, yes, yes! The all-white kitchen is dying a welcome (in my opinion) death. In fact, I even wrote a blog post about it just yesterday. :-)

http://www.sabrinaalfininteriors.com/blog/2018/1/2/2018-the-death-knell-for-the-all-white-kitchen

I think there are a number of factors that make one work over the other in various sorts of kitchens. I would not do it just because it's trendy-ish.

Neither way is incorrect. Both can be done well, but both can be done pretty badly.

I think you have to analyze what it is you would like about doing everything all the same vs, what you would like about doing a different island and see what you come up with.

Honestly I've done more two tone kitchens than I've done all one color. But I've never done a contrasting island. It's probably because most kitchens I've done are not large enough for islands. (I believe I've done more dark bases and light uppers --usually the wall color--than anything else).

Anyway, it can be good looking, but it can also be a cliche. It depends on the overall kitchen and the execution of the design.

I think it's usually best to vary either the cabinets OR countertops, not both.

i like a contrasting island if the idea is to look like a piece of standalone furniture.

Either same cabinet color & different counter tops or same counter tops & different island wood color. Like Coco Chanel said- "take one thing off" :)

No matter how careful you are, touching white cabinets with you shoes (in the seating area) will eventually leave marks. A stained cabinet will hide those marks.

Here is a white kitchen with contrasting paint on island cabinetry that we recently completed as part of a home renovation. It is very visually appealing.

I think when you use a black (or other neutral/non-busy) countertop, it's OK to mix up both the cabinets and countertop colors. But you have to be careful.....one top should be more solid color....not a lot of pattern. Here is a kitchen I just did for a client that wanted a rustic cabin look. She had leathered black countertops on the perimeter and a busier granite on the island. The island is an olde world distressed green. The perimeter is knotty alder.

Here is another kitchen I did...white with different color island....and the use of ONE color on the countertop. I prefer this look if using two cabinet colors. UNLESS, someone is going for a rustic look like the photo above.

If you want a matte black...consider a leathered finish, not honed. Honed shows fingerprints a LOT more! Leathered is way more forgiving.