Soft white light has a temp color of 2700K - 3000k, which is the closest to incandescent lighting which most people will use in homes at night. Halogen lights and fluorescents come in at around 3200 - 3500k. Daylight white is 4000k - 5000k. A perception is that fluorescent light is too cold/ harsh and perhaps too commercial. On the other hand, 2700k is perceived by some to be a little too yellow. Do visit local lighting stores which have areas lit at different color temps to get a feel.

Finally made a decision! Had a color consultant from the painting company come out and look at paint samples and tile. Decided an off-white cabinet vs white would look best based on the rest of the kitchen and house. Picked the tile we liked best and the BM Maritime White we originally picked for cabinets and walls. We'll use the same white trim I have in the rest of the house. There's enough of a contrast where it looks good and that's what I've done with the rest of the house --and consistent with the decor style. My 1926 house has a lot of nice moldings, large baseboards, and trim and we show it off!

Bright white has a tendency to be kind of stark. I would use a soft creamy white instead so it is easier on the eyes and will reflect light better. Some examples of a nice soft white would be BM Dove White which is pretty popular here, or Pot of Cream (Behr). The Pot of Cream is a really pretty white and what I used for everything from our trim and doors to furniture I was refinishing.

My cabinets are bright white too, I find a nice kitchen rug helps, the white cabinets will reflect the tones you put near them, so you really don’t need to worry, they won’t look stark like they do in an empty house. Here’s what mine looked like initially and then after decorating etc. You can really see how the cabinets reflect the rug color in the photo of the range. The counters are a pale grey color.