Have you considered a brick red for a cabinet colour?

How about cherry cabinets? Either extreme, white / black could over dramatize your space depending upon the light coming in the room.

If the right cabinets are chosen white absolutely doesn't look cheap! I was at a house tour of grand, turn of the (20th) century mansions, and the kitchens had white wood, not thermofoil or antiqued, shaker style cabinets....gorgeous!

Quarter sawn oak, cherry, paint white are typical selections in 100+ yr old houses. I tend to recommend the one that fits the style of home the best.

Paint black is a challenge to pull off without feeling too dark.

We hadn't thought of brick red for cabinet color which could look GREAT but a risk as it's definitely not a neutral. Original design for our house did have white cabinets with a shaker style door (simple). We wanted to make it look a little more custom and so looked at a door with more trim (either flat panel or raised) and added some legs and corbels. Do you think wood cabinets (just stained) with wood flooring is too much brown? That was my fear with doing a stained wood door/island. Fridge, dishwasher & hood are built in so whatever we pick it will be all around....thanks for your help!

White and black cabinets are both drastic, dramatic choices. Either one, if not done mindfully can look cheap or harsh. I suggest getting something with depth, like a wash instead of paint, that you can see a tad bit of the wood grain through and investing in great pulls. Good luck!

great tip - thank you!! I agree that pulls make SUCH a difference

I am refinishing more kitchens in white than ever but my customers choosing black rub through or just black painted for island.

You could always do both-
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[houzz= https://www.houzz.com/photos/7-austin-terrace-transitional-kitchen-dallas-phvw-vp~7487236]

Thats exactly what my customers are requesting!

thanks for the suggestions to do a mix. Originally we had accents on each wall that were to be a different color (original plan was wood cabinets stained pretty neutral with black antiqued hood on range wall, antiqued sink cabinet on that wall and antiqued pantry on the 3rd wall and black antiqued island). All of the black antiqued pieces have legs or "turnings?" - do you think this would be too busy? if we did wood and black? in this way?

Rift sawn oak fumed and then limed with an off white color would be very attractive.

I think it sounds fine, potentially. It is a lower contrast look that will appear more dense, and may call for more attention to lighting.

That is also fine. Many of my customers are doing wood with painted in different areas of the kitchen. I just painted a customers uppers white and stripped, stained and refinished her lowers to a wood tone. Kitchen looks unique and nice contrast which is fine.

http://www.houzz.com/pro/mmadeo/touch-of-class-fine-finishing#!projects-expanded

check out the mccarthy (wood and white) and scarsdale (white and black) kitchens for some options