You could have cabinets painted a green-gray. Other combo would be green-gray bottoms with cream/off -white uppers. Wouldn't do all white/cream because your counters look off-white and maybe too difficult to pair the right off-white (there are so many of them!)

Professional paint job that size would be $4000-$5000.

Sorry, I suggested green-gray because of the green in your floor tiles.

I'd paint or stain island sage green . Get cream topped bar stools .

Thanks for all the great advice. I'm seriously considering paint the island as suggested. I like the sage green suggestion. We are also going to try swapping the oak panels on the refrigerator with stainless. Thanks again.

I would have the cabinets painted in a light colour most likly a nice grey or even a pale blue. I would also paint the trim around the ceiling in the dining area to the same colour as the ceiling. I would keep the dining table the nice dark wood that it is and accessorise in the dining area to complement the colour you have chosen for the kitchen.

Right now, it's not dark, it's a little flat/dull. Before I painted cabinets that look to be in great shape, I'd consider a new, lighter kitchen floor and barstools that aren't wood. As suggested, painting the island would modernize the space. A big bowl of fruit, a few colorful accessories and some handle/pulls would add interest.

I'm normally against painting cabinets white but in this case I can see your kitchen being a BEAUTIFUL white kitchen. Or, as the other houzzers have suggested, a pale blue or light grey. Or maybe you could paint the island a nice colour and make the rest white. AMAZING kitchen though. I really like it!

I would start with new wall colour, new area rug, change the bar stools, and if those details don't brighten the room, then consider painting the island lower cabinets and/or wood trim around the windows -- the rest of your kitchen is beautiful, I wouldn't paint it.

I like the idea of painting the island only and doing stainless for the refrigerator. Rugs could be lighter. It is beautiful and you can find a number of ways to lighten the area with accessories, etc in the dining room.

The bar stools you have are of good quality and be sold for a decent price. Choose replacements that are a contrast to the wood you have in the kitchen now [i.e. metal, painted, or a different colour of wood].
http://www.westelm.com/shop/furniture/counter-bar-stools/?cm_re=FALL1.4-_-branding-_-BarStools

alternatively, you could paint your existing wood stools, and have the other tops reupholstered [so they are not black - which is a dark colour]. Probably much cheaper than replacing them. :)

http://www.westelm.com/products/tile-wool-kilim-aquamarine-t981/?pkey=e%7Carea%2Brug%7C207%7Cbest%7C0%7C3%7C24%7C%7C5&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_-NoMerchRules

Sometimes small changes to a space with great bones is all you need. Along with painting the island, I would replace the counter stools to something other than wood, like a metal to break up the heaviness of all the wood that often gives the eye that "dark" feeling. Painting out the window trim would also help to freshen up the space and lighten things up. I like your idea of bringing in stainless steel verses the paneled wood fronts on the appliances, this will lessen the wood and bring you an entirely new look!

Lighter colored area rugs
Whitewash or somehow lighten the wood floors
Remove doors on cabinets on either side of the kitchen window and have open shelves
Replace some cabinet doors with either glass or open shelving

I had a similar issue with our kitchen. All wood and kind of dark. Painted them a French gray. they looked great. Sorry I don't have a picture. Leave the island alone and paint all the other cabinets. Good luck.

Your cabinets look great, the problem is the floor tile, there is no contrast between the cabinets and the floor. The floor should be off white of light gray just a little darker that he countertop. Even though the floor is green it is the same value as the base cabinets, a dark mess. Try spreading a white sheet on the floor to see if you like the effect.