yes paint, and you can try yellow first, but i think a deeper color would make it look more solid.

I would try staining it grey to match cabinets but retain the woodgrain. You can always paint it later if you don't like it. Maybe put a bowl of lemons on it to bring out the yellow. What a beautiful transformation of your kitchen. Great job.

Yes, paint it. But not yellow. You have enough with the yellow chairs. Go 50% of the cabinet color.

With your yellow kitchen chairs, I think the island being yellow also will be a bit too much. I might think about painting the bottom grey and leaving the top as is. Great transformation.

You have done a great job on your renovation! Love the backsplash. I think doing a gray wash on the island would keep
It looking timeless. Could you add a pendant or two over the island?

Great job and good suggestions above. I too would be curious about your ceiling fixture. That might be the spot to add the cherry on top of your remodel.

HI - Great job so far ! Yes paint the bottom of the island , not the top and not yellow . The yellow doesn't do it for this kitchen . And do not stain it to match the cabinets , that would be boring . You need a medium richer color . Look at the 2015 colors by Benjamin Moore paints. Perhaps an all most navy color or a pretty green .

What a great kitchen! The Ikea console is inspired. Let's paint that puppy. I'll be back when it's done.

Thanks everyone! I don't have a place to add lighting (bummer). I thought yellow would be too much but wanted other opinions. I think I will look at a shade darker than the cabinets. And yes only the bottom I will leave the top alone.

It appears to me that you have yellow chairs near by. I definitely think you should paint the island yellow, or maybe play with different shades of white or cream. I think painting the island the same color as the cabinet will make the kitchen dark.

You appear to have a ceiling fixture above the sink. You can use that to install a track that also allows strategic positioning of pendants.

What color are the walls? Try going with that color in a super high gloss, but don't paint the top yet. See if you like it unpainted because with use its going to peel and scratch.

I like the top one - gray - but would leave the top of the piece natural.

Putting my vote in. The island matches the cabinets, leaving the top alone. If you want more yellow in the kitchen, there are other options. Paint the kitchen walls yellow. I love you pick picture with the dog, but you could change it out to something with more yellow or just frame a nice piece of yellow fabric. Find a yellow rug for the kitchen.

Congratulations on a great job with your kitchen.

Yah, don't know what I was thinking when I painted the top. It can be unpainted, but the gray, while nice, is a bit boring.

That's it - #1. Grover, can you add some track lights with pendants over it like I showed above. I think they'd connect to the electrical above the sink.

I was going to say put a bowl of lemons on it and call it good, but then I saw grover's paint options! I like the yellow with the natural top, maybe not a thick enamel, more of a light yellow wash? What a fab transformation, by the way! I'm going to save these photos and look at them every time I consider a kitchen with oak cabinets.

I like the green, personally, although a yellow could be great too. fun!

Like Maureen's idea-paint the base gray and leave the top natural as pictured in groveraxle's 2nd post! Love how the gray base ties together the cabinet color, but the wood counter top adds warmth in the kitchen.

What a great help groveraxle! You have some great colors happening here, but 2 just seems not enough. What about a blue island and natural top? As nice as the yellow is, it's too close both in color and proximity to the chairs.

Wow Groveraxle those look great! After seeing them in person so to speak I'm kind of leaning toward the yellow. I also loved the track lighting idea but my ceilings are not high enough, my very tall son in law would be getting tangled in them lol. Besides our ceilings are textured and removing the fluorescent light leaves an odd looking spot in it, so I would have to re do the ceiling on the whole first floor as it is all open concept.
I love this site so many great ideas, thanks everyone. This is a new house for us so I'll keep updating as I merrily decorate my way through.

I also loved the track lighting idea but my ceilings are not high
enough, my very tall son in law would be getting tangled in them lol.

your ceilings seem to be at least 9-10feet tall?????? So unless you have and 8 foot kid it shouldnt' be a problem. the track itself can be mounted to only drop one inch from the ceiling. and the lights for task 3 inches from that, of course the pendants would be over something. of course i have no idea if you need a lighting solution or not but just an FYI.

Im also assuming there is more than just the light over the sink.

the yellow is awesome I say go for it, it can always be painted over!!!!

just an idea for you

Interesting! My first thought was a creamy white to match the counter top!! Will be fun to see what you decide:) Great reno!

I pretty much like all the colors EXCEPT the gray (sorry deco). And I have to add, again, this is one of the best kitchen renos I've ever seen. Totally classy!

l love this kitchen. I like leaving the natural top and perhaps try a darker read than the tomatoes red Grover posted. Pretty neat trick Grover.

The island would look great in a distressed grey. It in keeping with your window treatments.

Great kitchen! Another non island suggestion, raise your pretty window treatment higher, your window will look bigger! You can try it by just taping it to the wall with painters tape.

Ok Houzzers I made a choice and finished the island in yellow. I did try the grey but it just blended too much, the yellow I think adds a bit of brightness. I'm still going to add crown molding to the cabinets. I just need to figure out how to cut it right and play with the miter saw. It's not something I've done yet, but the pricing from local carpenters I thought was a bit too high. After all it's just four corner cuts. So if any of you helpful posters have any tips on cutting crown molding please feel free to clue me in. Thanks for all the compliments and help in deciding on a color.

thats a great shade of yellow.

If you are going to paint the crown molding - which I am certain you are, use painters caulk to fill in any areas that don't quite meet up perfectly at the corners. Caulk will be your best friend. Once painted, it will blend right in. Practice with your miter saw a little first. Wear eye protection as those bits of wood can really fly sometimes. Cut the mitered corners first and make sure they fit. You may have to go back and skim a little off or adjust the angle. Do the strait cuts last after you get the corners right. Here are some helpful videos:

http://search.thisoldhouse.com/search.html?bu=0&x=0&y=0&Ntt=install+crown+molding&Ntx=mode+matchall

Your kitchen looks great!

Paint the island a med grey/ taupe tone to match the backsplash/ grey brown in curtain and compliment the darker cabinets color.

This kitchen has plenty of neutrals already. The yellow (or any livelier color) provides a needed spark 'mongst all that gray.

Your kitchen looks awesome and I love the yellow island. Can I ask what kind of paint your used on the cabinets and the color. I'm looking at repainting my cabinets and thought I might try Annie Sloan chalk paint. Thanks

Thanks, dedcole1 I used Olympic one in I believe knights armor. I made my own chalk paint by adding plaster of Paris at 1/2 cup plaster, 1/2 cup water mixed together then add three cups paint. Much cheaper than ASCP.