I think that would look great. To make sure you don't pick the wrong paint colour, choose a few swatches that you think will match, bring them home and look at them in your kitchen lighting. Also, you could buy little tester cans of paint and try it on woods like the wood your cabinets are made of and bring those into your kitchen and see what you like best.

I would also leave the cabinets. I feel like painting cabinets right is a large expensive undertaking reserved for ugly outdated cabinets or those who truly hate their cabinets and whose dream kitchen is painted.
If lighting is an issue it seem like you could have more recessed lights without it looking like too much. I'd also consider larger pendant lights.

In my opinion the current colors are too dark for a north facing kitchen, so I like what you're proposing. However, I've never painted kitchen cabinets, and I think it could look really cheap if not done correctly.

I love our kitchen. Leave it alone. But if you do decide to paint it. Hire professional painters to do the work.

what about a skylight or pops of color or some other solution

Everyone thank you so much for all of your comments. I would definitely get professionals to do the painting (sprayer) as I would totally destroy it. I'm not sure if a skylight could be put in, as our master bath is right above it, but that is definitely something to consider!

Paint them! I like your idea of doing just the island dark. A white lighter than your counter will make the counter stand out.

I wouldn't touch it, it's beautiful. I certainly with live with it for 6 months before changing it.

The cabinets are fabulous and I don't think they should be painted. I agree that you should address the lighting if the room is too dark. If it were my house, I would change the flooring. I think the flooring clashes with the granite.

Definitely add more recessed lights before you do anything else. Maybe add some light to the glass door cabinet too. That is about half the light I normally put in a kitchen.

Your biggest problems are that the ceiling recessed lights are behind you when you work at the counter and cause shadows. Also, the under cabinet lights are always too far in front of you and cause a glare to bounce back into your eyes which make your pupils smaller and makes the side facing you of whatever you are working on be shadowed and appear darker than it actually is.

Oftentimes North facing light can be the most pleasant light, being more consistent throughout the day and rarely harsh. It also allows for more dramatic spaces that rely a bit more on layered lighting opportunities. The small cans & under cabinet lighting are terrific, providing general and task lighting. A significant improvement on the look and feel of this kitchen would be achieved in replacing the underwhelming pendant lighting over the island. They have also been hung too high, throwing harsh light on the face. Imagine larger, more shapely and pleasant fixtures (perhaps rounded chandelier-type fixtures).
Painting your cabinets would likely be done on site instead of in a painting booth, so it's unlikely to get a high quality conversion varnish finish that will stand the test of time and use. Your finishes are beautiful and appear new enough to be of good quality. Enjoy the drama afforded you in north light and your fortunate gorgeous rich finishes!

I love all of these suggestions! Thank you. @Kitchen Design Alchemy would you happen to have a link or picture of the size and shape you suggest. I'm very open to changing the lighting. There is also an eat-in kitchen area with the matching 'chandelier' of the pendants and would, of course, change that out too.

I would consider more recessed lights and one beautiful large pendant. Personally I am in love with the restoration hardware Victorian hotel pendant in this photo.
http://houzz.com/photos/1357984

Do you have a window in this kitchen? If not , perhpas you could add more lights or have a skylight installed or solar Tubes even , to be perfectly frank with you , your kitchen cabinets are very nice and they also look like they are new and in good conditions ,so to paint them would be a mistake . When you purchased this house you knew very well that the cabinets were dark and yet you purchased this house ,usually if something is not to someone's liking they would turn the house down yet you didn't why is that ? was there something else in the house that appealed to you ? If you have money to waste then go ahead and paint it ,but to me this kitchen is the "dream kitchen " that some of us can only dream of .

Paint the cabinets. They are too dark and look dated. How about French Grey?

I absolutely love your kitchen cabinets and, if it were me, I would not paint. I would just invest in different lighting.

I wonder what it would look like if you just painted the pantry door and the upper bank of cabinets the same shade of off-white as your island, and leave everything else as is ...

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@Genevieve The house is in a great location and the yard is big. Those are things that aren't easily changed. While the kitchen is totally a dream kitchen, and don't get me wrong, I absolutely love it, my first thought was 'I would have switched the color scheme'. But I agree with @photogrankel in that I should wait at least 6 months to live with it before changing. But I am absolutely loving everyone's suggestions. Thank you all!!! The Houzz community is a wonderful community :)

@Brenda I never thought of that! That is definitely something to consider. @Sam0705 That is also something to consider. Thank you!

Well, I have the same problem and have been constantly thinking of painting our cherry cabs because I want to lighten up the kitchen. As for me, I am going to wait until my contractor knocks out a wall that will enlarge the kitchen and expose it to another window on the sink side. Then, if it's still too dark, I may paint them. So, I was thinking, maybe if you could remove a cab on the left hand side of the pic and put a large window there, you might change your mind.

@Genevieve @inabunker I do have windows and a door and I would love to knock a wall down where the left cabinets are but I would lose substantial cupboard space, and on the other side is the family room. I would love to see the before and after pics of your kitchen @inabunker.

I'm voting for painting. You could also replace some doors with mirrored or glass doors.

I'd leave it alone - it's beautiful!

I like the suggestion about replacing some more of the solid doors with mirrors or glass. Also like the idea of painting the pantry door and the cabinets on that end of the kitchen to match the island.

You could consider removing some upper cabinets. And find a place for a pantry?

Here are a few options I found on Lightology. The first two would be great, the third is more about the fixture shape than the finishes.
http://www.lightology.com/index.php?module=prod_detail&prod_id=77621&cat_id=106

http://www.lightology.com/index.php?module=prod_detail&prod_id=48743&cat_id=11

http://www.lightology.com/index.php?module=prod_detail&prod_id=59871

We have a very similar setup. Dark cherry Bordeaux cabinets. The cherry was dark and as it ages it gets darker. My wife chose them and we too have regrets. Our kitchen is less than 5 years old and after spending $35k+ on cabinetry I just cannot fathom painting them!

We actually have the same fridge/freezer as you BTW.

I wouldn't change it! We get compliments from everyone, despite how "dark it looks"

We have 12+ recessed lights, under cabinet lighting and a 3 light hanging fixture over the island. It really helps!

@Kitchen Design Alchemy I LOVE the veiled crystal light fixture. It's gorgeous. I went to a local lighting store and was looking on Friday and I think I will start by changing the fixtures. @rmelo99 We also get compliments and I really do appreciate the kitchen but I prefer the 'lighter' look, you know? I think I'm going to change the lighting. @Anne and @giniaginia I like your ideas, but I can't afford to lose any cupboard space. I really appreciate all of your suggestions!

What do you guys think about this lighting? I would get 3 of the pendants for over the island and then the chandelier type one over the kitchen table. It's not matchy, matchy but perhaps it's close enough??

I understand the desire to lighten cabinets and love your original idea of light cabinets and dark island. We have a similar kitchen and I have loved the suggestions. I think lighting is your key too. You need a more substantial island light. Ensure you have everything on dimmers to adjust the light for the day and the seasons to help. Light cabinets will brighten the space and a dark island would anchor and add warmth. Painting wood is difficult for a lot of people, but the shadows and details of the cabinet design is accented when it is white. You will continue to get compliments because the design is beautiful and it will feeling bright and airy too. Good luck!

I like them! I don't like matchy and think they compliment nicely.

really? I think it's beautiful. For me I would not touch this unless everything else I wanted was done, i had fully funded the grandkids college educations, and the house was paid off!

by the way, love the chandeliers, but not for your space. But I do love the larger size -- what about something a little less blingy?

Your kitchen is beautiful. I would not paint, hopefully addition lighting brightens it up enough for you. Also I really like idea of painting the pantry a light color.