Or should the island be the color of the cabinets? Cabinets are maple with carmine stain.

Personally with the cabinets, floors and table, I wouldn't stain the island. Too much wood. I'd paint and I'd go for a medium gray, similar to the appliances without being silver. I think the stools in a stainless paint would look awesome if that's your "style".

Carolyn Albert-Kincl Design...I LOVE that color but will it be too dark and look right with a bluish/gray?

Benjamin Moore "Cinder" af- 705 a perfect dark gray!

I like the light blue, and agree, the island should stand alone, and not be stained, Are you talking about doing the whole island, or just what the pboto shows? If it's the whole island, I would paint it a little darker and a blue with a grey tone, and with cream trim the color of your door. Then maybe a very fine crackle finish, and a rub of a darker brown around edges, for an aged look, then a couple of coats of wax. The color is so pretty now, but feet will be constantly hitting it, so a little darker is probably more practical.

same color as table and chairs

smdrovetto..just doing the part you see in photo.

The other side of island is cabinets and dishwasher.

It's worth trying the colors that interest you, using poster board to paint a big sample. I figure Black Fox is pretty neutral, but you know what it has to go with.

I thought you were removing the raised bar and "glorifying" the island itself with a new top and paint.

I agree with deco that that having the island at all one level would look fabulous, but I didn't think that was in the plans.

The bar stools painted in a very high gloss paint will add a texture in the room and be easy to clean.

No not removing the raised bar as there is electrical on the other side. Too much money to fix all that:)

not blue or Lt grey...I would get false cabinet doors to match the kitchen...if not available any kind of raised panel door, painted charcoal grey , not light grey...some color to ground that bar.

I like the color that it is now!

I like the pop of color that the island provides now and would consider changing the backsplash to coordinate with it.