I'd choose the lightest of the available options. Natural light plays a role in how the space feels, regardless of how many lights you have.

I'd keep it as light as possible,

the coziness can be added with textiles, rugs, upholstered furniture, and art.

I think all white cabinets all around, and dark cabinets in the center island looks better. With the lighter color wood flooring you have, i wouldn't do dark bottom / center island cabinets. If you want to do dual color, do a lighter grey, truffle or blue bottom cabinets, white upper cabinets.

This is a two-kitchen home? Why?

I think @dennisforman's suggestion is spot on.

BPMBA What difference does it make that it is a two kitchen home????

Yes it is. The basement kitchen will be used for entertaining as that is the floor that goes out into the backyard. We also have natural light coming in from several windows.

If those are the three choices, I'd choose #1 since it has the least amount of the espresso cabinetry if you can't opt for all white. Good call to not choose that gray on the right. You don't mention the choices for counters (stone, quartz, SS), but I'd go light with not a lot of drama with a light splash. Layers of lighting: recessed, pendants, under counter and lamps in the adjacent living spaces.

Thank you everyone for your feedback!

Please vote for either one:

1) All white cabinets with white island

2) All white cabinets with espresso island

The countertop will be a white quartz with very little speckling.

Any suggestions on backsplash? I've attached some ideas..

Thank you in advance!

The cabinets look like a very white white whereas the counters look a bit creamy… so not sure about how it will all go together (but perhaps it’s just my screen distorting the colours). I think you’ll likely need to wait until your cabinet option / colour scheme is chosen (and counters) before finalizing a backsplash choice.

If possible, do countertop selection after cabinets are in so you can look at samples in your space with your lighting. Then will be backsplash considerations. Consider wall color (appears to be a shade of white?)

Use the same slab for your backsplash. But I agree with others that the whites you've chosen may not work together.

Yes the cabinets are bright white (builder calling it alabaster) and wall is an off-white/creamy color (SW Creamy).

are you saying the backsplash should be closer to the cabinet white and these off white colors for the backsplash may be too creamy?

My vote is all white. White is timeless But, you whites are fighting a bit. The cool vs warm.

If your only option are the white of the counter backsplash, then go for epsresson cabinets everywhere. It will be dark in that basement but the whites will work better.

No we can choose any backsplash. are you saying the backaplash should be more closer to the white cabinet color?

like this one ?

all white. no espresso.

Can you show us a good picture of the white cabinets with the white countertop and a large sample of the wall color?

Do the three whites all work well together? Does one look too yellow or too green or too stark?

Would you consider a countertop with a bit more color? Often the white granites are more of a gray/blue white and that might not work well with creamy.

Whites can be difficult to mix and match. Best bet is to look at all the whites together in natural daylight on a clear day.