Maybe try painting your existing island cabinets first? If you're thinking about replacing them anyway, why not use them to experiment? It's hard to tell from the pix whether the blue you have is cool or warm - just keep that in mind when choosing the island color.

Also, go with a stainless steel low profile island hood. We had one in our last house and because it looked like a column with a very short box at the bottom, it wasn't as obtrusive as the one you have now (although you would have to give up your artwork display space!).

thanks Ann Marie,
When I went to the Wood Mode store in the area, the designer gave me an estimate of about 100000 for the kitchen. Then the owner of the store came in, and said that he remembers the blue kitchen from when the previous owners installed it, and he would never change these cabinets, as they are the strongest. So that ( along with the price) kind of made me think that maybe I should not change the cabinets overall,if they are so good.
I definitely will get rid of my artwork display! I was thinking of a less obtrusive hood versus a downdraft.
Anna

I've been wanting to change the island for more reasons than just the color. It is deep. The cabinets are 32 inch wide but have no pull outs, so they are hard to use. Also, I want to get a gas stovetop, I would like to get a cabinet for trash, and a wine cooler. That is why i want to change! It overall!

Id like the artwork if it didn't break the edge of the hood line(one on the end instead of 2)
Houses have no character these days you live there right. You can't buy character.
Anyway I was thinking a butcher block on the end even if it's to set your purse and a smaller trash can(s) under it.

...oh and maybe a White Island if you need a new feel.

I am worried that white cabinets and white counter top may make the kitchen " disjointed". Any ideas how to make it so that the island is light in color overall, but it does not look like it was made thirty years after the rest of the kitchen?

That's a nice space to work with. Your ideas are good and if you're keeping the perimeter cabinets as is, maybe a wood island would work. Does the store you went to have a design team who could photoshop options for you? Since you are replacing the island, try out different paint colors. Also, if it hasn't been done already, a really good cleaning of the cabinets may bring out a brighter color.

I was not super happy with the designer I met, I plan to go to a couple of other places as well.
But I am worried: would the fact that both the cabinet colors and the countertop be different look too weird? Should I keep the style of the cabinet door the same on the island as the rest of the kitchen? Should I put the same hardware on all the cabinets? The designer at the store said that she would recommend against changing the hardware of the cabinets that stay, because it has been there for so amy years, and there will be marks

That's a lot of blue, wow! I'd paint the perimeter cabinets, but not a stark white, more of an off white. Replace the island with a wood finished island with more practical cabinets, drawers, pullouts, etc. add a book case or panel to the ends for more detail However, you can retro-fit with pullouts and you can paint the cabinet frames and reface just the doors for something updated, change out the hinges and hardware. Lots of options here!

Changing the island makes more sense than changing the perimeter cabinets because:
- I have broken the glass cooktop, and I want to replace it with gas
- the island is not practical for storage because it is too deep without pull outs. I would like to have some drawers, garbage cabinet and a wine cooler
- I really think the hood makes the room look dark, plus it is not centered over the cooktop. I would like to remove it and either replace it with something much less intrusive or a downdraft, as we already have a downdraft connection to the outside from a jennair grill next to the cooktop. On top of that, the fan in that big hood does not really vent, it recirculates.

Any ideas for a specific island color and countertop? I know i want it to be whitish but have no idea if it should be plain white, white with a little beige, with a little gray. Any specific paint name suggestions.
Thanks!

Thought of your kitchen when my new issue of DESIGN New England arrived with this beautiful kitchen:
http://digital.designnewengland.com/designnewengland/may_june_2014#pg121

Do shop around for a good kitchen designer! As a professional interior designer I have met my share of kitchen planners who may know their product, but are not educated in the fundamentals of design, and it shows in their work.

Why don't you add pullouts? We did that to 2 of our island cabinets. There are companies that make them to your specific size and the prices aren't that bad. http://www.shelvesthatslide.com/

Thanks Dorene, we are in New England ( western Massachusetts), so it may be relevant. I will look for the magazine. When I see it on the iPad, the cabinets look quite a bit lighter than mine.
Diyher, I thought about that, but I still have to change the cooktop, would really like to have a place for the garbage, and would like to change the hood

Btw, I think we are unique in that the flooring is also blue! I have not seen that in any of the blue kitchens that I have seen!

@ grew002 They are considerably lighter, the home is in Watch Hill, RI, the article ( New & Nostalgic P. 116-121) only says they are painted an ocean-inspired blue. the ceiling is white, perimeter counters look like a white corian, the island has a wood counter on the raised bar, the floors are wood which helps to off-set all the blue as does the massive wood table and quirky chairs. I'm in eastern MASS. Go Bruins!!!

Dorene, when we bought the house, all the molding was also the same color blue, and there was wallpaper that was white with blue flowers. We painted the molding white and the walls yellow to give it some light. Even so, the kitchen was in some magazine four decades ago, when it was made,

for your garbage, since you are not actually getting new cabinets, you can buy a slide out trash bin for under your kitchen sink. We had one for 20 years, still have it but once we install the new cabinets I had ordered and put together, we added a new 15" wide cabinet that I am ordering a trash pullout for my husband to install.