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I am sure to be unpopular here but I like white cabinets. The backsplash would come to life, and you could add any colour to
to the kitchen, wooden cabinets are fine but they are everywhere you look, nothing unique or special about them, but that is just me.
this is your kitchen and you have to live and work in it, try it as is for a few months and if you don't like it change it, as for thinking of the next owner, they will change out what they don't like no matter what you do,so make it your own and don't worry about the resell if you worry about this aspect you will never feel like it is your place and where you belong.
My current plan is to leave the backsplash alone. I actually like the glass backsplash. It goes from a light translucent grey to almost black depending on how much direct light it's getting. So I agree with several folks here that adding some under cabinet lighting will be a big improvement. As for the cabinets, I should probably live with it for awhile before throwing in a lot of time and money changing it. It's not that I hate it, rather I already had a vision of what my kitchen looks like, and it currently doesn't fit that vision. But perhaps I will grow to like it in time.
In the mean time, I plan to do a series of relatively inexpensive DIY improvements that should hopefully improve the kitchen's looks:
window valance - probably go with a simple black valance to make the window appear even with the top of the cabinets.
cabinet hardware - Install modern cabinet pull hardware.
outlet replacements - Replace all outlets/switchs in the backsplash with darker ones. It'd be easier to just replace the covers, but then the switchs/outlets themselves would still be white and stand out against a dark background. I'll probably also replace the two outlets on the sides of the island with brown ones so it blends in with the wood a little better.
under cabinet lights - Install LED under cabinet lighting.
island pendant lights - Install pendant lights over island. The house by default comes with pendant lights over the island, which I like. But whoever spec'ed the house deleted them and went with recessed cans instead. Not sure why.
wall paint - Not too sure what color I'm going with or if I'm just painting one part of the wall (i.e. like an accent wall). I'm thinking something like a darker yellow or orange, or maybe sage green or blue grey. I might hire a color consultant for a couple of hours to have him/her color coordinate my whole house.
Of course, if after 6 months or a year I'm still not happy with the kitchen, there is always the nuclear option: paint the cabinet espresso, keep the backsplash, and change the counter top to a thicker white engineered quartz. That operation would be expensive, but I would achieve my original vision. That is something to be decided in the future though.
But I think the kitchen will look pretty good once all of the aforementioned improvements are done. I'm excited to get to work on them. I'm closing later this month, and don't plan to move in until late November, so that should be give me plenty of time to add the improvements before I move in. I will post the after pictures when it's done Thanks again for your advices folks
I would start with wall paint. The starkness of the white against the darker tones makes it seems 'off'. Maybe a nice neutral gray? Plus, the island wall bugs me. I would look into wrapping that with additional wood or something. Make it seem more integrated into the cabinetry of the island.
Yeah, hard to suggest to paint brand new cabinets. In general this seems like a fine start. I would try everything else first. Once you get the hardware on there that will help. If it really still doesn't all click you can always go back to that idea later.
In the pic, to me the backsplash feels dark, but if it reacts well to having more light, that will help, and the undercabinet lighting will help that.
I wonder what you'll find for the outlets. While I usually don't mind contrasting white, it looks odd in this installation for whatever reason, whether it's the horizontal install or something else. Perhaps it's also because nothing else is white in there except on the walls/trim (e.g. not white appliances or sink or anything). But I don't know how many color combinations you can find. I think gray and black are widely available. I'm a fan of nickel and think that would be great, but I think you'll only find plates in that finish and not the electrical hardware itself. But maybe nickel with black would be okay. You might have to test out a couple combos and see what you think. The electrical parts aren't expensive in the scheme of things. Note if one of those is a functional GFCI (likely unless they used a GFCI breaker at the box) then you may want to limit yourself to colors of that, which may be fewer than the colors of the regular ones.
While you're at it, the bright chrome quite possibly pretty basic builder grade (hard to see from that distance) faucet is screaming for something different. Basically nothing else in there is that finish.
The wall is eluding me. Usually I have a little sense of color, and I want to say a warmer color, but I'm not 100% certain in this case. But warmer would suggest your idea of darker yellow or such. Or just a neutral-ish but darker than what's there now color, but probably keeping it in the brown/beige family. I think gray might seem too cool. I have a relative that went for a sage-ish green, and I don't think it looks right. The color that actually got on the wall feels cold, perhaps somehow too blue even though it doesn't look blue. Not sure, but it seems a bit off to my eyes when I go there. But if you choose well with the sage maybe that could work.
Agree with just above that that island wall is a pain. You might go with totally different color there since it's below the large overhang counter. It would have looked better if it were a finished cabinet back instead of the wall, but what they did was build a little wall and use regular cabinets (=cheaper, I guess). Probably you can't get it to that level, but I think it would improve somewhat by painting it darker. I'm not even sure I'd leave a contrasting trim on it, or if so, not white.
Overall it could be worse, though I understand that otherwise you're starting with a new house and want it to be closer to ideal. Honestly, from my preferences and eye, I kinda wish the floor were a lighter color. I'd rather it not be so close to the cabinet color. But that's me. And that would be too big of a change $$-wise at this point IMO.
I am sure to be unpopular here but I like white cabinets. The backsplash would come to life, and you could add any colour to
to the kitchen, wooden cabinets are fine but they are everywhere you look, nothing unique or special about them, but that is just me.
this is your kitchen and you have to live and work in it, try it as is for a few months and if you don't like it change it, as for thinking of the next owner, they will change out what they don't like no matter what you do,so make it your own and don't worry about the resell if you worry about this aspect you will never feel like it is your place and where you belong.
I agree with this. I would have them professionally painted a nice white by someone who only paints cabinets. You could probably get it done for $2k tops. White would make the backsplash contrast nicely and would really brighten it up given the small window. I think the space is too small for dark cabinets. I wish I were any good at Photoshop, I'd take a stab at it.
Before making big changes, I'd see how the space looks with all your stuff and see how it grows on you. You'd be surprised how a few bright colored accessories can make a big difference. Seriously, it can dramatically change the look of a kitchen.
Things like your toaster, a microwave, a coffee maker, a bread maker, a jar of wooden spoons, a set of large jars, an interesting vase or piece of artwork, etc. will draw the eye and change the whole look of the space.
Thanks for the comments all Just as a reference, here's what my kitchen would have looked like had I stayed with the first builder. The only difference would be not having the range hood, the backsplash would look more like what I have now (similar color but bigger subway tiles), and the floor would be stained a grey color.
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Thanks again for your advices folks 
Basically nothing else in there is that finish.
