[cxa]

I've found an agreeable middle ground, which is to keep syntax highlighting on but to use a monochrome theme, where different types of tokens (like you mention) are distinguished by contrast instead of color. However, I don't personally favor pure blacks or whites (just ask any master printer).

I do make exceptions. For example, I color my cursor, as well as highlight matching parens if the cursor is on one of the pair (changing just the foreground color of the paren, not inverting it). The only color I use is red.

I don't make any objective claims that this is better, my aim is to make something "done well and tasteful", as you say.