Attached Link: Selective Color

I may be one of the few to say I actually like this style/method. Although I agree with all the issues brought up (can be over-used, saturation can be too strong), I think when done right and with restraint the results I find wonderful.

I have used it several times. And much like you have said Tom, I generally tone down (desat) the color area. What I also do most times though; I  DO NOT fully desaturate the overall image. I leave a very slight color to it. I think this allows one to have a slightly more saturated colored area without it creating to stark of a difference between the color and BW.

The link above is to one of the several images I have used it on. Mostly I have used it for my cats photos. If you look closely, you can see, the overall image is not BW, but just VERY desat.