marinesgirl, I did pretty much what you are proposing: Kept my builder's grade oak cabinets (and exact footprint) and had them painted. It sounds like you might be planning to paint them yourself. If so, my hat's off to you. I decided no way I wanted to tackle that myself (I live alone), so I bit the bullet and paid for them to be painted professionally. It wasn't cheap, about $4.3K. I bought new doors, so besides the paint, the cabinets really do have a new-ish updated look. This all being said, having gone this route, if I could have gotten new cabinets for a little more (Ikea, e.g.) I might have considered it. Suffice it to say, I know a lot more than I did when I began the process.

It sounds like you might be able to paint and still get counters + backsplash but not new cabs + counters + backsplash. I don't think most counters can be reused with different cabinets, but I'll let others weigh in there.

My thanks to your Marine and his service to our country. If he has access to a computer, you may be able to consult him online for most design decisions.

I would get new cabinets now and be done with it, especially if you can get substantial discount through friend. I think if you put new counters, etc over builder grade cabinets, it's going to show and you will be kicking yourself down the road. When is your husband deploying? Can you go to a KD now, before he goes and settle on some major issues--type of range, basic cabinet layout? Also, painting cabinets is quite a task to do it right..why waste the time and energy only to replace them in the near future? Makes way more sense to have everything new in the configuration you want..I don't think you'll be happy otherwise and will have spent a lot of $$ in the process.

linelle - yes I am going to try and paint them myself. I figure it will be a good distraction while DH is gone. Another reason I am leaning toward painting rather than replacing the cabinets is I had to talk DH into trying white-ish cabinets. He originally wanted rich wood tone. I think painting them a soft white will give him a chance to live with it for a while before we replace them. Then we can decide if we really like the white or if we want to go with wood tone when we get the new cabinets. The only problem is the horrible yellowish/ivory 4x4 tile countertop and backsplash I have now (complete with basket mural behind the range and interspersed flowers!). Don't know how they will look with soft white cabinets. REALLY would like to take a sledge hammer to them. I have looked at what seems like hundreds of "white" paint chips and bought enough samples to paint my entire house! I have narrowed it down to BM Atrium White, Cloud White or Simply White. I am torn between painting them the white shade I ultimately want or trying match that horrible tile so it won't look so bad until we get the new cabinets. DH said - why worry - just go ahead and get new countertops/backsplash. That led to my original question about re-using the countertops. Some days I think I will just wait until DH gets home to do the whole kitchen but then I look at those oak cabinets and resist the urge to start painting immediately!

marinesgirl, don't paint anything a horrible shade. It will not make it look better just because it matches.

I had my cabs painted Cloud White. If you're after creamy white, it's definitely that. Simply White is also beautiful. Could you possibly live with plywood counters for a while? Of all the inconveniences and ugliness, I didn't mind the plywood, as long as you have a working sink.

I ended up getting dark gray Caesarstone counters and am glad I went dark with all the white cabs to help balance it out. If you're up to painting yourself, and it sounds like it might be therapeutic for you, what do you have to lose, besides your time and materials. I wouldn't spend money on a new counter until you are settled on your cabs. I put a counter over builder's grade cabs and I think it looks fine, but I don't have a high end kitchen (or house for that matter).

We are working on a kitchen "update" ourselves and decided to do new countertops and did not buy new cabinets.

The contractor that is helping with some of the work indicated that granite countertops likely could not be re-used if we were to buy new cabinets later (I'm not personally an expert, just relaying what I was told).

If it is helpful, we used Rustoleum's Cabinet Transformations kit in Espresso but I believe they have a "light" kit as well that has various shades of white - our kitchen isn't that large and it took me a full weekend to complete. It's only been a few days but so far I'm happy with the results.

Good luck with your decision and project!

It's unrealistic to get a new stone or quartz counter top now and then decide on new cabinets when he returns.
Painting oak will give you just exactly that, oak that has been painted. I suggest you try a sample before moving forward with that, whether you have a pro do it or DIY. I Suggest Muralo Ultra Satin or Semi-gloss as a finish coat.

Thank you for the responses. I was out of town this weekend and just checked GW this morning. Logic says I should just go ahead and get the new cabinets, etc. and forego the hassle of painting what we have. But it's hard to not listen to that little voice saying "paint the cabinets . . . it will be fine . . . think of the money you will be saving". We don't know how much longer we will be in the house after DH returns from deployment and I hate to think of putting all that money and effort in replacing everything when we probably won't be there long enough to enjoy it. But we have to do something to the kitchen before we try to sell the house. Which is worse - builder's grade oak cabinets with ugly ceramic tile or white painted cabinets with ugly ceramic tile?

Post of picture of what you are dealing with before advice can be given.

You say the cabinets are builder's grade, but that's not very specific. Pictures would help a lot. As one example: Are they partial overlay with huge stiles between the double doors? That shouts dated to me, whether you paint them or not.

Find the post "New to Kitchens?" and you will find a subfolder with how to post photos.