Thank you. That is what i was thinking too. I'd rather get solid wood doors/cabs but this company keeps telling me that if i get that the paint would eventually peel. I am so confused.

P.S. i just posted a photo above.

Wow I think I’d leave everything and work only on the 2 height top, at the bar. With the black appliances Looking Pretty good I’d go for a black or near black top for island redo ( stunning ) ? Granite? . Switch to satin nickel or similar hardware. Then let yourself live w space for a while. It is the smartest advice at this stage .

Thank you. I am getting finger print resistant stainless steel appliances and definitely want to change the cabs to white. But i may just take your advice and live in the space for a bit.

Can you show the whole kitchen from a few bore angles?

Re : applIances. You have a cohesive look w those. Appluances DO get replaced in time but if isn’t exactly necessary I might wait on it ... when you pull them out later you’ll know more about the kitchen and may feel some configuration or storage issues can better be addressed then ,

Have had bad luck with thermofoil peeling and would never get it again. Mdf may be more stable than solid wood, but I would go with the painted maple doors. Whether or not you paint what you have depends on how much you like the arched doors.

I hope you take the opportunity to extend the cabinets to the ceiling with moulding. Thermofoil of today is different from thermofoil from 2000, but I would lean toward painted.

Personally I wouldn’t use thermofoil if you paid me. Agree with cabs to ceiling.

Live with it for 6 months to a year. You may decide there are other things you don't like about the way the kitchen functions. Then any money you spend now on lipstick will either a) stop you from the reno you really want or b) be dollars out the window.

Thanks everyone for your feedback re: thermofoil. And yes, i am looking to extend the cabs to the ceiling. Do not like arched doors so the new white doors will not be arched and will have more modern look.

But what if in 6 months you hate the layout and the entire kitchen does not work for you? Then the 10K you spent is out the window.

I will say to forget the fingerprint release stainless and get plain okd stainless it is not that hard to keep clean with a micro fiber cloth that you only use for the stainless never use fabric softener for it either I wash mine by hand to make sure it is only used for that purpose. All other types of stainless have issues that you really don’t want. I also never suggest all the appliances from one maker . Moving into somehwere new is not the time to do major changes get working in that kitchen and see how it functions for you IMO to bring it into this era you need to have all base cabinets be drawers , a proper venting hood for sure and yes to the all one level island but live with it for at least 3 months and I suggest 6. As for thr painting the cabinets MDF doors paint much better ans stand up better than wood doors painted . IMO you could do a new Ikea kitchen in high gloss white for less than painting or refacing those cabinets and you will get a proper warranty too.

First to answer your question I would go with painted vs Thermofoil if going for white cabinets.

There is a difference between factory finished and shop painted doors and drawer fronts. I would want a factory finish - it will have greater durability.

You may not know this, but you can order cabinet doors and drawer fronts from tons of companies on the internet and even just get drawer fronts and doors through the big box stores.

Please donate your used doors to a building material resale store (Habitat for Humanity or local charity).

With the amount you are changing the cabinets (height, doors, color, and innards), I wonder how different in price new cabinets would be. You are already getting new countertops and backsplash. This sounds like spending 80% to get a 60% better kitchen when you could spend 100% and get a 100% improvement.