Melissa,

We got our doors through the cabinetmaker we had modify some of our cabinets before re-staining. He had samples of some of the cabinet styles so we could see the quality of the product. Our cabinet boxes were good, but we wanted better doors with more detail than the originals. We have partial overlay (space between the doors) like yours, so it can be done. You can get the new doors drilled with pockets for the hidden hinges. Since you're painting them, just patch the holes in the cabinet boxes from the previous exposed hinges. We ended up installing our own doors, drawers, hinges, and hardware, but that's something the cabinetmaker would do for you. There are several sources for doors. You should be able to check them out online. Keep in mind shipping costs, so a supplier near you may be more economical.

Your cabinets are oak. To get a smooth paint finish, the grain will need to be filled and sanded down which takes extra time (and time = money). You might ask the painter the price difference between prepping and painting your existing oak doors and new, paint grade doors of a different, smooth wood (such as maple). You could also change some doors to glass fronts if you were so inclined if you were to replace the doors.

Just remember to take your time and check out all your options. Below are before and after pictures of our new doors.

Melissa,

We got our doors through the cabinetmaker we had modify some of our cabinets before re-staining. He had samples of some of the cabinet styles so we could see the quality of the product. Our cabinet boxes were good, but we wanted better doors with more detail than the originals. We have partial overlay (space between the doors) like yours, so it can be done. You can get the new doors drilled with pockets for the hidden hinges. Since you're painting them, just patch the holes in the cabinet boxes from the previous exposed hinges. We ended up installing our own doors, drawers, hinges, and hardware, but that's something the cabinetmaker would do for you. There are several sources for doors. You should be able to check them out online. Keep in mind shipping costs, so a supplier near you may be more economical.

Your cabinets are oak. To get a smooth paint finish, the grain will need to be filled and sanded down which takes extra time (and time = money). You might ask the painter the price difference between prepping and painting your existing oak doors and new, paint grade doors of a different, smooth wood (such as maple). You could also change some doors to glass fronts if you were so inclined if you were to replace the doors.

Just remember to take your time and check out all your options. Below are before and after pictures of our new doors.

Geez! Sorry for the double post.

Forgot to say also, that there are many people here who replaced their cabinet doors. Search back through the reveal threads and you should find them.

Melissa, I used a KD at a local kitchen/bath shop. I knew I wanted shaker doors and slab drawer fronts, so that part was easy. I ended up with Decora brand. First she came out and measured and then gave me an exact quote. The pieces went first to the painter, who did the boxes in place. My GC installed the doors and new hinges. So labor costs were involved as part of my GC's price.

I haven't done this, but I know of some people who have gone through Scherr's.
You can do a search under their name to find some previous posts. It sounded like they were really good to work with. It was an option we were considering a few years ago, but I ended up finding a deal on cabinets from a kitchen shop that was closing down.

Here is a link that might be useful: Scherr's Cabinet and Doors

Ditto on Scherr's. (I got my cabs and doors through them, and am very happy with them.) Others have been pleased with Barker's doors.

I am going to throw another consideration into the mix.

I see you have several base cabinets that are a drawer and reach-in underneath.

If you wanted them -- and I cannot imagine anyone who would not -- now would be the time to retrofit those cabinets into drawers.

I'm doing that right now on 2, full-height base cabinets. I'm putting in drawers to make one a trash pull-out, and in the bathroom I'm making a vanity cabinet into 3 drawers.

I buy my drawer boxes from Barker, and my Blum Tandem Blumotion slides from A&H Turf. My drawer fronts have yet to be determined, but in the bathroom they're going to be slab.

An idea.

Ditto on CEF's idea about drawers. If you look at the pictures I posted above, you'll see that the bottom cabinet with doors was modified into a cabinet with two large wide drawers. The cabinet guy cut out the center vertical stile and put in a horizontal one.

I absolutely love those drawers and wish I had converted a lot more. I get irritated now when I have to get down and fish something out of the back of those cabinets. I've had some minor health/flexibility issues in the last year, and can really appreciate the benefit of easier access. Now's the time to check it out and think about how you can improve the function as well as the appearance of your kitchen.

Melissa,

We just recently replaced our doors and had Barker Doors, a company based in Portland, Oregon, make them. They turned out wonderful. We too had nice solid doors to begin with but they were a light maple color and I wanted a white kitchen. It was actually cheaper to buy new doors and have them painted then to have the painter sand each door and then paint (the new doors come sanded and ready for primer). Good Luck!

I have been refacing kitchens in north eastern Illinois and south eastern Wisconsin for over 25 years. Using higher quality products than Home Depot and the others. I can reface a kitchen that looks better than a replaced kitchen for about 1/3 the cost because I do all my own work ( no subs.) Attached is a photo of one of my 2000 refaced kitchens which began as a very dark and ugly set of cabinets.

Melissa,
I don't want to highjack this thread, but I see that your layout is pretty much like one option I'm considering. See thread below.
I can't see it on your picture, but is your island between the sink and the fridge? If yes, is the location of your island an issue? And also, how much space do you have between cabinets and island?

Here is a link that might be useful: Island or peninsula