Only other option ive been considering is changing the cabinets to white. How hard, expensive, and time consuming would this be? What is the step by step process for this?

Anyone?

How much work to change the cabinets to white - depends on how many you have. If they are standard sizes, you may be able to replace the door fronts, and paint the cabinets.

If you leave them, I would go with a light color for floors and counters - your cabs are pretty dark. I love wood, but those cabs are so dominant - I'm not sure I'd put wood floors next to them, as it would be hard to get something light enough.

Of course, if you change the cabs to white, your counter and flooring options are much greater.

Good luck!

I agree you need to keep counters and floors quite white with those dark cabinets. If you don't have it, you really should install under cabinet lighting as those dark cabinets really suck the light out of a room. They're lovely but you really need light elsewhere for contrast.

How handy are you? What's your budget for change?

We are going to paint them white. I think we are going to paint the doors instead of replacing them. Any helpful suggestions on this process?

That will definitely brighten up your kitchen. And then you can go with darker counters and floors.

To do a good job with painting that you'll be satisfied and that won't chip is a LOT of work. Not hard. Just tedious. Basically:
1. Remove doors, hinges, handles. If you are re-using the hardware, bag it up with it clearly marked as to which cabinet it belongs to.
2. Wash cabinets and frames well to remove any dirt and grease. Then sand them. I think I used about 150 grit the last time I did this.
3. Paint with a good primer as appropriate for the paint you'll be using. Carefully so no brush marks, pooling of paint, or drips show. When it dries, lightly sand with a finer grit. I think about 180?
4. Paint with a good paint recommended for cabinets. Cabinet Coat gets a lot of good reviews. It can be tinted. Plan for two coats and lightly sand between coats with about 220.

Oh, don't forget to wipe clean after each sanding. A vacuum and then a tack cloth work well.

I'm sure others with more expertise than I have will chime in with better tips but this should get you started. Don't skimp on cheap paint or brushes. To do this right and have a finished product that will last and look great, it takes the right tools and a lot of patience. Good luck.

Is sanding neccessary if they are in good shape?

From my own experience and everything I've read from others, yes. If you want a professional finish, that is. Sand before and between coats of you will most likely end up with a disappointing finish.

If you want a smooth finish on the doors then you should consider filling in the grain of the wood before painting. Talk to your local paint store for the best type of filler to use. Then apply as they recommend. Most likely it will be to slap some on, smooth it out using a putty knife/trowel and then sand everything smooth. Next would come a primer coat followed by a couple coats of the paint you choose. Spray painting will give a much smoother finish as there will be no brush marks. Best to have the doors off when doing that. Hang the doors so you can spin them around when spray painting. Mark each door-to-cabinet so the hinges will match up when re-installing.
(ie. don't mix them up)

You could leave the inside of the cabinets as they are. Just tape the seam where the cabinet meets the outer door frame so you don't get paint inside the cabinet. Leave the edges of the shelves unpainted.

Would having someone come in and reface them be a good alternative? I know painting would be cheaper but if someone can reface them white quicker would that be a good choice, and how much does that typically cost to reface everything in white?

"refacing" can mean repainting or it can mean installing laminate over existing doors and drawer fronts...or removing existing doors and drawer fronts, installing laminate on the frames and putting on new doors and drawer fronts.

I think the refacing im referring to is putting new doors and draw fronts and installing laminate over the frames....is this a good solution and any idea on price?