Hi Vicky, I'm sure there are others on this website with more knowledge than I have, but I thought I'd give you my two cents. We are remodeling our kitchen, with custom cabinets that are a mix of stain and painted (off-white). I did a lot of research, and was very impressed with the quality and durability of manufactured cabinet finishes. I think Wood-Mode/Brookhaven painted finishes are considered hard to beat. After visiting completed projects from a local custom cabinetmaker, we hired him to make our cabinets. Our guy sends the completed cabinets to a finisher, who sprays, glazes, etc... and uses conversion varnish. I thought the conversion varnish was used on the painted as well as stained pieces. We saw a kitchen that was 10 years old, and looked like new. In CA, where we live, there are a lot of environmental regulations, so the finish shops have to have special exhaust systems, etc... to use conversion varnish (some of them don't use it, and some the the locally done finishes don't hold up well - tend to chip, etc...). We were convinced that a "factory like finish" is available from the better local finish shops. I think that finishes done in the shop are better than those done onsite. Finishing on-site is much more expensive, because they have to tape off the area around the painting, so it's more labor-intensive. (And they may not be able to use the most durable finishes). I've never heard that only brushed on paint is authentic. I think that is a much less desirable way to paint cabinets - doesn't look as good, or last as long. Will be interested to see what other posters say on this. Good Luck!

I guess I don't like it because once the counter is in (it's going to be black) I'll see this tall, maple pantry and midway down the left side of it will be this black corner wrapped around it. I'm afraid it will just stick out like a sore thumb. I'm just looking for other solutions. I guess I'm a bit upset because the cabinet guy ordered the wrong cabinet in the first place and it's hard to "settle" again for something I didn't want, especially when I ordered the cabinet shallower just to avoid this problem. BTW, not real worried about the filing cabinet slides as I doubt I'll be storing any paper in here since it's not a true filing cabinet as it should have been. I'm just looking for other options/solutions. One person suggested switching the desk and filing cabinet so that the desk "ends" against the pantry. That may work but that will require the cabinet guy to put on a finished end panel on the right side of the file cabinet, instead of the left where it is now...but it may be one option.

We're in the middle of assembling a Scherr's kitchen now. We had planned on an IKEA/Scherr's combo for a long time, but in the end felt that our tiny kitchen would be best served by going the all-Scherr's route, so we could customize things as needed (and because the closest IKEA is almost 5 hours away). We ordered sample doors (unpainted and two wood types) and went back and forth with Leon, the owner, over the details. When we were finally ready to place an order in late October, the lead time was 10-12 weeks. However, there was a last minute cancellation/delay of an east coast Scherr's project due to Hurricane Sandy, so Leon pushed us up and we got our cabinets in 4 weeks. Cost for our 10x10ish kitchen was a couple thousand more than IKEA and a couple thousand less than a local cabinetmaker (also frameless cabs). As I said, we're still sorting through all of the boxes and assembling cabinets, but communication and customer service have been great so far.

SH tells you that their entry level fronts are about 20% more than the highest end IKEA if that helps any. Of course, that's 20% more than "full price" and not when you can get 15% off, and the Ringhult is pretty pricey... I think that Scherr's is more cost effective (at least they were in my search - when I was considering walnut for my island) So yeah - it would be pretty easy to double the cost of your kitchen if the current cabinet fronts are less than Ringhult