I think it'd be pretty tough to paint the melamine to keep it from chipping. It's a plastic, so you'd need to do a lot of prepping to make it work. Frankly, that'd be way too much work for me!

Maybe you could find some veneer in the same wood tone as your cabinets? Or, even some wallpaper?

You could wallpaper the sides and back. For the actual shelves, could you get the cabinet maker to provide "exterior finish" replacements? If the shelves aren't fixed, you should be able to replace them very easily. I'm actually surprised that the cabinet maker didn't make this right when you ordered glass doors. That's the kind of thing that I didn't have to tell my cabinet maker. He just did it.

I think spray adhesive may work for papering, but someone else who has done this needs to say whether or not that will work.

I've never painted melamine but if your shelves are melamine also, you can get glass shelves made from a glass shop. It is relatively inexpensive.

I would think nowadays you can paint almost anything, especially since there are a vast array of primers. I would go to an independent paint store for that type of advice.

I've decided that I will order new cabs that are finished inside and move the melamine interior ones to the laundry room. Thanks for your suggestions, it seems just getting it right will be easiest, even if it takes longer!
kpk

I think you'll be happier in the long run, too. Let's see your finished kitchen when you're done. :-)

In case you change your mind I am doing the shelves on the inside of my cabinets with tile. you might be able to contact paper on the inside walls. Might look good but then again might look like a patch job. A 20% restocking fee might hurt. are they going to change them for free?

I don't know exactly how to do it but I'm pretty sure I watched Christopher Lowell paint melamine once on his show. Is that show even on anymore? So I know it can be done. I guess it would depend on how much you'll use the cabinet. Is it for pretties or daily use? If you won't move things often I think painting it would suffice.

Thanks all.
wonby - I'll definitely post pics when it's all done!
msjay - sounds like an interesting idea - I'd love to see it when it's done. I'm keeping them, so not returning, since I can use them in the laundry room. My KD is really really nice and one oversight's no biggie, especially if there's an easy solution, like repurposing them.
jeanne - in my research I found that painting melamine is totally do-able, you just need to use a good primer like BIN 123, or use "melamine paint" but the melamine paint can be somewhat trickier to work with, apparently. I am just happy I won't have to do it, in a way!