I have used AS chalk paint on several pieces. At first it was to see what the excitement was all about, and I bought only sample jars when they were much less expensive than they are now. The sheen is VERY FLAT, and personally, I don't care for it without wax. I have not bought the AS waxes, but I have Butcher's Wax in clear, and Briwax in both light brown and dark brown. All of them protect and (to me) enhance the appearance of the chalk paint. This was a black and gold CL mirror that I did in blues and grays in AS chalk paint. I then used Briwax in dark brown to get into the carvings and add a bit of sheen to the mirror. BEFORE - AFTER - I experimented last year with a maple bureau that I bought from Craigslist. I put on patches of several colors (both chalk paint and regular latex in different brands). What I found was that the chalk paint stuck to the unsanded finish like glue. When I made my decision to go with a chalk paint color, I found that I could easily remove the latex paints by just running my fingernail over them. THAT is what I like about the chalk paints on furniture vs. the other types. This is the bureau that I mentioned above, still in progress. I used AS Paris Gray, and I am decoupaging fabric to the drawer fronts. In order to preserve the color match between paint and fabric here, I will use the butcher's wax in clear when I finish this one. I am replacing the knobs with chunky 'English style' knobs that I have painted in the AS Paris Gray. And before I started it, in the seller's garage -

Ours are currently being painted BM Navajo White, and the island has been painted black. Nothing has been re-installed yet, so it's too soon to say how I feel about it.

My only upper cabinet is over the fridge, and I don't have any shelves, either. Glasses are in a drawer on a cushy mat, upside-down. No dividers of any kind. In two years I have had zero problem with them staying in place. Coffee mugs are on a pantry shelf with the coffee maker (but we don't drink coffee, so all that only comes out when we have guests). They would be fine in a drawer, and could lie on their sides in a top drawer (I have several spare top drawers that aren't holding much). Stemware is in the wet bar in the next room, although I have a drawer I could use for them. Stemware might be the only thing I'd worry about putting in drawers, and I would consider some kind of divider system in case they want to tump over. But we haven't ripped out the wet bar yet, so I haven't had to deal with it yet.

Live Wire Oak - While I respect your opinion and think you give great advice on this forum, I have to disagree with you about not being able to get a quality finish here in California. It's true that we have stricter standards but what is also true is that we have and can use conversion varnish. I actually got a call about this a few days ago as I was pulling out of the parking lot of one of my suppliers here in LA who has conversion varnish on their shelves stacked up to the ceiling. The facts are (and this comes from a chemist at Valspar, one of the world's largest coatings manufacturers): Conversion varnish in Califiornia has been reformulated for our stricter regulations. It's 275 VOC. In some counties you can still use the old 550 VOC. They use some different solvents and there's a bit less solids in their formulation. It's still conversion varnish and has all the same properties. If you've ever sprayed CV, you know you have to thin it to spray it anyway, and with any conversion varnish, you can't exceed a certain mil thickness or you will get cracking. All this ultimately means to me is I get less paint for my money, but it's the same durable finish. Christopher Peacock, which is considered by many to be one of the best cabinet lines, does not top coat with conversion varnish. The paint he uses runs about $150 a gallon, (I'm using some right now), as opposed to about $25 for regular paint. It's all about the prep, the type of brush and the skill in the application. There's almost no visible brush strokes. As far as which companies have the better finish, unfortunately, it's usually the more expensive ones. A better finish is more labor intensive and there's more artistry involved, so the price is higher. I also agree you can't always get a great finish from a small custom shop. There's three major elements involved in the making of fine cabinetry: the design, the construction, and the finish. Each are distinct and complex skills and it's hard to find someone who can do all three well, but they are out there.I spend a great amount of time deconstructing the higher end lines and what makes them what they are. It takes a lot of knowledge and experimentation to get it right. The national brands use designers to put together their lines for mass appeal and they use industry techs to formulate their finishing schedules for a consistent product and look at that level. John