Doc, Thanks for the response. I assumed that people would scoff at my question but I needed the information regardless. The problem is that it is hard to get simple code information that I can understand online. So, please explain to me the implications of the sump pump. The panel is on the wall, about 3 feet off the ground. The sump sits in front of it and does not produce above the floor. If, by chance, the bottom of the panel is 36 inches or more above the floor, doesn't that work? I understand about the "almost"/"very close." The closet abuts a door so I am not sure how I can get the extra inch but will talk with the contractor about this. We understood the risks about not pulling a permit but felt that the cost/benefit wasn't worth it as our house is old and has enough issues that our permit could be denied...for instance, the minimum ceiling height is about 1 inch too low. I just want to do the best that we can...and am prepared for the scoffs, as I said. Thanks again.

I finally have a couple pics of my flat panel door. Wish I had all of the doors, but alas... Anyway, in the pics, the minimal pattern does get a little lost in the walnut, but I would imagine if you did the same pattern in a lighter door it would stand out, even in photos. aimskitchen, you may also want to consider that there are two types of flat panel doors. The first truly is flat, and is usually made of mdf covered in veneers. I was actually quite surprised to see even high end cabinet lines using this kind. The other kind of flat panel, only appears to be a flat panel from the front. I believe it is actually called a recessed panel because it's sort of like a raised panel that has been flipped around. You can tell this kind because the back of the door will look something like this: Hopefully you can see in the photo that the panel is raised in the back. If you get a recessed panel you will have the look of a flat panel, but it will be solid wood and much thicker than a veneer flat panel.

I'm going to assume that money does not factor into this question as I answer it. The reason being....you didn't mention it :oP And many custom cabinet makers don't charge like cabinet companies (ie my beaded insets were a 19% upcharge). Partial overlay have gone a bit out of style (IMO) you don't see many in new kitchens. You do see a few....but not as many so I'd steer away from those instantly if I were doing your kitchen. Now the question of the full overlay or inset. I'd like to share a few pics of my cabinets and see if I can help there. Not knowing what an Rh door style is LOL I have to guess....but I have a little of everything so pics might help you. First beaded inset doors are a very old style, and you don't often see them with "fancy" (ie lots of detail) doors. Most often they're done with Shaker style doors or slab...fairly simple door styles. They are in my opinion, very classic styles, traditional would also fit, but they're normally very simple doors so that the wood frames and details are shown off with the simple lines (although the majority are actually painted) but it's still about simplicity. Here are mine...they're basically a wide shaker style door with just a tiny bit more detail on the top and bottom trim pieces: (My house is still in progress so there are missing trims, etc....please don't mind the mess): The above are inset, beaded, shaker style doors with glass panels. Again same cabinets, with the lower, which are shaker style doors, inset with beaded edges, and just an fyi on all of my solid doors...they're all reverse raised panel. Inset drawers with glass are in the above. Another choice you have to deal with is your drawer style. I like a mix (the above are five panel...with the glass) and I also have slab. My panels are so big that on a basic inset drawer, you'd just have an eyebrow of flat wood, so I prefered the look of slab: This cabinet in the dining room is a full overlay. It is MISSING the trim which will make a picture frame around the edge (we're talking about the cabinet on the wall not the stand alone china hutch...which by the way is a mix of full overlay and inset...and it was made in 1940...note the simple lines of the doors) ANyhoo, cabinet in the wall: The door style in the dining room wall cabinet is a bit more detailed than the kitchen. The full overlay allowed the biggest expanse of glass available, which I wanted so I could display a collection of venetian glass. I would not personally do this style as an inset. I think it's too busy for inset. Just for fun, this dresser has inset drawers. They have a bit more detail, but not much (a little bit of rounding on the edges) than my kitchen insets: These are full overlay cabinets. They're not finished in this pic (doors are missing while the glass blower makes the glass for them). But you can see the nice lines full overlay gives you: I wouldn't do that in an inset either. They're too much detail. You didn't ask...but here is one more choice you'll have to consider...the hinges. My kitchen (well all of my cabinets except this one) are hidden hinges. We did that because they're adjustable and our house moves alot since it's on pilings. But we had to do one cabinet with exposed hinges because it wasn't deep enough for the hidden ones (these doors open up to a flat end of the island, painted as a chalk board for my 3 year old to keep busy on): My son's bathroom cabinets are highly detailed carved doors, reverse raised panel, full overlay. I fell in love with them but they didn't go with the style of the kitchen, so I put them in his bathroom...rediculously expensive cabinets for a child's bath LOL But I really loved the doors and had to use them somewhere: and with glass: And last but not least (I told you I had a lot to share for options Heh heh) these are full overlay slab drawers and a simple shaker style or even slab type door with glass. They are in my master closet and I wanted to keep the details down given the small size of the room: A few choices you will also need to ponder are the debth of your counter overhangs. With inset you do 3/4" overhang and with standard doors, you do 1 1/2, but with a heavily carved deep door like in my son's room, I had to do 2" to cover the carving (you want 3/4 or so out from your doors so in case of spill, it does not run into your cabinets). I hope that helped :) And now...good luck! YOU'LL NEED IT!!! heh heh

We also bought a house a couple years ago that have these doors.... but they are painted white. If yours were solid wood I would not paint but since they aren't, painting will update the look ... a little. I think you need to live in the home for awhile before committing to changes that cost a lot. My concern is that if you change to the shaker doors you like you would also have to change all the door trim and floor molding to a simpler look to match. The cost could snowball especially if you can't diy and have to pay someone to do everything. Even painting is a major cost if you aren't doing it yourself. Is it your forever home? It could be worth your time and money to change if you plan on staying here awhile. But if it is a long time home you also have time to make changes in stages you can prioritize. Our home IS our forever home. I'm not crazy about a lot of things but changing the doors are far down the list of things I want to change. First is kitchen appliances, changing flooring and hopefully someday changing our master closet/bath. I hate the layout but at this point don't know how to make it better. Because of that it is the only place in our house that hasn't been repainted. But my husband tackles a lot of our home projects. Time and money.