If you are staining/finishing the doors, veneered doors have to be re-finished carefully. Once the finish is stripped, the veneer has to be carefully sanded so that you dont cut into the laminated layer beneath. Veneers are a series of laminated plys similar to ply wood w/ the last layer being the desired species. veneered doors can pull lose at the veneer, but is rare i would think. It all comes down to the quality and reputation of the door mfgr. Warpage on solid wood doors shouldn't be an issue if sealed/finished properly, but can happen, again, i would think it would be pretty rare for interior. As far as sound control, no advise there.

I have had a shadetree carpenter do veneers that were not as well bonded as a professional shop's veneers, but in the case of a high caliber carpentry shop veneers are, and always have been in the case of wonderful antiques, just as good as solid. Solids are species and size dependent as far as stability, so ask his/her recommendation and compare said recommendations with those from comparable shops. I don't know that the price differential shouldl be substantial as veneers are often more work.

I have an over 20 year old set of bookcases that are a combination of veneered ply and solid oak. Lightly stained & oil finished. There isn't really any difference between the colors of the ply & solid wood. The only color difference was discovered when I unloaded & moved them this week...where portions of the bookcases had been exposed to light vs those covered with books. And, a veneered ply panel in a solid wood frame is just as strong, and probably stronger than a solid wood panel. Details of the construction are why. The solid wood panel must float in the frame. It can not be glued; elsewise, seasonal variations would cause the panel to split. Conversely, a plywood panel is glued into the frame which makes for a much more rigid assembly and helps to conteract the tendency of the solid members from twisting, warping... And, one reason to choose a veneer ply center panel in factory (low-mid range) cabinetry is to avoid (some of) the tiger stripe effect of blind people doing the grain 'matching' & glue-ups of solid center panels. With a sheet good product like ply, you're more likely to get a more consistent looking product which is esp. important with light stained, &/or no stain clear finishes. Adding that I'm a wood snob, too. I Hate particle board, and, to a lesser extent, MDF. MDF does have some virtues. Particle board has None, other than to say it does burn really hot when chucked into the wood stove...which is something that is not adviseable because of all the crap that gasses out of it.

Thanks everyone! I think the $7,000 difference also covered a few other changes we made...but some added some subtracted. However, the majority of it comes from the door change. I think about $1,000 came from postponing the 3 decorative doors on the side of the peninsula facing the DR + furniture base. By eliminating one of the single wall ovens (was going to be undercounter) and moving a MW drawer there, we actually added to the cost (~300) of that cabinet since it will now have at least one drawer + the MW. We also eliminated the breadbox (~400 savings there). Lastly, we postponed the Message Center on the end of the Pantry (~1,300). Over the next few years we plan to add the "postponed" items. One of the additional things we did to whittle away at the cost was to eliminate the backsplash. I've noticed that quite a few people put off the backsplash until later and, from what I've read here, it should be relatively easy to add later. I'm trusting all of you on that! Maybe I'll even try my hand at DIYing it (scares me though!) With the door & other cabinet changes made, postponing the backsplash, downgrading our appliances, and postponing other things (Vinnata faucet, new toilet, 2nd GD), we've managed to bring the cost down to something we think we can swing w/o going into debt...that's our goal, financially! Who knows...in a few years if I still want the Artesia door I can always buy them and replace the current doors! (After we "add back' the postponed items!) Again, thanks everyone for helping me feel better about this whole ordeal!