Start by sanding the cabinets to give you a smooth surface (particularly important in areas where the paint may be chipped or peeling). Use a vacuum and tack cloth to wipe off the dust. If you are not going to remove all of the current paint, you will need to use a latex-based primer and paint to get the new paint to adhere to the door. But make sure you at least remove all flaking, chipped, peeling areas and use a light grit sandpaper to rough up the surface. Then clean the door with tack cloth and vacuum. The paint forum has recommendations for specific kinds of paint that are particularly good for cabinets. I did ours before I found GW so I used regular ole latex paint from Lowes and applied several thick coats of poly on top, but I also sanded our cabs down to bare wood before I started. Make sure you have a really good brush. I prefer Purdy. For flat surfaces, I used a 2 1/2" straight edge, but for the grooves, corners, and edges I used a small angled 1 1/2" brush. Don't thin the paint, but use small amounts of paint on the tip of the brush only (helps control drips). Do one side at a time. Let that side dry several days before doing the second side. Make sure you flip the doors between coats: Do the first side, let it dry for several days, then do the opposite side, let it dry for several days, put the second coat on the first side, etc. This way you can make sure you get an even color saturation on the whole door. Make sure you sand any drips, lumps or bumps and use the tack cloth to clean between coats. If you want a poly on top (I did that in order to make it a truly scrubbable surface, but I was using red paint, so color saturation was an issue), use fairly thick coats of poly -- that helps blend any brush strokes that might be visible and gives it a factory-look finish. Good luck. It took us 3 months to complete our cabs, but it was worth it!

This makes me want to go stay in a little walk-out apartment on a historic street. I'd absolutely back a sofa or settee against one of the walls that meet in the right corner. Nothing acting as a barrier/division in the middle of the room. nothing large and fixed to walk around to get from one function to another. As for the rest of the living area: For a combination study table, dining table, and side table for a reading chair: A small rectangular table extending out from the other wall in the area the sofa would be in. Glass sounds good visually but could be solid and expandable. If extending out from the end wall near the kitchen, the table could also provide an occasional extra surface for the cook. That table could have a comfortable swivel chair on the sofa side for conservation that would swivel to face the table for study and dining. Then a compact but comfy chair that can tuck under the table for the kitchen side. A third, either always out elsewhere or folded in a closet or under the bed, could be moved to the end of the table for a guest. Toward the bedroom, bathroom, utility doors side, define that side of the living area with an easy chair positioned to both allow passage to the areas beyond and to make it clear that they are beyond, not in. Kitchen: My #1 need is work space. In that case I'd steal inches from the left of the sink, possibly steal from the sink, even take the 3" from the other side of the cooktop if needed/possible, to expand that workspace between sink and stove. Btw, I know I'd theoretically be willing to go for the 3" because we bought a little place with a mini kitchen that had the 30" stove directly against the closet on its left, work counter to its right. I'm left-handed but stove placement turned out to be no problem at all. To make it feel spacious and uncluttered, a generally monochromatic background, including walls, cabinets, large furniture, and some of the smaller pieces, even possibly the floor. That would set off accents chosen for being both functional and because you like to look at them, also to provide balance and focus and draw the eye away from what you don't want noticed. No large, dramatic contrasts that would break the room up, including look-at-me! rugs (unless one was a major feature in an otherwise quiet room). Let the eyes flow serenely around. Looking forward to seeing what you guys decide to do.

you have beautiful cabinets that go perfectly well with existing countertops and backsplash. If you paint you need to pick a very warm white..like very warm cream. you can do that if you dislike your grain; but has to be a pro job I think; won't be cheap. I personally love your grain, and would work with the existing stain,which is already pretty light, maybe changing hardware..but of course you should like it not me. Just won't be cheap..or in case you do it yourselves-will be very labor intensive..as mentioned in previous comments.

SO- we want to take this soffit out (it is a ranch with no venting or electrical and attic space above), install can lights- What you have there is much more than a soffit. The entire ceiling has been dropped. There may or may not be drywall above the dropped ceiling; there may be insulation up there resting on the dropped portion. The walls above the ceiling may not have drywall on them. If you remove the light diffusers, you may be able to get a better idea of what is there & what isn't. This will be more costly than simply removing a soffit-over-cabinet situation. The good news is that you have attic space above which makes the electrical easier & a bit less costly. OTOH: we will be moving the kitchen and taking out walls- basically starting over. Doesn't make sense to do anything now because when the kitchen gets moved, the new lighting you install now will be all wrong; the ceiling will have to be patched/ replaced where the walls come down, electrical will have to be re-routed... For now, I would replace the cabinet pulls with pulls that have backplates--that will help cover up the peeled paint and minimize chipping--do a bit of touch up painting. Then live with it until you are ready to take on the larger project.