This designer sounds like a nut job, telling you you cannot have what you want. I would run, not walk, to another designer to help you get the kitchen of your dreams. I have and love raised panel white painted cabinets- absolutely no issues and I would never want anything else. Good luck!

Is your designer saying the paint finish will not holdup? Maybe she can not guarantee a long lasting finish on the style you want. My mom put in very expensive painted white cabinets that chipped horribly in high use areas and crack lines appeared in many seams within a year of her 100k Reno. The cabinet company gave her a touch up pot as compensation...

Where does someone you are paying get off saying you cannot have something that is quite reasonable for you to ask for? That's not how it works.

I've had painted white cabinets for over 5 years and I still like them, a lot. The only damage--and it's hard to see unless you know where to look--are some cat claw pinhole punctures on the top edge of a couple of lower cabinet doors. I have a cat with a penchant for opening all cabinets in the house. It's my cross to bear (one of them).

I think she is warning you to avoid certain construction for example paint will crack on mitered corners. Large stiles will expand and warp and also then the paint can peel in those areas. Wish my parents' ID had explained these issues prior to charging a lot of money for constructed cabinets not suited for paint.

Wood moved with humidity swings. Paint doesn’t. You get hairline cracks at the join. That is normal and to be expected. Mitered doors show that more. Normal.

Hire a different designer.

Sounds like she had a bad experience with paint and is now afraid to sell it on whatever door style you are looking at... or maybe the brand of cabinets she is offering you has had issues... you can't really lump all painted cabinet doors into one pot and pass a judgement. Can you post a picture of the door style you are looking at and the brand you are considering? It will be easier to get the appropriate comments to that.

My experience with paint is that is gets the fissures - constant fluctuating humidity levels make them more apparent - it does not matter how much you spent on the cabinets unless you get doors that are MDF instead of wood. Those types of doors are often shaker style which may be the other reason she was pushing that way.

As long as you know that paint will scratch and can chip think of painted trim on doors - not always so easy to repair ) and you will have the fissues...and none of it is so easily repaired or covered up then go ahead and move forward.

I sell plenty of painted kitchens in many colors and folks are happy.

Good luck in your decision!

roarah, care to name the cabinet company so someone may avoid them?

Beth, they have crystal cabinets. The majority would be along the lines of what Sophie shows but by the pull out garbage and dishwasher panel the paint is gone from chipping. It was all deemed normal one year old wear, tear and expansion by company reps but still not pretty and thus a disappointment after the fact.

Thanks. Not the first time we've heard negatively about them. So sorry for their outcome. :/

I don't understand what's her objections? what is that she's concerned about?

if only whether this or that is "in" or "out"-change the designer

if her concerns are about how it will work with other materials/technical concerns-she should be able to explain it to you and give you ideas that will work with both your space and your vision

"prevalent problem"-what is the problem, how she explains it?

(I do have painted cabinets for the first time in my life and my prevalent problem with the finish is my husband lol since he's rough on things. when I'm in the kitchen there are no problems. or if he's in the kitchen-but I catch him on time))

maybe she knows something about that line ..something top-secret she can't share or else she'd be fired?

very confusing situation. can she be more clear?

"doomed". well at least she's funny lol.

I always thought it was part of the look--what Sophie shows is normal and totally inoffensive. I find it appealing.

Sophie's pictures accurately show what will happen with painted doors with normal expansion and is fine but you can also expect these chips to be considered normal wear and tear after just a year of use at sink doors by manufacturers which is not at all appealing. My parents painted upper middle tier costing cabs had damage similar to this that the rep said was acceptable wear.

I don't find the look in Sophie’s pics offensive either. I painted my own cabinets, and they have few seams, more solid sections of wood. But I have seen plenty of cabinets that look like those pics. I wouldn't have any problem with them.

But the picture above looks like crap. No way is that an acceptable piece of work, or even normal wear.

Not sure how a manufacturer would see that as normal wear. That is awful. Here are my sink cabinet and pull out trash cabinet over 2.5 years after installation. Maybe the OPs designer works for the company in roarah’s photo?

That was the point i was trying to make. The ID may be suggesting some brands behave better than others and is steering the op away from types of cabinets not white ones per say.

This is not acceptable for normal wear and tear. I don't care who says what.

I was trying to avoid painted cabinets in part for the wear-and-tear factor, but at the last minute took the plunge. Four years later there's not a single mark. Our kitchen is a narrow corridor and sees a ton of traffic in a small house. I have 2 very big and rough boys who occasionally take a soccer game into the kitchen. Ours aren't white (taupe/greige) but the point is that the paint has held up to a lot of use.

Ours was not a high-budget reno; the cabinets are Diamond brand, which we got through a cabinet shop but which are also available at Lowes.

That is not my parents actual cabinet but their damage is similar, but at this point in time not as extensive. And no I do not feel that it is acceptable either but it does sometimes happen even with higher end cabinets, or maybe only with their brand, and that might be the designer's reasoning for not wanting to work with certain style painted doors and brands.

Sink cabinets often sustain damage from water, regardless of price point. Manufacturer's warranties don't cover water damage. Water outside of the sink is considered abuse. Some people have 30 year old cabinets without water damage, and some have 3 year old cabinets that have it.

It comes down to usage habits at the sink rather than brand. And sink and faucet choice.

I'm sloppy, sadly. But I try to dry off any spills as quickly as possible. I bought a second set of doors for the sink cabinet as an insurance policy, because I know myself.

Whether you would be "doomed" or not with painted cabinets, depends much on who lives in your house and how you live in it. I've had painted cabinets now for over 33 years. Until a year ago, these were old cabinets that we painted ourselves. We used a high quality, gloss oil-based enamel and we experience no chipping or damage other than were a heavy metal step stool fell against the side of one cabinet with considerable force and made a small dent. My new cabinets have a factory-applied finish. I've only had them 1 year and they look like they did the day they were installed.

BUT...I either have heat or AC going in my house year 'round due to pulmonary problems, so my indoor climate is consistent re temp and humidity.

I've never had a bunch of rowdy, undisciplined children living in my house. I do have two grandsons who are her regularly but they have been trained since they were toddlers that kitchen cabinets are NOT an indoor jungle gym on which they may climb. I've been in many houses where the children were standing on open doors and drawers, swinging from upper doors, and banging metal toys against the cabinets. While nothing can truly take this kind of true ABUSE (which I'm sure their parents considered "normal" wear and tear!), stained wood will take such far better than paint.

I have been in kitchens where I wonder what on earth they did in theirs to cause the damage I've seen. The cabinets around the sink were rotted and badly worn, veneer peeling off. Drawer fronts falling off. Doors hanging by one hinge. But then the rest of the house looked the same - it's as if they invited the Vandals and the Hoardes in for a week of war maneuvers.

If your designer has seen the results of such conduct in your house, then she's correct - you are doomed with painted kitchen cabinets. If her statement is based on the poor quality she sells, that is an entirely separate matter.

Thank you everyone! - I appreciate the information and conversation. I may not mention everyone's name, but please know I have read and am grateful for all comments. I particularly appreciated the photos of "normal" cracking. What was being implied to me was random cracking throughout surface areas was to be expected. And if that were true, I couldn't see how anyone was enjoying their painted cabinetry. It didn't add up!

fori and Chess - The cracking in sophie's pics are completely fine with me, too. :) Our kitchen is not intended to have a formal look; We want it to be breezy, fresh and casual. Those cracks are more charming than disfiguring to me.

smalloldhouse - thanks. We don't have that kind of action in our home at all; if your situation is the norm, we should be more than fine.

roarah - that chipping is terrible. Of course your mom is disappointed. Were the cabinets inset? Your initial response to my post was exactly what I was starting to fear, a big dollar spent and very unhappy results. It was why I posted. I've waited a long time for this kitchen. The ID did want me to get Crystal cabinets, interestingly enough.

Debbi - I had wanted Canyon Creek (a recommend brand here) Windsor or Canterbury, but l can easily go recessed with the Concord or Quincy. I'm flexible. I do like mitered corners - something the ID said no to as well. What do you think? She says only Normandy style - and it is just too bare for me. As I mentioned, we have high humidity, so I can appreciate that the raised panel is best not considered. I want what will work.

If the chipping is not wide-spread and I am comfortable with the kind of cracking I can expect (and which is in other finishes but simply doesn't show), I am a lot more comfortable now with paint. You know, I had told her that if she could show me something in a wood finish that would work in the space and give it the feel we want, we would be happy to look at it. She hasn't brought one idea to the table. Just tells me what I can't have. This makes her sound terrible, I know - and she isn't. I'm sure. I think she had some serious trouble with an unhappy client and won't go there again. It is all just so frustrating - so I came here!

FYI - I have a different designer coming in this weekend. With what has been said here, I can have a much better conversation with him, I'm sure. My perspective is much broader.

Anglophillia - sorry I missed your post while doing mine. From what you say, you and I have a lot in common - I am very careful of my home. This IS a separate matter.

Water outside of the sink is considered abuse.

The first time I heard the word abuse in regards to water in a kitchen, especially around a sink, I thought, The world has truly gone mad. So, we're supposed to keep water from ever splashing outside the sink? And if we fail, no matter what we have to drop what we're doing right then and there and dry it off (cuz we can't risk forgetting about it, right)? Does anybody else think this sounds like an excuse for a product that doesn't want to be held accountable to the rigors of everyday normal kitchen living?

Abuse. What, am I gonna get turned in to the Kitchen Authorities? Locked up in a pantry? Handcuffed to a Kitchen Aid mixer??

Please, no need to school me on the "abuse" thing, I already know the drill. I just find it utterly ridiculous. :)

Well, I'm a clean-up as one goes along kind of gal. Yes, if water splashed all over the fronts of my cabinets and on my hardwood floor in front, I WOULD wipe it up immediately! It really depends on how one uses ones kitchen sink. I had a dog hygiene situation this AM, and with her squirming, water did splash on the cabinet doors. As soon as I got her out of the sink and towel dried, I cleaned up the water.

But I no longer have my yard man polish my silver in the kitchen sink - just way too many splashes and silver polish going everywhere. I have him use the big old cast concrete laundry tubs in the basement.

What is one person's acceptable standard may well not be another's. It's your house and you can live in it as you please.

The paint on my parents cabinets was applied too thinly during production and comes of if you use the green side of the sponge in areas and has nothing to do with how they live. They are retired, no pets and not huge cooks and clean as they go. Their contractor sanded and repainted the worst areas with the supplied touch up paint kits and now that it is properly painted with enough paint that area is holding up better but the finish on their cabinets was faulty from the get go. They may have got unlucky for the brand is well respected in the industry and it is not indicative of all painted cabinet experiences but it can and does occur often enough to people who did nothing wrong.

The green side of a sponge is a SCRUBBER. It is highly abrasive. Not a good choice to use on cabinets of ANY finish. It's made to be used on pots and pans with burned on food.

Whoa I missed the green scrubber thing. Agree with that^^ completely. Using such a scrubber on wood will absolutely damage the finish, no matter what it is. It's a SCOURING pad. You don't "scour" wood, unless you are trying to remove the finish.

Green scrubby....shouldn’t be used on stained cabs either! Oh my!

Cabinets should be dry dusted. That’s it.

If something is spilled on them, a dampened microfiber cloth is all that is needed to wipe it off. Maybe a bit of Dawn. Water should not pour down their fronts. Gallons of water shouldn’t be swished across the floor to mop. And they should never ever be scrubbed with anything abrasive. Not even a Mr Clean eraser.

That would all be abuse.

Allowing food residue to harden on a cabinet long enough to need vigorous rubbing is borderline abuse. Who lives like that? Are people doing anthropological studies of wild animals rather than rearing well behaved members of society? And do they think that abuse and vandalism is normal?

I am happier and happier that we are only doing painted uppers.....

I am happier and happier that we are only doing painted uppers.....

Just curious, why is that? My last kitchen had painted cabinets and a stained island. When we redid the kitchen after 13 years, it was the stained cabs that showed more wear and tear.

Just from reading this thread. I got the impression that painted cabs (and ours will be white) show more wear than stained/natural.

If your cabinets are properly painted, everything wipes up easily with a damp microfiber- no elbow grease needed. Properly painted cabinets do not show wear easily. This thread is about poorly painted cabinets.

Well, in our case, we will probably have water splashing on our lowers and bits of food smeared on both lowers and uppers, due to our son's motor issues, so we may have more stuff to deal with than your average bear. Lots of wiping in the new kitchen. I'll make sure we have the right cloths around for that.

For hard use situations, look at cabinets rated for exterior or commercial use. They make them out of resins or stainless, or some in specially processed wood. They aren’t completely impervious, but they will withstand a lot more than interior residential cabinets will.

you can have bad staining jobs which don't hold up and great paint jobs that hold up very well, but the likelihood of the former is lower than the likelihood of the latter.

I think that the reveal about using a green scrubbie on the painted cabinets changed the entire discussion. I don't even use a green scrubbie on my granite, i.e. on a rock, much less on a painted cabinet. Is this thread now about whether painted cabinets hold up, or is it more about what to do and not do so that your cabinets look good over the long term?

stillpitpat

Just from reading this thread. I got the impression that painted cabs (and ours will be white) show more wear than stained/natural.

I agree that painted cabinets will show wear more easily than stained. My knotty pine cabinets hid so much grime that I was a bit appalled when I took them off to prep them for painting. The edges were very hard to clean as they were not smooth - all the dust and grease just settled into all the ridges. I could smack the cabinet with a stepstool and not even flinch, because you really couldn't notice the dings unless you got up close. This was one of the lower doors, before cleaning.

Again, depends on the type of wood surface you have, but mine were just not the best for staying clean, with little effort. I am much happier knowing that my cabinets are truly clean, with not a whole lot of work.

For the record I use a sponge with a green side on all my painted wood work and cabinets in my house and on my stained wood and marble sometimes gingerly and sometimes with a bit of elbow with nay a chip any where....

Unfortunately, I think that for many families today, "abuse and vandalism" may well be the norm. Just look at how many children behave in public. If that's what they are like in public, just imagine what they are like at home!

A couple of year ago, a cousin, his wife, their grown daughter and 4 yr old grandson were passing through. Cousin asked if they could stay with me - they had in the past, but when it was just cousin and wife. I said no as my house isn"t set up for a 4 yr old. Cousin said it was probably a good choice, as the child was "a bit of a handful". We agree to meet and visit in the lobby of the hotel where they were staying. OMG! Thank heavens I never allowed that child in my house! He was EVERYWHERE! He stood on the end table with lamps and jumped off. No one said a word. He climbed on all the furniture. He finally succeeded in knocking a large lamp off one of the tables. His mother just put it back but left the shade askew. I couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Then I remember that when DD had gotten married 18 years before, cousin and wife bought their two daughter and a son to the lovely cocktail buffet party my neighbor gave for all the out of town guests while the rehearsal dinner was taking place (had to be limited to 32 people due to space). My neighbor later told me that she heard a racket upstairs and went up to find that the tree children had gone upstairs (without permission), had taken all the decorative pillows off her bed, and were jumping on it like it was a trampoline! I can assure you my cousin was NOT raised to behave like that! Who considers this acceptable?

Anglo, I guess that your story is good news for stores like IKEA. People will just buy junk, destroy it and then replenish and start all over again. No one will be troubled with what to do with granny's brown furniture anymore. Wow. I grew up in a family that expected practically every purchase to last a lifetime in both function and style.

"Who considers this acceptable?"

Apparently many do. I sometimes think I was very lucky to have a kid that knew what “no” meant. Of course he made up for all that when he was 16 and older LOL. But honestly, my sister had two kids, and made nothing but quality furniture purchases from the very start of their household. Nothing was trashed, nothing needed to be thrown out due to abuse and carelessness. I think it’s just a difference in the way people are raised. Different priorities. A different mindset entirely.

Messzop - the mitre corner doors show that joint line much more readily. Whether you do a raised panel or flat panel really makes no difference if you can get it as an mdf panel. A solid wood center panel is paintable but it " moves" more so you might get a halo effect when it gets dry ( this can happen with stained cabinets as well ).

Halo effect.

Which is why many of the makers have taken to finishing the door parts before assembly.