Are you doing this yourself?

Typically holes are drilled and hardware installed last. A jig is used (template for the holes).

Do you need all new cabinets? Maybe. How would we know? Photos?

No body is an idiot for asking questions,all of us had to learn somewhere. Drilling holes before or after make's do difference. Your plan is fine,go for it.

Just be sure you are make the right choice first on painting. Your cabinets look pretty as it is. Why do you want to paint them? Is there not enough natural light? Do you not like the wood color? Or just want to update it overall? IMO you could just change backsplash and switch pulls/knobs and that would make a huge difference.

We did pulls on drawers and knobs on cabinets. Very happy with that.

Often where the holes are drilled for the pulls or knobs might not be where you want to put the new ones. Frequently when painting or refinishing the holes are filled and you can sort of start over with placement, but again as most have said this would be at the end.

Are you doing this because you are selling?

I like the cabinets just the way they are, but in any case, I would buy the little jig for drilling for handles on the doors. I prefer them to have handles, and the drawers to have the knobs. For the uppers use the bottom existing hole and drill hole for the upper part of the handle. For the lowers use the upper hole for the top half of the new knob and drill for the lower. Unless you are looking for handles, that are a bit off the normal size, most handles, have the holes so many inches apart, so yes, you could do them before painting. That way, if you make an error, you can fill it and paint it. You might want to check out some you really like and have somewhat of an idea. If you are looking for something a bit unusual, you may want to wait until after the painting is done and the paint cured.

I am also curious as to why you are painting the cabinets.

No matter what, paint is never going to be as good a finish as the original from the factory. To paint properly is either expensive if done by a professional or extremely tedious if DIY. This is because you can't just slap some house paint on the wood.

Depending on if this is just to sell or personal long term use there are plates that can be purchased that cover up old holes. They also work for long term use helping prevent the back of the handles/knobs from digging into the wood with repeated tightening when the screws loosen.

"(I’d also like to lighten/brighten the space though everyone has made clear that only lighting and natural light can do that ).

You are correct and ""everyone"" is wrong. The point is easy to prove with a light meter. Ask a professional photographer or serious shutterbug.

If you're not going to be in this house long, do not paint those cabinets! They are far from being hideous, and it sounds like your painter is just going to give them a light sanding and then throw trim paint on them. That's not the way to do it! They should be sprayed with a special paint the way factory-finished ones are. This either involved removing all the cabinets and taking them to a shop to paint, or taping off everything in order to be able to spray. Trust me - you're not getting either of these things!

Add good lighting. If the next owner decides to replace the cabinets, they will bless you for having done this as it will save them from having to do so. Wait a bit longer for that white kitchen and get it right.

I'm not a pro but I did have some hideous kitchen cabinets painted years ago and the doors were taken off site and sprayed with a very durable high gloss paint of some kind.

I painted as a last resort because the doors were essentially plywood slabs stained feces brown - in no way did they resemble your doors which appear to relatively nice looking. Also everything in there seems to complement each other. While it might not be your personal style, your kitchen is not a visual nightmare and I don't think having it painted white is necessarily an improvement - wood factory finishes are far nicer than painted after the fact. When you go to sell, you are far more likely to have cabinets that need work because a paint job is going to show wear and tear much more easily than the factory wood stain.

A bright kitchen doesn't have to be white - better lights and a better paint color make it bright - there are lots of bright and cheerful medium stained wood cabinet kitchens.

It will depend on the condition of the cabinets after they have the surface finished removed what the painters do. A third suggestion is to replace the doors after refinishing the surrounding cabinet. Rather than painting have you asked your painters about refinishing in a lighter tone. Again that will depend on what the doors etc. look like after being stripped.

If the painters do not have a lot of experience spray painting I would pass on that idea. Cabinets are in your face and you will notice any unevenness more than on a wall.

While paints have changed since I lived in an apartment with painted cabinets I found that the paint scratched easier than some other finishes. Assuming that the doors will be dipped then any residue sanded off. Some woods absorb more of the original stain than others and some manufactures may use the same wood but it absorbed more or less stain on one part of the door or doors than the other/s. Much depends on the experience of the painters and they are the ones that you should be discussing what they think the problems could be. They will do what you want but sometimes it costs less to listen and ask the whys than just doing things how you want them.

Hey Elizabeth Rasmussen ,

I would definitely paint before choosing your hardware. It's important because you want to choose a finish that looks nice/ compliments the new color. If you decide to switch to pulls all you would have to do is drill an extra hole for the cabinets however for the drawers i would suggest picking out new knobs to match the new pulls. If your still in the market you should check out Century Hardware! Century has a wide variety of styles and finishes to choose from many of which I think would look great in your kitchen. I would look into the Belvedere , Raw Authentic, and Yukon collections. Best wishes!

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I've painted plenty of kitchen and bathroom cabinets, in my own house and my daughter's, and recommended it for clients who hate their existing (but in good shape) cabinets and want a change. I'm getting ready to paint the cabinets in my new house, too. It's not rocket science, and if it's done properly they will look fine and hold up well.

The cabinets need to be sanded/deglossed (either will work) and a good bonding primer applied. I don't sand extensively, just enough to dull the surface. I've always used an oil-based primer, but there are other good bonding primers. Then two coats of paint are applied. I've personally used Benjamin Moore Advance, Cabinet Coat, Sherwin William Pro-Classic, and even just the sample color can from Benjamin Moore and they've all worked well. I use a brush for cutting in and then a small foam roller for the flat parts.

The trick to painting cabinets is allowing enough cure time before using them. This means no closing drawers/doors all the way for several weeks, and generally babying them a bit that first month. But one they cure they are great. Unless your painters are truly terrible I can guarantee you'll be happy with your painted cabinets.

And white kitchen cabinets with new counters and backsplash absolutely will *visually* lighten your kitchen. It's a tried-and-true staging trick, to use white/light colored accessories and white lampshades to lighten and brighten a dark room.

If you want bin pulls vs knobs, you may need to fill in the holes before painting.

I'd change the backsplash before considering painting the cabinets.