You might want to cross post this on the kitchen forum also and run it by the decorating one as well. Personally I would make all the trim and built ins white, but that is just my taste. I'm sure you'll get a mixture of opinions. I'm not sure what type of paint your painter is referring to when he says laquer. Does he mean apply a poly over the paint? Normally semi gloss or hi gloss are used to paint trims. You can use either latex or oil. The oil is said to turn yellow as it ages. I personally use BM semi gloss latex white on all my trim and moldings. It's a nice satin finish that is very washable. Also keep in mind a hi gloss paint will show any dings or imperfections in the wood.

Related to this, what is the thinnest trim/molding a top of kitchen cabinets you can get away with? We have 8FT ceilings and 42 inch cabinets and my contractor wants no trim but my designer HATES the idea and feels we need to finish it off. The cabinets are white shaker style and our home is not modern, but contemporary leaning toward the traditional side. Its an old house being renovated so has elements of both the 1940s and 2000s. ANY suggestions would be awesome! Of course this issue is coming up at the 11th hour for some reason!

If you have money. Molding is created really for hiding poor sheetrock angles, mostly in house remodels if there are cracks at the corners. Or to hide the joints of cabinets to the ceiling as in the kitchen you have pictured... You can let that be your guide and omit, or you can add it to the Master Bedroom if you feel it needs something special. It's a pain to sand and scrape and putty and keep looking nice, but it's cheaper than mending poor sheetrock wall to ceiling corners.. The simpler the design the easier it is to initially finish and than maintain down the road.

Updating a 1980s master bedroom and bath with 8 foot ceilings. The baseboard will need to be replaced due to recent water damage. To keep a simple, transitional design, what style baseboard and crown molding should I consider, especially if I don't update the remainder of the house prior to sale.