"Warren Buffett comes to mind as an example of this type of person, a billionaire who lives like a blue collar worker." Not so true....I just his apartment in a design book a friend was showing me this past friday, which was fabolously designed and furbished with furniture, artifacts (and yes a high end kitchen) with pieces that you and I have never heard of much less seen. Warren Buffet may look like his suit cost 100 bucks from sears but trust me it didnt. I think people have the terms wealthy and rich confused...yes, wealthy people, people who's money makes them money, spend money....it may not be where you and I spend money but these high end designers are obiviously getting their clients somewhere. True, wealthy people may not boast about what they spend their money on (usually, they arent the ones actually out spending it, their assistants/personal shoppers are) but they do spend on items or things they deem necessary..just cause one looks average does not mean their shoes did cost a thousand bucks, its probably just that you and I just dont know their shoes cost a thousand bucks I think rich people, people who still have to work for their money, are probably more likely to mull over high ticket items versus a wealthy person...there's a difference. Ive worked with both...I've had wealthy people give me the key to their home and say "have at it". Ive also had rich clients who often watch the bottom line like you and I. And I've had middle class people such as myself that go either way...I think its more about what you value and those are the things that you spend money on. I think that if someone can afford a 400k kitchen then its their right to spend that much and not for you and I to judge. This is a kitchen forum and I believe the OP just wanted insight about what a 300k kitchen would look, yet the discussion turned into ridicule about why or why not someone should spend 400k on a kitchen and how wrong that is....and yes, some people who spend 400k on kitchens do actually cook in them!! I agree with plllog....it seems some people on here are anti money or better yet, anti-norm (well said) yet most of us go to work everyday to save our pennies to buy that expensive calatta marble top for our kitchens knowing that it costs a small fortune and WILL etch but we just have to it...its the same thing just on a different scale. I didnt find the designer rude at all....she/he was up front with the service they provide letting you know up front. I think if it were a person who was planning on spending 400k for their kitchen, then he/she would not have been offended by the designer in the first place and some people on here would not have went into that direction instead of answering the OP's question... "Please, if anyone out there has a $300,000 kitchen can you show me what it looks like?"

Our summer cabin is also natural wood throughout the inside. We also recently painted the cabinets because they have turned orange in the 50+ years we have lived there. Our counters are laminate, so I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a backsplash when we painted . (we are DIYers and live 400+ miles from the cabin.) Bottom line? We have kept the wood as a backsplash and have never had a problem. It wipes clean and stays fresh looking.

Ss - In my house, I would not want to spend a fortune to completely redo my kitchen either, but really, I’m not a DIY either. I would like to update, but I have a small kitchen and the first time I renovated it, I spent a year planning it and I have what I think is a really good foundation. The arrangement of cabinets and counter top, and the window are exactly what they need to be. I’ve lived with my current kitchen about 15 years and have not once thought I should have made a different decision. The layout is great. I couldn’t do any better with the function of the cabinets. Right now I need a new stove, sink, counter and the doors of my cabinet need something. I have natural maple. I have a hardwood floor that needs refinishing. That’s about it. I have dark wallpaper and wood cabinets and floor. To replace any of that, would be a major expense and would be unnecessary because I have a great layout and function of the cabinets. I already have glass doors where I need them. I have a backsplash that works great, tile. I have a large 6 ft window over my counter. And they are all in excellent condition and don’t really need replacing. The only thing that has any wear and tear is the kitchen sink, which is white enamel and showing it’s age, the faucet has already been replaced as well and doesn’t need replacing would stay. The counters which are formica, really do need replacing. And there is wear and tear on the doors around the handles. My biggest issue is doing something about the doors. I don’t want to replace them. I have custom doors in glass on one large cabinet that holds all the dishes and glassware. And I have a tall cabinet with custom doors. So there’s really no point. I just have to figure out a way to refinish the doors. I don’t want to touch the boxes. Looking at your kitchen, you have a good layout with the work triangle. You have a great tall cabinet for storage and enough other cabinets for what you need. You have a lot of counter space and a huge window. You’re not going to be replacing the refrigerator. Wherever you store pretty items, like dishes and glassware, is where you want glass doors. Or pretty pots and pans maybe with glass on the top of your tall cabinet. That is a really high ceiling as well. Are you planning to keep all the walls white? And have white cabinets? And white counters…that is a LOT of white. What about the dishwasher, are you changing that to stainless like the fridge? Is the stove stainless? Do your counters need replacing? They are already white and you are going to replace them with basically white. If you really want to make sure you stick to a budget, to me, I’d have to rethink what I was trying to do. Either you say, I really want to end up with a completely different look, then that drives your remodel and the budget takes a hit. If you say, I just want to stick to my budget and do what will cost the least, then that drives your budget. If you are going to hire a designer, to me, that is not a budget redo. If you really just want to use this opportunity to gain some DIY skills, and you have the time and no deadline, and the interest that is another way to go. You could get creative and enjoy the process and possibly end up with something you really like in the end. As a homeowner, that experience alone would be valuable. I’d say go for it, if that was what you were trying to do. My only caution would be to rethink using white everywhere.

looks like a cleaning and maybe touch up the finish. I'd call a cabinet finisher. See if he can do this with stain matching if some spot repair is needed [hard to tell until they are cleaned] and get glass doored fronts for the upper sections or help you source that from one of his contacts. a thought ....maybe! ...... they dont look damaged so maybe worn down finish only.