Kenzie you have the perfect kitchen for hand-painting kitchen cabinets. You are going to be amazed at the improvement if you follow Christopher's directions. Just don't skip any steps and take your time :). You will see a little grain since your cabinets are oak, but that helps eliminate the look of brush marks also. I am one of those people who don't mind seeing the grain of oak - at least they look like real wood. I have one question for Christoper: How does the BM Impervo and Advance compare to SW Pro-Classic as far as ease of applying?? My reason for asking is that I have used the Pro-Classic on a vanity and was very impressed with the quality of the finished product - just would like to know for future projects.

The worst possible job on a cabinet refinish involves prepping the interiors well enough to paint them. Especially if there are fixed shelves. There are hours of cleaning and sanding, either sitting, lying down, or on your knees. Spraying is a must, and it's difficult to access the interior bases.

The colors do all coordinate, while not the same. I don't like the idea of everything being one color. Having some variation makes it look more custom. Would you suggest just upper cabinets same as fireplace built ins and lower cabinets different perhaps?

No! No painting those cabinets! I don't know what "right" means to you, but I think the wood is beautiful. I'd change out the counter before I'd paint the cabinets (it might cost you less, too). The tile backsplash is making it all look too heavy, remove the 4" granite strip splash and re-do the tile in a light creamy color that coordinates with the granite. Even better -- switch out the granite and re-do the backsplash.