Dave, check out Wellborn Cabinets. We used Kraftmaid years ago, prior to being purchased by Masco. They were quality cabinets at the time. We switched to Wellborn at least 10 years ago and are very pleased with not only their product, but their customer service. (Made in Alabama and a family owned, Nationwide company.) Here's a link: Wellborn Cabinets Find a local dealer in Michigan for better customer service & expert design services. Be leary of ordering cabinets from a Big Box Store. They will sub out your installation & you will have very little recourse, if issues arise. Good Luck with your project & hope this info is helpful!

You can use pretty much any brand of paint. Yes, some brands are better and will be more durable, but the sheen of the paint is connected to its durability. Flat paint is easily scratched. If a wall with flat paint gets dirty your only option may be to paint over it, because the paint may not stand up to being cleaned. Because cabinets tend to get dirty they are most often painted with semi-gloss, which will easily withstand water and detergent. You can also use a satin paint. Choosing a color means checking out what is available from each paint manufacturer. Look at the colors for each paint brand online first. You can often see the color tint in a white when compared to the other whites in a collection, so it should be simple to eliminate obvious yellows. You can also use each manufacturer's virtual paint program that lets you see the color on a wall. After you have selected several whites you should buy samples and paint a small section on a wall that will get both outdoor and indoor light. Indoor light is often warm white which gives off a yellow light. You can buy both LED and fluorescent bulbs in color temperatures ranging from 2700K (yellow) to over 6000K (blue). 2700K is very kind to skin tones. 6000K is good for detail work but harsh on skin tones. Look for bulbs around 4000K for neutral color. Outdoor light can also affect colors. A north facing window brings in blueish light that can wash out color. One shade darker or brighter might work better in such a room. Finally compare the whites to other colors you wish to have in the room. Will the color work with the flooring and counters?

Honestly, I absolutely have my dream kitchen. Everything has a place. I have the most incredible quartzite, incredible stained glass window, windows on either side of my cooktop, fabulous off white shaker cabinets (some with glass to show off my collections), induction cooktop, wide aisles, both a clean up sink and a prep sink, great hanging lights, more than enough prep space and space for baking and I even have empty drawers still. Oh and it works like a dream. It follows Ice/Water/Stone/Fire. Every time I walk into my kitchen, I smile. Actually my whole house makes me smile. I'm very lucky!

I purchased black matte from Schoolhouse, Riverwood knobs and Greenwood pulls. I chose Schoolhouse, because I prefer matte black hardware that is not so chunky. The Riverwood knob, while only 1' diameter, protrudes out more than most other knobs I've seen, so when opening and closing doors there is less contact with the cabinet. The Greenwood pulls have squared edges, that I wasn't so sure about, but I like the tactile feel now. So far, I love them and have had no problems with chipping, scratching or cleanliness issues, but it's been less than a year. I think that if the hardware were to ever get damaged I could easily refresh with spray paint, although that would be a temporary fix, which I could possibly do on occasion.