Cabinet Door Problem! Help!

Trim door top to stop scraping. Then add molding to create more design on the doors

when sanding you could maybe round the edges so they aren't so square? maybe find some molding that would fit on the top edges to protect them?

As you dont want anything but a flat panel....thoroughly clean your cabinets using TSP ...once dry use painters tape about 1/2 inch from the edge of the front and back of cabinet. Using the same color paint as the new wall color paint the top and edge of the cabinet. If you want a more daring variation you can also use the painters tape to make a pattern on the doors (note where tape is will be original color of cabinet ) ...imagination is the only limit.

Tip: for pattern use a favorite piece that you always have in your home as the inspiration.

I would clean and sand these well, then paint with a kitchen specific paint (enamel based and easy to clean with soap and water) so that the simple and elegant design shows through .

TSP/Trisodium Phosphate/Sugar Soap will clean those cabinets up as well as they can be prior to painting. It's commonly available at hardware stores. You'll want to use gloves as it can be extremely drying to the skin.

Why don't you paint the uppers a glossy white and the lowers another color...perhaps forest green to complement your sage green walls very well or charcoal, which is a pretty good neutral?

I agree about trimming the top of the door to stop it rubbing - if you are going to sand them down to repaint, hit the edges and take the top down that way. It would be time consuming, but maybe use wood filler on the exposed edges of the doors, sand them down when dry, then apply your primer/paint.

Good luck!

Looks like the area gets well used, might want to consider a darker color so they don't look like they need washed as much. I like DP's suggestion of rounding the edges. Even routering the front side will give it a more finished look and not cause them to be more difficult to clean

Sage green on the walls sounds lovely and a great color. I am partial to white, so I say stick with it. Your cabinets were certainly made by someone not schooled in the art of cabinet making, and I would add a simple, easy to clean, low profile trim piece before painting, making sure that they have proper clearance when opening and closing cabinets. Wash the existing cabinets with TSP then add trim pieces then prime, then paint. Take your time, be patient and it will turn out great!

You can use an iron on wood trim on the edges to make them smooth and then paint them to match the rest of your cabinet doors

Don't know why they are scraping as they are set outside of cabinet, but I would first fill any divits with wood filler, sand them, then buy some wood veneer tape, you iron it on, then trim with a sharp single edge razor blade. Then prime and paint.

Oooohhh good idea Bobbie, I've seen the iron on trim and think that might just be the finishing touch she's looking for.

I'm SO excited to get all these options! Thanks everyone !!!

I know it'll be a lot of work, but I think I'll do a few "practice" cabinets (on their back side) with the different ideas and see which one might work best for our situation -- since this will be our last remodel on kitchen cabinets !!

I thought about doing a marine varnish for "protection" as a top coat, but it's very expensive.... I also like that "factory gloss coat" look on cabinet doors --but i was told that that procedure is expensive too .....

.......so it's back to me and all those doors looking at me, begging for a face lift !! :)

Thanks everyone for the great ideas !! Can't wait to start trying them !!

Hopefully ivwill find the Iron on Trim at Home Depot. Do know-how wide the trim is?