How do I paint these cabinets to look farmhouse rustic ?

Sand them down evenly and then you can paint. But you do need to get all of the old paint off

You will need to sand those damaged areas. Prime with Kilz then paint with latex enamel gloss paint (2 coats). I really like either navy blue or dove grey for a farmhouse rustic look.

You don't have to sand all the paint off--you can just sand the damaged areas so they are smooth and then sand the rest lightly so the shine is dulled. Clean them well and prime with Kilz primer. If you go with a darker color have your primer tinted to your paint color. Use an acrylic latex paint in an enamel finish. It is durable and very washable and you don't have to coat with poly. Some people use the poly but I don't find it necessary. Make sure your paint dries well in between coats--you will need at least two coats. I hope that you will take down all the doors and take off all the hardware before you begin to paint. Take care when putting everything back together because your paint will feel dry but it takes about 30 days for the paint to cure to it's final hardness. I painted my kitchen cabinets a light gray to get a farmhouse look and then decorated with ship lap on one wall and used it as a backsplash. My kitchen paint color is white so I can decorate with any bright color I choose as both white and gray are neutral. I see some new hardware in your future--I choose black. Have fun!!

We just painted our cabinets with Rustoleum Chalked Paint Country Gray. No sanding (they were high gloss white paint) Covered in 2 coats and topped with polyurethane. Trim was added for a more farmhouse look. Before and after below.

Take one of the cabinet doors to the paint department of the home improvement store and ask them to select paint/stains and other finishes and application tools that will work for your kitchen. They have the best selection, the most up-to-date materials and most important, the most informative sales staff to get you what you need for a professional job.

This is pressed particle board with a print embedded in it, not real wood. GK is right that you don't need to sand all of the "paint" off and should merely sand down the rough spots and scuff up the rest for better adhering. I can't add anything more that GK hasn't already said.

Ok, here is an idea from a recent Paint class... NOTE: 1-NO sanding required and 2- Let every coat dry for 24 hours to cure for best results. i would begin by cleaning them, then use a spray sealer because we all have grease in the kitchen. NOW for the magic, paint with Farmhouse Paint ( chalk paint) in your choice of over 30 shades. Apply a coat of Crackleize .Paint with another coat of paint which will crackle and give you a lovely 'wooden' look. Top with Antiquing Gel, if desired, to enhance the 'woodgrain'. I am lazy so i would not take down anything, i would leave it all in place for my project. Also, I would paint hinges and all. Only exception is if you want new handles, you would remove the old ones so no bare spots for the new ones. We did this treatment on a piece of particle board, and it looked like a beautiful piece of old furniture! Go to Farmhouse Paint 's website to find a distributor near you or order online. Good Luck!!