I have black melamin kitchen want to paint it over to lighter colour

https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/paint/how-to-paint/how-to-paint-laminate-kitchen-cabinets

I actually like the black, why not paint or update the countertops and the backsplash instead? Painting cabinets is hard and not guaranteed to last - especially on this material.

I agree change out the backsplash and see if that doesn’t change your mind abounthe black cabinets.

ESP Primer coat and away you go

What is the back splash made of

Greetings, I work in a home improvement store and have for many years. I would suggest, first sand the black surface to remove any glossy"ness". Then use a good primer, I would recommend Kilz, it might take a couple coats to cover the black, but Kilz has many types of primer so look for the one that covers dark colors. Then paint whatever color makes you happy when you're in your kitchen.

Unless the cabinets are in poor shape I'd leave them alone, declutter your kitchen and put in under cabinet lighting. If there's a window change the window covering if it's old and looking its age.

Black and white is classic and very clean looking, I like. Imagine all surfaces clear with a red teakettle on the stove and a fruit bowl filled with colorful fruit with the black and white.

The original surface is going to be easier to clean and look better. I painted because my oak cabinets had the finish nearly gone in spots and there were bad dings and such. Look far better painted than with all that!

If the cabinets are in poor shape then you've got a big job. I've never repaired melamine. Taking it down to solid material is likely best then use Bondo to build the damage back up. I need to put on at least 3 layers and sand between. Then sand the entire surface to smooth and sand the undamaged melamine enough so primer has a chance to stick. Read the directions to be sure to get primer that will stick to melamine. If that's the case make another post to get information on how to deal with what is going on with your cabinets!

Do you want to entirely change the color or just do some stenciling on them to add elegance?

The problem w melamine is that it is a thin plastic coat over fiber board. If you sand to the fiberboard you get a fuzzy surface!! Not good. You could stencil or add some thin wooden trim pieces, sort of like a frame, about 2 or 3 in. in from the edge. Mitre the pieces, paint them first, glue them up. You could put a pretty contact paper inside this area. Easy and not costly. New hardware, maybe? Good luck.

Make sure they are clean and dry. Remove the doors and hardware. Mark the doors and cabinets with tape where they go. Lightly sand the doors and cabinets to remove any gloss and roughen the surface for paint with 120- to 220-grit sandpaper. Use a tack cloth or damp rag to remove dust after sanding. Prime with a stain blocking primer like Zinsser 123, KILZ,or BIN and have it tinted to the color of the top coat. This will prevent dark or stained surfaces from showing through the top coat. Acrylic, or water-base, paints are low-fume and clean up easily with water. Alkyd, or oil-base, paints require good ventilation because the paint contains solvents that can irritate your lungs and make you feel sick. Alkyd options require mineral spirits for cleanup, but they provide a hard, durable paint finish. Whichever you use, buy the best-quality paint you can afford for a lasting kitchen cabinet finish. Seal with at least three coats with a water based polyurethane. Use a small foam roller and foam brush for a smooth finish.

Degrease them first._(clean ) don't bother sanding. Menards sells a primer where you don't have to sand. It works great. Use small foam roller so there won't be no brush marks. A couple of coats should do it. Good luck. But truth be told they look good.