Hi iggs85 as it is an older kitchen I would not spend a huge amount of money on a revamp. It is definitely possible to paint laminate but good preparation is vital to ensure the paint 'sticks'. However a quality painter is going to charge you about the same as your resurfacing quote. Using either a painter or a resurfacing company does let you choose any colour though. The biggest disadvantage of the current benchtop is the bullnose which is very dated. From your photo, the colour and pattern look OK but you could get a stone 'overlay' put on it. They square off the bullnose so it looks more contemporary. An acrylic feature panel on the return is another alternative to vinyl planks. It looks like glass, comes in a good range of colours and is relatively inexpensive compared to glass. See http://zenolite.com/range as an example. You can buy acrylic sheets from Bunnings. You could also use pressed metal panels as a feature eg. http://www.wunderlite.com.au/catalogue/details/1/79/pressed-metal-crystal?start=25 Add some new handles on doors and drawers too.

Lovely, would you be happy with something a darker shade of grey or a more lighter neutral. Im only thinking as time goes by it is easy to change your wall colour than your cabinetry and colour can be added to your kitchen in many ways that are simple change. Have you thought yet about your splashback. I made my decisions on my kitchen by first thinking what I don't want. For example I am not a fan of polished surfaces so then I went abou looking for matt ones. Sometimes I think with the endless choice it's best to start at the other end.

I think the answer to this question is actually in your current kitchen. Go and check to see how many coffee cups, plates, and clutter there is around your kitchen sink right now. Then imagine your kitchen sink as it is on a typical day in full view of anybody who comes to visit, and everytime you come through the front door. I would resolve a solution that conceals the messy bits of the kitchen in a simple, clean manner, without introducing extra wall treatments that will draw attention to the issue. Depending on the head clearance above the stairs I would consider extending the diagonal wall between the pantry and the stairs until it intersects with the full height wall behind the sink. This diagonal wall extension would extend over the lowest part of the stairwell void so you will need to be sure about head clearance heights. In this diagonal wall there should be an opening that is a similar size to the opening required for a door so if necessary you can retrofit a door separating the kitchen from the entry at a later stage. As this new doorway is on a diagonal wall to the entry you will get a glimpse towards the end of the kitchen island bench (which follows the same 45 degree geometry) instead of a panoramic view of your kitchen sink clutter. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls

Part of the appeal of the cupbaords in your photo is that the clever cabinetmaker has used real timber, possibly a timber veneer, to grain match the doors. This means that even though are a lot of doors the timber has come from the same tree, and the grain pattern is continuous across the doors. Not all kitchen cabinetmakers have this level of craftsmanship and such a good eye for detail, and such craftsmanship comes at a price. The products that you mention are good imitations of timber grain, but like a wallpaper have a "repeat". This means that it is next to impossible to get grain matching across doors. For some people this doesn't matter, but some people find mis-matched timber grain really annoying. You need to decide what type of person you are, and decide to spend big, or look at other options... The photo is of some mismatched, timber-look doors. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls