It can be done. Clean any grease etc off the doors using sugar soap, fill any holes/deep scratches with polyfilla, reglue any loose edge strips. Sand to remove any shine, use a fine/medium grit sandpaper & be careful not to sand too much around the edges. Apply 1st undercoat (I used oil based sealer binder), leave to dry for 24hrs then lightly sand with black very fine sandpaper, apply 2nd undercoat. Leave to dry & cure for at least 24hrs, sand again. Apply first top coat (I used enamel paint, gloss). Would not recommend using high gloss paint as it will exaggerate any defects. Leave to dry for 24hrs, sand lightly with fine black sandpaper. Apply 2nd top coat then leave to dry for at least a week before using. Recommend removing the doors & taking off all hardware, also paint the backs of door. Put a long screw in the handle hole or catch hole so you can manoeuvre the door(s) while painting. You can do the undercoats outside but recommend doing top coats in a dust free area inside. Wear disposable rubber gloves for easy cleanup. You can speed up the process by using water based undercoats & topcoats but it won't be as resilient. Below is a laminate bathroom cabinet before & after painting.

Hello again, thank you for the input. I've taken it all on board. Regarding the island, we will be sticking with Knights Grey but if we choose a very dark floorboard, we will then switch to Timeless Grey (which happened to be one of the swatches I'd picked up anyway!) to avoid that sinking effect. Thanks for the tip. I won't be able to get back out this week to check the Dulux Raku colour, did I mention that I'm getting around with a 1 month old and 2 year old? They are totally dictating my schedule! Ann I'm not sure exactly how they get half strength. I just have the understanding that paint looks darker on a wall than it does on the sample card so to always opt for a lighter shade to counter that effect. So to avoid the Snowy Mountains colour looking too dark, I will go for a half strength. Worst case, I figure, is that it will just be a touch lighter than what I'd expected. There wasn't consistency between the three separate Snowy Mountains cards that I ended up with so I guess it's to be expected anyway. Thanks for sharing your experience Antonia, it's good to know it works. Today I went out to Beaumont Tiles to try and find a tile like the one I attached to my original post. This was surprisingly difficult to match and I've borrowed a sample of the closest match from the store to mull it over. The colour seems to work quite well against all my samples but I'm worried about the wavy edge and how it will appear on the wall when grouted. On the one hand I'm worried it will look too busy or untidy, on the other hand I think it could be a winner because it could add some depth or interest to an otherwise boring subway tile splash back. I've attached the tile against my samples and also Tranquil Retreat (half strength) wall with Vivid White trim. Please tell me what you think :)

Hi Sheree, the Black Galaxy with its Bronchite fleck will work well with your kitchen not only for its colour and style but also for its functional benefits. Peacock Pearl and Volga Blue would also be good options; enjoy. Black Galaxy. Peacock Pearl

I would suggest that if you don't want to make mistakes in your house then you engage a design professional to get it right, especially if you don't know what you are doing. There is an art and science to good kitchen design, and there are plenty of bad kitchens out there which have been "designed" by amateurs. Kitchens are expensive to build, and most cabinetmakers will build with the plans they are given - they usually don't want to try and correct client's mistakes. Just because you can draw it, doesn't mean it will work. I know how to use a keyboard, but I don't know how to write a best-selling novel. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls