We are thinking about getting our kitchen done. I want cream cabinets, but my husband thinks wood would be more hardwearing. I was interested in one kitchen, not at the bottom of the range price wise, but on closer scrutiny, I saw lots of signs of wear and tear. I just wondered if painted units all have this problem or if there is a type of finish you should look for that will ensure robustness?

I don't really want wood, but on the other hand I don't want to shell out a lot of money only to have a dishevelled kitchen within 2 years.

thanks.

Does anyone know the answer to this?

There are good painted finishes and bad painted finishes. If you choose to go with a cream, a multi-step baked on finish can be just as durable as a stained cabinet, and just as cleanable as well. Some cabinet lines go as far as put a lifetime guarantee (against pealing and fading) on their painted finishes. Trust your designer to guide you to the right product for durability, and spend the extra money, it will be well worth it.