I recently finished a process very similar to what you are describing. I did not replace the face frames. I did buy new solid oak doors. I made my own drawer fronts using 7/8 solid red oak. I have a Shopsmith and router table. For 19 oak doors, it was around $900. I made 8 drawer fronts using just a 1/2 quarter- roundover bit. The Blum hinges were all reused- make sure to get a centering drill bit for the hinge screws. that's about $10 very well spent. We bought new appliances and I converted a 24" pantry to a double oven, piped in gas to where the old stove was and put in a cooktop. I built a frame / cabinet for the cooktop out of oak with an open shelf on the bottom to display the little misses' stuff.
Whichever material you use can be matched to the face frames at a GOOD paint store- not the box store variety. I can also send you before and after pictures as well as the link for the cabinet doors. That took about 6 weeks to be made and shipped out of Ontario Can. We put about $7000 into the kitchen and figure it would have cost around $20,000 to have it done. Best of luck. -Derek |