Paint will look darker on a wall than it does on a paint chip.

Sand the cabinets and prime them. You don't know if the original paint is oil or latex, and if you use the other for the next coat, it will peel off. A lot like what is happening now. . . . A little palm sander isn't expensive and makes it a lot easier. You don't need to completely strip them unless you're super picky. If you do use paint stripper, use it outside and wear heavy duty refinishing gloves--available at your hardware store near the stripper.

Use primer that will work with latex or oil, and then use oil-based paint on cabinets. Latex always stays a little tacky and doesn't work so well on drawers and shelves--you'll end up with marks over time. I was reading a blog today that recommended Benjamin Moore's Wood and Metal Enamel for furniture and cabinets. And don't use a brush--you'll get brush marks. A small roller for flat surfaces and foam brushes for the rest of it. And buy enough rollers and foam brushes to get the whole job done--they're too much of a PITA to clean.

I have white cabinets and I love the look, but they do get dirty. After the paint has had a good long time to dry--a couple of weeks or more--you can use Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser on them. Read the can for instructions on how long to wait before cleaning them--paint dries from the outside in, so dry to touch does not mean dry all the way through.

signed,

The Sad (as well as tired and broke from redoing things I screwed up the first time) Voice of Experience