Normally,  European manufacturers use prefabricated pieces of laminate finished with acrylic paint. It is rather new concept in Europe and there is still room for improvement. Lacquer finished MDF adds to the cost of manufacturing which is a main reason for the acrylic laminate to appear on the market. I have seen kitchen cabinets painted with acrylic but it did not look as good as the prefabricated product - main criterium being the level of reflection and clearness. My suggestion is to check http://america.egger.com This is reputable material manufacturer from Europe. Not sure what they offer for the American market but in Europe we have used their products for many projects.