What's that thing behind the sink on the left between the scrubber dish and the faucet? It looks like a giant-mouth fish holding a fossilized tomato slice.
That would be yet another scrubber holder. It has a 2 inch crossection of a loofa sponge. I use it for pans that need a natural fiber so not to destroy the finish. I also use it to lightly brush the crud out of our cast iron... without soap, mind you... gotta protect that seasoning. It works really well and is cheap cheap cheap.
Some wood is made to be painted and some isn't! Looking at the unpainted inside, if that was how it appeared on the outside, I would have painted it too.
The cabinet drawer/handle pulls are a nice touch. I need to replace mine since I painted my kitchen, and you have given me something to think about!!!
Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't like to paint over a precious harwood either... but the stuff I'm painting onto is really nothing more than common knockabout softwoods.