Yeah I mean I get why people are skeptical but I've actually seen chalk paint hold up pretty well on laminate if you do it right. People say it peels but that's usually because they skip the primer or don't clean the surface well before painting. The key is using a bonding primer underneath the chalk paint, not just the paint itself. If your neighbor did that and used a good quality wax seal on top it could totally last way longer than 6 months. I've helped a few friends with their cabinets and they're still going strong after like a year and a half now.