I never apply more than one coat of primer. As long as you give it a full coat, you shouldn't need to. I always opt to apply multiple finish coats instead of multiple coats of primer because finish paint will fill more and cover better. The primer is just used to solve the initial adhesion issue. The thing about railings is that sometimes they are bolted on with a lag bolt and other times it may just be two nails on each side. If it's nailed, it shouldn't be too bad to remove. Yes, you can get Sheetrock Plus 3 at Home Depot. I like the stuff that is tinted yellow, but I believe you can only get that in 5 gallon boxes. Plus 3 is the one with the blue lid. You probably just want to smear it on over the grain with your finger and then when it's dry you can sand it smooth. The hardest part about this technique is that you do not want to push it into the deep grain....you want to sort of float the compound over the top of the grain so that when you sand, you end up with a flush surface. It's best to use a broken in sanding block to sand with as the stuff will sand really easily...it's really lightweight.

Based on your photos it looks like you have a mish mash of some original woodwork and for whatever reason, newer, poorly scaled and installed trim. For example, in your second photo, the baseboard along the long wall to the right looks to be #2 common pine that's been stained. It looks like the door leading to the basement (which appears to have been altered in height and/or replaced at some point) was trimmed with simple 1x flat stock that has no profile whatsoever. Same goes for the window at the bottom of the stairs except it looks like someone straight cut a piece of Big Box colonial casing and nailed it on for the apron. Given all that, I think your idea is solid to paint the woodwork and leave portions of the staircase stained. You might even consider replacing the door and window trim with paint grade moldings that are appropriate for your house and are properly proportioned and installed. The newell post, balusters, railings, and skirt boards of the staircase look like untouched originals and would look terrific kept stained. If you go that route, I would recommend you wipe on your polyurethane rather than applying it with a brush. Its easier, faster and produces a finish that looks sprayed. If your desire is a satin finish, make sure your base coats are gloss and only use satin for the final layer(s). The reason being is that gloss is not only a harder and more durable finish, but it remains clear as multiple coats are applied. A finish will get muddy looking through multiple coats of satin due to the additives which dull the sheen. You can learn more about wiping on a poly finish from the website The Wood Whisperer. That's where I learned to make my own wipe on poly (easy - regular oil based poly diluted with mineral spirits - and much cheaper than buying ready mixed wipe on in a can). Back to your question. Since the baseboards in around your room appear to be mix of old and a poorly selected species for staining (pine) I'd paint them all. You won't be devaluing your home. Someone already did that when they hacked into the original trim. What you'll be doing is repairing someone else's attempts at "remuddling" and adding value. The first picture that posted by Sina would work. Depending upon their condition and how much repair they might need, I might also suggest you consider painting the stair risers (NOT treads) as well. That's a personal choice but it's a classic look and can lighten the look of the stairs. As for the door to the basement, it looks like it's been significantly altered or the original was replaced with a door that was too small. My first choice would be to replace it with a better fitting door. If that's not in the budget, and it doesn't have nice grain or is in good shape, I'd paint. It's a judgement call without seeing it in person.

no. if you prefer, use a shellac. but I'd prefer the gray primer only because your black paint will go on better and have better adhesion. (you can tint the primer to any color. just have them add some black to it) Or, use the spray primer. it's a lot easier but you will have to tape off everything w/plastic and wear a mask. Always remember after any primer or shellac, you must fine sand w/a 220 or 320 sandpaper. then take a damp rag and wipe everything down very well. use an air hose to blow off any corners if you have to. Now you can paint.

As we speak, I'll keep the wall as is. Tge furnishing soften it. The table stays until a replacement is found. A 42" round wood table with metal base is scarce in these parts. I was not in the market for a dinette when I found this set 17 years ago. I'm looking for modern but not mid-century or to the contemporary extreme. The house is a large mid-seventies split. It could be a custom build - definitely not cookie-cutter. The inspiration photo is a statue in Barnet Park, Spartanburg, SC, titled Exuberance. A friend won first place in a photo contest with this photo and it was love at first sight for me. Hanging small posters is the simplest finish As you know, it's all subject to change until the planets align. I have a tendency to hang art too high. Is this too low?