Hi John, I kinda smiled when I read your post! I'm guessing your ceiling is the "popcorn" variety: Actually it's not the "fading-paint" that's the problem here...there's about 3 things simultaneously... * I work at a pretty busy ACE store, and we sell a lot of ACE'S "Simply Magic" blue-tinted ceiling paint that fades to white after a couple days. * ACE was the first Co. to come out with the photo-reactive dye for ceilings about 3 yrs. ago. * Most of these paints are a companies' upper-tier quality level...it's not a low quality issue. 1st: You had many areas you touched up differently, so there isn't a uniform layer. 2nd: Flat sheen, unprimed ceilings are notoriously porous. This alone causes half of your problem. 3rd: The last "entire-surface" coat just compounded the previous 2 varying coats. Remedy... * Use Zinsser's Odorless Oil primer. This won't "pull"-off existing popcorn like latex primers can. * Use a "slit-foam" roller-cover if popcorn ceiling. Rinse fuzz out b4 using. * Apply the "fading" paint north to south, then east to west. Use long strokes. * Alternatively, first coat N-S....second coat E-W. This should work! Faron

Thank you @everdebz and @eam44 for the input. I did hire Kylie for a cabinet color consult and she did a good job (though I hadn't chosen a counter top at that point), I was more looking for a cabinet color that would be a "white" that would look good in a north facing room and this is from her consult - "SW Alabaster. This is a warm, creamy white. It will help to off-set the northern light coming in, without being as yellow as Dover White." She also suggested Westhighland White as a 2nd choice. SW 7566 but I feel I see a bit of pink...maybe I need my eyes checked. I do like Alabaster, but it seems a bit too warm for some of my counter top selections. What is the "nuance" of SW alabaster.... And does it contradict what Lori says about nuance below? From reading the chroma info from land of color expert @funcolors it seems I want "Colors with a nuance that is light and clear. Meaning choose paint colors that are clear but not vivid or bright", but how to pick one. Don't exactly understand how I figure out "nuance". Also, do I start with a paint color that will work in a northern exposure and then select a counter top to go with, or do I pick a counter top and then pick a cabinet color? I see so many counter tops that I like, yet I can't figure out how to pick the proper paint color that will work with the counter top AND the north exposure. And then to bring in a dark color for the island. Kylie suggested SW Cyberspace or SW Grizzle Gray 7068. I really like Grizzle Gray, but I am concerned it is too muddied and gray for the northern light. Will the gray stand out more? Say I chose something with green undertones (SW Urban bronze 7048) is the blue north light going to counteract to make these colors appear brown? or will the green tones be more prevalent. Bottom line I am still having a hard time figuring out what the natural light will do to the various paint colors. And because the house is under construction and my cabinet color choice needs to be made, I am not in a situation where I can wait until everything is in place.

It depends what you plant in your planters of course. Cascading type plants can quickly overwhelm most pots! I do put risers on mine for added height so whatever cascades over the sides has a bit more room! Sometimes a single variety can make a large impact also. These impatiens have been growing in this earth box fox many years! Being in Florida I have never had to replant or replace them! The coleus are growing in the same type box, only recently planted; the box is still visible!

I wouldnt change anything about the house. It looks very nice. I would spend the money on the landscaping, which you really do need quite a lot of.