I actually agree with the painters on #'s 1,2 and 4....well, sort of. There is no reason to prime when changing colors. This is a very common misconception that homeowners have. The only time you may want to prime is if the new color is a deep red or some poor covering color. For something like that you may want to use a grey primer. Or, since Aura has arrived, you can just use that. Two coats of Aura will cover anything 95 percent of the time. The rule is primer doesn't cover and that's not its job. It's job is to seal and provide a good base for your topcoat. Primer actually can be more expensive than paint. I use primer sometimes that retails for $45 a gallon. There are plenty of paints out there that cost less than that. But, if you are using a high quality primer, it is likely that you are also using a high quality paint as well so most times the primer is cheaper. I never prime over patchwork. The reason is that it is a complete waste of time. If I am using a washable paint, then I can just use that washable paint as a primer. I see no reason to actually get out a seperate bucket, roller, grid, brush, etc because I can accomplish the same thing with my finish paint. The key is to put enough coats of paint over the porous patching compound so that it 'catches up' with the rest of the wall. If your paint is soaking into the patch and not soaking into the wall around it, then it will flash. I'm sure this is what your painters are missing. Most paints these days look fine with two full coats over everything to avoid flashing. Now, if you are using a flat paint as your finish, spot priming patches is the absolute last thing you want to do. Again, primer seals so if you spot prime a patch, the wall will be sealed there so that when you come along with your topcoat, the paint will not soak in over that sealed spot like it does on the rest of the wall so you will get a flash. As for your painters, I believe that you should go to great lengths as any type of contractor to please your customer so they are certainly failing there. I also believe it is our job to educate the customer so that they know what we are doing is the correct procedure. We should supply our own tape and we should know that good paint cannot be bought at Home Depot or Lowes. I honestly think that ANY washable coating usually looks splotchy after one coat so that is normal and patches are usually still flashy after one coat. That second coat should even everything out. This is really why most real pro painters bid everything for two coats...it's pretty much an industry standard.

Good luck working through the existing can light hole with only 3 or 4 inches of clearance. This should have been addressed before the cabinet was installed. Better yet, after the old cabinet was removed but before the new one was installed. It is just going to make what would have been a simple job much harder than it needs to be. Sorry if it seems I am being critical. This is just a typical scenario where nobody thinks about the electrical until it is too late. Worse yet is when the customer then has the nerve to complain about the price being "higher than it should be".

You can remove everything and then texture, paint and put can lights in the recessed part. That's what we did as a quick fix to an outdated light and it was inexpensive. You might get lucky, as when we removed our metal brackets and the plastic...inside the recess was already textured and primed. We just had to remove the lights and with minimal repair to the drywall it was ready to paint. Then DH added some can lights inside. Made the kitchen feel taller too.

Hi, this is Kim, not Jim. I think it is a very cute room. I love the window seat that you guys created. Some ideas, according to small budget and your list. 1. Purge any and all clothing that you don't really wear. If he can't part with it...put in storage somewhere if possible--shed, garage, attic, or under the bed. Then remove the clothes rack and ladder. ( or just put what is rarely used on the rack and ladder and move them to the attic, etc) You could then move the dresser to the wall where the clothes rack was and have better flow into the room. And put up some other artwork on that far wall--you guys hopefully have some pieces that you have done that you can hang up--or now you have a new project! 2. I, too, like the color of the room, but the 2 wardrobes look a little yellow--while the trim is white. Perhaps paint the wardrobes a crisp white, similar to the trim in the room. But of course if you really dislike the blue then pick a color that you do like--a bit lighter and perhaps a shade warmer would make you feel less gloomy. Put the new lighting in BEFORE you pick your paint color, because just doing that may change your feeling about the color. 3. I don't think that the new bed will fit comfortably in that room. Save your money and instead buy a door for the bathroom! THIS should probably be #1 on the list! 4. I think the gray curtains and throw don't add to the room. Changing one or both may help. (of course according to what you can afford--but if you aren't going to purchase that new bed, then a new colorful throw and some pillow covers/cases might be in the budget.) If you can get away with having only the white sheers, (i.e. your window doesn't face the street so your neighbors will see you naked) then just remove the heavy gray curtain. That would be great for the budget. If not, then perhaps add a printed curtain that coordinates well with the color from the wall/bed may be pretty. 5. I think how you light a room can be key to your enjoyment of it. Decoenthusiest had great suggestions for the lighting. I think changing out the pendant light and not hanging it so low would go a long way to changing how you feel about this room. 6. I agree that rug on rug doesn't make a lot of sense. That one is an easy fix--separate them--put the Persian rug somewhere else in the house. The other seems to fit better in the space and is very neutral with your flooring. Hope this helps give you some ideas--most of us don't have extensive budgets for decorating. Good luck! I think it's a cute space! Make fun art for the other walls!!!!