When you get new paint mixed, it is more likely to be slightly different and when you add years of exposure and aging on top of that, you are likely to get some variation. Give it some more time -- even thought paint dries to the touch in minutes, it isn't completely dry for a lot longer. Also get away from it and see if you still see it -- or better yet, have someone else see if their eyes are drawn to any of the touch ups. Clean the wall where ever possible instead of using paint. Then see what you can do to help the places that need paint. If you have a cooperative paint person at your Lowe's, you might be able to get them to help you tweak the paint a bit. You might be able to get a sample pot of a darker shade that you could mix in. I have also been known -- well, not known, but I have done it -- get out my other cans of paint or even craft paint -- those 99 cent little bottles, and mix until I get what I need. Work with small amounts if that is all you need - take a cup or jar and mix a small amount -- working with dots of the tint paints until you get the hang of it. Test on index cards or posterboard, a plain white paper plate. I haven't done it often, but it has pulled me out of a couple of cracks. Also, use a small craft brush and only fill in what is essential. Another trick I use when touching up is to feather the paint out. sometimes adding a little water or using a wet brush to thin the paint as it goes over the existing paint. That is more likely to work on your living room paint (lighter color) than the red, but I've never tried it on a strong color. On the red, I'd be inclined to put the photos back up if the nicks don't show - change out the pictures in the frames if you are happier with that. Even if you repaint, there will be new spots that need retouching when you move your things out. I've bought two homes thinking I wouldn't have to paint most of the rooms only to move in and need to paint everything. Worst case, if you feel you need to paint the LR, get the color as close as you can and let the break of the white and wood stairs provide the break you need to stop. And if you do repaint anything, leave them the leftover paint for their move-in touch ups.

Thank you all so much for your very kind comments and for all of the "cheerleading" you've done for me! I appreciate the advice and encouragement more than you can possibly know. Covingtoncat - you asked about the lack of venting over our stove ... well, it's a problem! DH is the "chef" at our house and he tends to be a messy one. I'm sure there's gunk on the wall behind the stove (although maybe I'm lucky that my eyesight is poor so I don't readily see it!) -- the pot rack (not vintage, but it did come with the house - left by the previous owner) gets coated with greasy ick and needs frequent cleaning. I do wonder how the now-red wall will show up the gunk once I paint it white, but I still intend to do so. And maybe convince DH to be a little less splatter-prone when he cooks! Onedogedie - yes, the new window is upstairs, on the far right. (That's actually an attic vent on the side closest to the camera.) I still haven't been able to locate anyone who does vintage-style awnings in my area yet. Lots of companies do canvas or copper - but that's not what I have in mind. So - still keeping my eyes open and pondering that addition. I have now begun painting the lower cabinets white, and will change all of the red in the space to white. DH has remarked several times that even with the small amount I've painted so far, the room feels so much larger and open. I have to agree! I've given myself until the end of the summer to get this project completed, although I hope it doesn't take me that long. I'll post another photo update once all of the cabinets are finished.

We don't have very high ceilings (I think 8') in our dining room and I still think our moulding looks nice. We did stay away from the wider moulding - I think ours is 3 or 4 inches wide - because of the smaller scale. I don't think you have to have crown moulding when the wall color isn't the same as the ceiling, though. It would still be fine to do two different colors if you didn't have moulding. What kind of window treatments will you have? Depending on your treatments, it might look fine to have moulding on the section of the fourth wall that doesn't have windows. Or you could put some kind of cornice over the top part of the window.

Hubby is wrong. I would have him do it again. . A good painter would know that Crown Molding is trim and should be painted in a higher gloss than the ceiling. He either didn't know, which means he was a bad choice, or he knows and figured he could get away with doing shoddy work. You paid good money to have the job done. It needs to be done right. Would the hubby be okay if one of his employees did shoddy work? Would he be okay if his barber used the wrong blade and gave him a lousy haircut? Would he be okay if he had his car painted and they painted the trim with the same paint as the rest of the car?