Thanks again everyone! The ceiling paint is all but gone now. I had to quit before I drove my poor husband crazy. I'll see about testing my luck again tomorrow night :) The hall's about 24' long. Here's the south end before I started down that way: Here's the south side after I gave up tonight:The last of the paint is on the other side of the second light fixture. Not sure why the plaster is discolored like that right before the second fixture. Possibly from water from past hail storms. The pic below shows the last paint to be removed. I'm afraid paintguy22 was spot-on about expecting some of the paint be easier to remove and some to be more difficult. This last bit has been quite difficult, and I'm glad I didn't start on this end! I really appreciate My Paint Saint's suggestion to score between the ceiling and walls. I still managed to mess up a few places on the walls. I'm guessing it would be better to sand and fix the walls first...? Or, maybe the answers to these next questions answer the first question :) Removing the old paint revealed many more cracks than I patched the first time around. I used something called "Flex 'n Fill Premium Spackling Paste" from Home Depot: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-8-oz-Flex-n-Fill-Premium-Spackling-Paste-8874-GA/204369668 20-odd years ago I kept trying to fix a plaster crack with *regular* (whatever that was) spackling compound, but the crack kept reappearing whenever the weather changed (hot/cold/wet/dry). This "Flex 'n Fill" is supposed to stay flexible. Does anyone have good/bad experience with it? Should I just use it on the couple worst cracks (e.g. 2nd picture, left of the first light fixture) and use patching compound everywhere else? I haven't researched "hot mud" yet, but I will. Whichever way I go, would it be better to fix the ceiling then work on the walls? Other way around? Lastly, Anglophilia's comment about latex over oil ... I'd read that combination was an accident waiting to happen. When I first went to SW for help, I bemoaned the fact I'd neglected to check the existing paint type before I painted over it and feared I might have put latex paint over oil paint. The clerk said it's only problematic when people put oil over latex. That seemed the opposite of what I'd read here, but I went on my way. When I went back to SW with my disaster story, I told the clerk (a different one) that the reason I had a shopping bag of peeled ceiling paint might be because I painted latex over oil. Same response as the first time: Only oil over latex causes problems. So confusing! Oh, and, just for fun, here's where we started - removing two layers of red wallpaper (looking toward the north in this pic). That ice scraper turned out to be THE BEST tool for removing wall paper after the steamer went across the paper :) Many thanks again to everyone!

We went with Aged White by Sherwin Williams for walls and canvas tan for cabinets. I thought it might look too dark but since being painted I love how light it is. Next step... backsplash.

It's very difficult to advise based on these photos because of the amount of furniture and shelving and the quality of the photos. I would repost once you move in so that the space is clear and the photos show what you are bringing with you, what the light is like and what the windows look like. You can then start to make the space your own. Let us know if this is a rental.

It is your taste that directs the decision on the painting the beams. But i see no other lighting in your room but the ceiling fan lights. Your really need more lighting, whether table lamps or floor lamps.You will be amazed at the improvement more lighting will bring to your room. Will you be adding rugs,pillows or artwork to the room? These additions will also improve your room greatly. And please no mirrors!