Unfortunately, you do not really have an easy task on your hands there. I've done this numerous times since I renovate old houses. Without seeing exactly how deep the grooves are, there a possibly 3 options: 1-install smallish sheetrock over the ceiling plaster (3/8"). I don't like to do this b/c it is usually hard to hang as you have to make sure you get a stud and not screw into plaster or lathing. And, sometimes it is not really level. To save on removing plaster, I just had an idea but have never done. You could run 1x4 wood furr strips across the ceiling, then run sheetrock. 2-You can do the same for the walls, but then the reveal around the doors and windows is messed up and does not look good. Can work if you have really thick trim and use thin sheetrock. But, sometimes this is wavy. 3-Remove the plaster and sheetrock. Best approach. Then you can open a bit of a can of worms: studs that need to be replaced, need furr strips, maybe new wiring... Will look great when done, though. 4-You can apply a wide fiberglass mesh to the entire wall and mud it in. Use hot mud on the first coat---very important! They come 3-4 ft wide. It is kind of expensive, but less than demo. However, if the grooves are too thick then this may not work since the finishers would have to apply way too much mud to fill it in. Julie

Thank you, decoenthusiast! I was thinking about using the chairs in the master when we move. What type of chair would you say? As far as furniture, I love my coffee table and I will keep piano- it won't be in living room at new house. I also really like the campaign chair, but things can be moved around house for sure! Also, DR chandelier will move with us and we will keep DR table, Finallyhome, I LOVE that room! Thanks for posting. Patricia, thank you for your insight. In new house the curio will go and we will have built in China storage. I will try to be a better picture hanger! But as noted above the art is centered between 5'1-2" from floor, maybe angle not good?? Also will add a couple more photos of dining room later today, still dark out:) Trying to see what you are seeing. Thank you for saying LR has nice feeling- I do think it's a comfy room-we enjoy taking happy hour in there! i was working towards a gallery wall behind piano. My grandmother was an artist and I have a lot of paintings! I wonder if the angle of photo is making art look higher in general (not talking about piano wall). The pics in dining room are centered at 5'1-2"... I won't add more holes here, but when we move I will hang better:) I guess I need to do some gallery wall research! What do you think of Farrow and Ball and the light bouncing/reflecting theory? miacometlady, thank you! What I'm discovering about myself is that I actually like a fuller room. Maybe there's a happy medium? I may switch chairs out and could do something similar. Thanks for encouragement on texture front! The new house has an L shape with kitchen in corner visible to DR on one side and LR on the other. Currently getting bids on kitchen cabinets similar to photos here- do you think it works with furnishings? China cab would be in DR. Thanks all!

In the Boston area all gypsum board is normally finished with "veneer plaster", commonly called "blueboard" since the gypsum board is a blue-grey color. In its simplest form, its an 8th of an inch thick skim coat of real plaster (not joint compound) troweled on by hand. The finishers use special hinged stilts and make sweeping motion with the trowel and move unbelievably fast. Its usually cheaper then taped drywall because it requires less time and there is no sanding. It does require more skill but its easy to find in this area probably because of the plaster tradition brought over from the old country (primarily Ireland) that shifted from horsehair plaster to veneer plaster in the 50's and 60's. At any rate, no one wants taped drywall after seeing veneer plaster. It can have any texture you want but I've never seen it other than smooth. Its so beautiful I've see it left unpainted. Its more difficult to damage the surface, easy to rear and paint lasts much longer. If you drive west of Boston it doesn't take long for it to no longer to be available. Someone could make a fortune spreading this skill across the country. Here's a link to a video from Ths Old House. Ads from Home Depot:

@cat_ky Thanks very much for your response and the advice of a sealing primer. Yes, the PPG paint is cheap and marks easily throughout the home. We are by no means hard on our home and our previous home we were in for 11 years with BEHR paint never had the marked walls this house already has. We will repaint with BEHR in a satin sheen in the near future.