I'd like to paint my kitchen cabinets darker [from slate blue to royal or cobalt blue] and I'd like to put border up at chair rail height and sponge paint underneath using the same paint used on the cabinets. My kitchen is U-shaped with an attached eat-in area, and has alot of natural light. I don't want this room to appear any smaller than what it is and I'd like to know if anyone thinks the darker paint scheme and border will make it appear smaller? :confused: THANKS!

The wooden bannister on my stairs inside my home is currently painted in a gloss polyurethane enamel oil paint (according to the can). It is thick and globby, chips off easily and is obviously covering several layers of unknown types of paint. I would like to get rid of this gloss paint and paint it over with a new color. My questions are : How do I prep it and what kind of paint would I use to repaint it? It is in a high traffic area, we have small children. The wood is detailed, it would be impossible for me to scrape it entirely without gouging and ruining the carvings. Much of the carving is concealed with the gloss paint.