Q: Is it possible to paint over wood stained a dark walnut color? There is so much of it in our house – cabinets, trim and so forth. I don’t want to have to sand them. A: There is no need to sand ...

In this apartment, the walls and moldings are kept consistent, light and bright. The ample sunlight reflects the semi-gloss sheen of the trims, accentuating the architectural detailing in the archway.

Q: My childhood dresser is beautiful but the wood stain looks faded. I’d love to update it with fresh paint and new hardware, but I’ve heard that you can’t get good results painting over stain. Is ...