After years of dealing with that ugly fluorescent light box in my vaulted kitchen ceiling, and promising to do something about it for the last 3 years, I finally bit the bullet! I knew it would be a big project, since the boxes were recessed into the ceiling requiring sheetrock work and texturing. Plus, I had no idea on what was the original ceiling color, and the original paint job was showing its age. Of course, the kitchen is open to the dining and family rooms, which are open to the living room. So all 4 rooms, plus the hallway would need repainting from floor to ceiling, walls + trim + doors. There have been so many great contractor recommendations here, and it was a hard decision to make the choices, but in the end I was pleased!
For electrical, I went with Sconce Electric. They were actually recommended by the store Lighting Design in Rancho Cordova, but I remember them getting so many positive recommendations here. Sconce replaced the ceiling fixtures with 6 recessed cans with LED trims, and also put in LED tape under-cabinet lighting. They even comped the labor to replace a ceiling fan. They also subcontracted the drywall work, and in 2 days it was all finished ready to be painted. Sconce was not the cheapest bid, but I was most confident in their proposal.
For paint, I chose Ned Lucic Painting (798-0287). Ned is a one-man operation, so he does everything himself, and in 3 days, all 4 rooms plus hallway had a much improved color scheme. He is very thorough and detail-oriented, and is a very honest and friendly guy. I'm already looking forward to using him for all the other paint jobs around the house. I found the price to be very reasonable, especially since he worked non-stop from 8 A- 6 P each day.
What a difference a week makes! With the new lighting and paint, my house feels like it's no longer in the 90's. My builder-grade honey oak cabinets now actually look pretty good, though I will eventually adjust or restore the finish. I'll try to post some pics here soon. Thank you everyone for your recommendations of these wonderful contractors!