Ok, so it seems that to do this job right, a total repaint, including painting the smooth ceiling, is in order.
So what is the correct order?
Master bedroom with 3 steps of crown, smooth ceilings.
I was thinking that I would paint the crown first, let it over lap on the top and bottom, then paint the ceilings, cutting into the top of the crown, and then the walls, cutting into the bottom of the crown.
Or do I do ceilings first, overlapping onto the crown, then the crown, cutting into the ceiling but overlapping onto the walls, and then the walls?
Or does this depend on whether I use white or a color for the ceiling?