We’ve just wrapped up an exciting home transformation project: painting our guest room! And let us tell you, the result is nothing short of breathtakingly bold. This isn’t just another room; it’s a vibrant statement, unlike any space we’ve tackled before. We are absolutely enamored with it – truly, deeply in love with the new look. The color we chose is a captivating dark teal, and the image below offers one of the most accurate representations (keeping in mind monitor variations) of this stunning hue:
Choosing the Perfect Hue: The Allure of Dark Teal
The inspiration for this striking color came from an unexpected yet delightful source: none other than Sue the Napkin. Her charming shade sparked an idea to bring a similar depth and vibrancy into our guest space. While it shares some similarities with ‘Dragonfly’ – a color we previously used on the backs of the built-ins in our future dining room – we found that when held against the guest room walls, this particular teal possessed a quality we simply preferred. Dragonfly leaned a bit darker and greener, whereas our chosen shade offered the perfect balance of richness and vibrancy.
The Specifics: Plumage by Martha Stewart, Reimagined
The color itself is named ‘Plumage’ by Martha Stewart. However, in our commitment to health and environmental consciousness, we opted to have it custom color-matched to Olympic Premium paint. Why Olympic Premium? Because it’s a No-VOC formula, meaning it contains no volatile organic compounds – and impressively, even the colorants used for tinting are now VOC-free. This ensures a healthier indoor environment, especially important for a guest room.
For the finish, we selected an eggshell sheen. This choice was deliberate: eggshell offers greater durability and wipeability compared to a flat finish, making it practical for a frequently used space like a guest room. Crucially, it avoids the overly shiny look of a semi-gloss or high-gloss paint, which can amplify any imperfections or flaws on a deeply pigmented wall. Darker tones, in particular, tend to highlight wall texture and blemishes more readily when paired with a high-gloss finish, so eggshell strikes the perfect balance between practicality and aesthetic appeal.
Navigating Color Matching Challenges
Interestingly, achieving the perfect match wasn’t entirely straightforward. The team at Lowe’s encountered a bit of difficulty in getting an exact replica of Plumage. If you find yourself in a similar situation where your paint professional struggles to get the match just right – our dedicated paint specialist eventually achieved an impressive 0.03% accuracy – we have an excellent alternative for you. Olympic’s ‘Azalea Leaf’ is an extremely similar shade that could save you some hassle. Of course, to bypass any matching concerns entirely, you can always opt for Martha Stewart’s original ‘Plumage’ without attempting to color-match it to a different base.
The Transformative Painting Journey: From Doubt to Delight
Let’s talk about the actual painting process. We won’t lie; as soon as the first roller touched the wall, there were moments of genuine apprehension. The initial coat of such a deep, bold color can look quite patchy and uneven, leading to some melodramatic nail-biting and questioning of our audacious color choice.
But the true magic began with the second coat. Once that layer went on, the coverage was simply fantastic. The color deepened, becoming incredibly rich, vibrant, and undeniably fun. You can truly appreciate the significant difference a second coat makes in the image below (the wall on the right proudly displays two coats, while the wall on the left still shows just one). Please forgive the somewhat unusual lighting and coloring in this shot and the one above; they were taken at night. Subsequent photos benefit from natural daylight and offer a more accurate depiction of the color.
After that second coat was complete, we were completely won over. Seriously. All our initial trepidation vanished, replaced by an infectious energy and sheer joy. There’s something uniquely exhilarating about pairing such an impactful, in-your-face color with crisp, clean white trim – it creates a visual pop that simply makes you giddy. And remarkably, we managed to complete this entire transformation with just one gallon of paint (with a little bit left over!), primarily because it only required two coats. We largely attribute this efficiency to the tinted primer we wisely applied beforehand, which provides an excellent base for dark colors and significantly improves coverage.
Unveiling the Masterpiece: A Guest Room Reimagined
The first thing we did this morning was rush into the guest room to admire our handiwork in the bright daylight. It’s truly amazing how a mere $22 paint job can create such a dramatic and impactful difference in a space. We were just about to snap some beautiful “after” pictures for you when the doorbell rang. It was our new guest bed, arriving a full 30 minutes early! So, it ended up making its debut in our initial reveal photos, as we didn’t have a spare moment to capture the empty room. (More details on our mattress buying adventures will surely follow in a future post.) Nevertheless, here’s a stunning view of the newly painted room, captured from the adjoining guest bathroom:
And here’s another perspective, a wonderful shot of the room as seen from the hallway, showcasing its bold presence:
Addressing Quirks: Design Challenges and Creative Solutions
The off-centered windows in the guest room definitely add an interesting challenge to the floor plan, but we’re excited to embrace this unique feature. We’ll be sharing our final layout and how we optimized the space once we, well, solidify that final layout! For now, we’re enjoying the process of playing around with different furniture arrangements and decor ideas until we discover what works best and what we love the most for this distinctive room.
You might also notice that we took the opportunity to paint over some of the “wall warts” (as they are affectionately known) – things like vents and an old Bell Atlantic phone jack positioned to the left of the white outlet plate. These were already painted over by the previous owners, so we simply repainted them to seamlessly blend with the new, deep wall color. This approach helps create a clean, uninterrupted expanse of color. However, it’s important to note that we meticulously left all the actual electrical outlets unpainted, prioritizing both safety and functionality.
Beyond the Brushstrokes: Practical Tips for a Flawless Finish
Speaking of meticulous painting, after a surprising number of requests, I finally remembered to create a “cutting in” video. This technique is absolutely crucial for achieving crisp, clean lines where your wall meets trim, baseboards, or the ceiling, especially when working with such a dramatic color. So, you can enjoy the riveting, step-by-step demonstration below and see exactly how I utilize my favorite angled brush to achieve those beautifully sharp edges without needing painter’s tape.
Looking Ahead: Future Enhancements and Immediate Next Steps
While the room looks incredible with its new coat of paint, we’re already envisioning a few additional projects for down the road. We’d love to install elegant crown molding to further define the space and add a touch of architectural detail. We’re also considering painting the ceiling a slightly lighter tone than the walls, or at the very least, refreshing it with a crisper white paint to match the trim. This would create a sense of height and contrast, truly making the dark teal pop even more. However, these more ambitious tasks will have to wait, as we’re on a tight schedule with my mom and stepdad rolling into town this Thursday!
So, there you have it: our newly transformed, bold dark teal guest room! It’s incredible how a fresh coat of paint can completely revitalize a space and inject so much personality. Now, the fun of styling truly begins. We just have a few immediate tasks to complete before our guests arrive: hanging the headboard, dressing the bed with inviting linens, getting a shower curtain and bath mat for the adjoining bathroom, changing out that old and rusty toilet seat, and ideally, hanging curtains if time permits. We also need to figure out the perfect side table and lamp situation for bedside convenience (though that might be a project for post-guest arrival). It promises to be an interesting and busy few days, but we can’t wait to see the finished room come to life with all its accessories!