Honestly, my guest bathroom felt like a closet. Tiny window, dim light… it was basically a cave. Needed something to bounce some light around, make it feel less like I was suffocating. Saw a bunch of fancy designers talking about “very pale blue” for small spaces online. Sounded promising, but finding the right pale blue? Hah. That’s the trick.
The Swatch Nightmare
Grabbed like ten different “sky,” “ice,” and “mist” paint chips from the big hardware store. Some looked perfect on the little card. Then I slapped samples right on the wall next to the mirror. Wow, was that eye-opening.
- “Seafoam Dream”? Looked straight-up baby blue in that low light. Nope.
- “Arctic Fluff”? Turned weirdly grey, almost dirty looking.
- “Morning Haze”? Better, but still felt a bit cool, like a doctor’s office waiting room.
Stared at these stupid patches for three days. Morning, noon, night light… it changed like crazy. Realized I needed something with barely any blue tint at all. Almost white, but not quite.
Finding “The One” (By Accident)
Was about ready to just paint it white and forget the whole thing. Saw a tiny little paint chip tucked away near the bottom of the rack. Color was called “Almost There.” Yeah right. Grabbed it anyway, more out of desperation.
Slapped that “Almost There” sample right over the others. And… boom. It was like magic. In the dim light? Just looked clean and bright. When the afternoon sun did hit it? Barest hint of the softest blue you’ve ever seen. Not cold. Not baby-ish. Just… open and airy. Felt like the walls backed up a foot. Perfect. Had it mixed into decent mid-range paint – nothing super cheap, nothing designer pricey.
The Painting Grind
Okay, prep time. Scraped off a few weird bumps near the sink. Patched some old nail holes with spackle – sanded those smooth later. Taped off the mirror, faucet, and the ugly light fixture base. Threw down an old sheet – learned that lesson years ago after dripping “Sunburst Yellow” on the good rug.
Cutting in around the ceiling, mirror, and door frame took ages. Like painting a puzzle. Used my trusty angled brush for that. Kept a wet rag nearby for the inevitable dab on the ceiling. For the big areas, I used a decent roller with a medium nap. Two coats were a must, letting it dry good between them. That first coat looked patchy and terrible – panicked for a minute! Second coat fixed it right up.
Took the tape off carefully while the paint was still a tiny bit soft. Don’t wait until it’s rock hard unless you want to peel off chunks. Cleaned the brush and roller sleeve right away too. Hate cleaning brushes, but it saves money.
What It Looks Like Now
Finished? Yeah. Best decision ever for that tiny room. It’s not blue, really. It’s more like the idea of blue on a super white base. It catches whatever light it can get and just glows.
- Room feels bigger? Absolutely. Doesn’t magically double in size, but feels way less cramped.
- Still bright in the evening? Much better than before. Doesn’t disappear into gloom.
- Calm vibe? Totally. That tiny hint of color makes it feel softer and less sterile than pure white would’ve been.
Cost me the paint ($35/gal), some new tape, and maybe $12 for the roller sleeve. Oh, and a weekend of my life. But honestly? Worth every penny and every sore shoulder. Walk in there now and just feel… calm. Still smiling about it weeks later. If you’ve got a gloomy little room, hunt down a pale blue that’s really almost white. This shade “Almost There” – pure gold.
