Interiors - A Bold Move with a Dark Green Spare Room/Office.

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It’s been a while since I typed words on these pages - I needed to focus all of my energy into getting a good portion of the house done as there have been various things that have come up that relied on me finishing off some areas. There have been some major life shifts and while I can’t talk about them yet I have got a post coming next week to elaborate a bit more.

But today I’m talking all about my small spare room stroke office. When I moved in the room was black which I painted over with white paint and then a dark olive for two of the walls. I loved the dark olive but the white gave the room a nothingness sort of vibe, especially being south facing. The room is used mainly as an office for me when I work from home or doing home admin but also doubles up as a room for friends kids when they come to stay. There was a bulky daybed in there that was a pain to open up for guests and with mattresses that weren’t very comfortable.

I knew I wanted a nature inspired room full of biophilic choices. One that felt nurturing and comforting. It also coincided with me sanding the floorboards back and the transformation of the upstairs because of this room is so wonderful - often we overlook the impact of how changing one room can have on the whole of a floor.

the before pictures.

Considerations of the room.

This room does have lining paper on the walls which has been applied poorly - the joins overlap and not in a straight line either. The room also has a popcorn ceiling. Before doing this room I wanted to remove the lining paper and get the popcorn ceiling tested and scraped off but when it came down to it I just decided for budget and time I could live with these things. My concern with removing the paper was that it would be a big job and one that would create more problems (like needing a replaster) that I just don’t have the time and budget for at the moment which is also the case with the ceiling. So by choosing a dark colour and choosing to extend the colour up to the ceiling I hoped that perhaps it would mask that a little but, which it very much does.

The room is small and south facing - the white just made it look smaller and soulless. There is also a beautiful view over the hills through the window and I wanted a colour that celebrated the view.

The paint.

I have an ongoing relationship with Freshlick and called on their advice as to a paint I could use to colour drench this room including ceiling and window frame. It turned out they were soon to launch a new addition to their range which is the prestigious paint brand Mylands. What I love about Freshlick is that they know their paints inside out and can help you with a paint type, finish and colour based on your needs and you buy different brands for the same project all in one. For this room though I only needed one paint which is the Mylands Plant Based All Surface paint and this colour is the stunning Messel. It’s a deep, earthy green with a gorgeous warmth. The matching undercoat (which comes in a dark grey) was super easy to use and I just used this on the radiator, UPVC and trunking for the extension lead cable.

Zero VOC and smelling of absolute nothing this paint was a dream to apply - 1 coat pretty much did the job which is no mean feat over stark white but I did do a 2nd coat of touch ups. The popcorn ceiling was actually pretty easy to cover with this paint. 1 coat over the primer on the radiator and the UPVC is absolutely bulletproof. I think it’s fair to say I’ve found my new favourite paint.

The Desk.

I did have the existing desk area and haven’t actually made any changes to it but the paint colour has changed the light so much it elevates the whole thing. I used cork boards I had previously bought online and the chair was a Facebook find - it was going free and I just love it so much. It might be my best Facebook find ever! The picture shelf adds a touch of character and then I fixed up a wood pole to hang plants from. I’ve got a cactus of some sort (I’ve not been able to find it online to name it), a string of hearts and what I think is Donkey’s Tail hanging at the moment - when they all grow out that area is going to be glorious.

Other fittings.

Over the bed I have used pieces of wood that I had found when clearing out the lean to to fashion up some shelving. Using L brackets (which are much cheaper than shelving brackets) I hang in a way that creates a corner unit. And then I kept the existing Ikea Ivar but removed shelves and added a clothes rail. The bed is Ikea - I scoured Marketplace for weeks but couldn't find a bed right for this room secondhand so opted for frame made of wood as I try and avoid bringing MDF in to the house where possible.

I have a dedicated post coming in the next few weeks on the floorboards so watch this space for that! But this room is everything I wanted and I’ll be honest I enjoy hanging out in the room so much - this has really highlighted the impact on mood and wellbeing a room can have which has really inspired me to experiment with more colour and be a bit bolder in my approach to decorating. The dark colour extending up to ceiling has given the room space and feels airy while being enveloping. I’m so glad I made a bold move with this room.

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