After you baked the loaf, while it’s cooling, you really should prop it up against something to allow it cool on all side instead of the bottom steaming. You will get a harder crust.
Good work, congrats! One thought: perhaps your oven is not calibrated correctly? As per Ken Forkish's book, that bread is baked at 475F. If after 30 minutes you uncovered the pan and baked an additional 20 - 30 minutes, the bread should have come out looking much darker than yours. My oven runs 25F too hot. Many ovens are off by this much or more, some too hot and others too cold. You can buy a cheap oven thermometer and check for yourself. Best of luck.
