Empty Wall turned Desk

I love built ins.  I love built ins to the point that our next house HAD to have built-ins.  We have one large one in the family/living room and another smaller one in the guest bedroom.  They're just so practical to me.  You don't have to buy a piece of furniture or wall art for the space, and you can change it up with decorations, etc.  A few weeks after living here, we realized how bare the wall opposite our family room built-in was.  Around Christmas, it was no big deal.  It was the perfect spot for our ginormous Christmas tree.  However, in January, we started tossing around ideas for the wall.  A photo collage, an armoire, a desk.

Yea!  A built-in desk!  John's buddy Kenny O agreed to build it for us, and I cannot say enough nice things about his work.  I wish I could take credit for the crafty woodwork, but it was not us.  It was all Kenny O.  He came by to see the space and do some measurements one night, and then we had a built in desk just like we imagined a few weeks later!

Here's the empty wall BEFORE.

Removing the chair rail, aka this preggo panicking about "what if I don't like it?"

During the installation process...

Our painter buddy Johnny painted it, and here's the final result.  AFTER!

We are very pleased with the outcome.  I want to find a parsons chair to sit at the desk and find some goodies to put on the shelves!  No more empty wall here : )