Built-in Desk: Part 2

Here's what has been done so far in this space and I wanted to post an update. This is great for back to school season: Built-in Desk: Part 2. Our built-in desk is coming together quite nicely and I cannot wait to finish it!! My kids were still actually using in while it is in progress, no wonder we couldn't finish it until school let out....he was using it every night. Source list at bottom of post.

Follow up from our original post:

Built-in Desk Part 1

This is what we've accomplished so far, I am finishing up the details and then we will be painting the walls in this space. Though now that I see it all together I am liking the streamlined look of all white, antique white.....I already bought the paint, uggggh it's ok.
Hmmmmm.....I don't know:(

{DURING}
Project Update....

{BEFORE}

{DURING}
I realize these are not the catalog worthy images, these are work-in-progress images.... Excuse the different times of day in these photos, the different effects of natural light are evident.
So no, I didn't paint any walls yellow, they are still white paint.
This is where we left off from Part 1 of the Built-in Desk post.

We had finished:

{BEFORE}
Here is where it all began....excuse the iphone image.

I had started using this space in our home for my son to do his homework, it was away from distractions yet I could still keep an eye on him and provide help if need be. It was originally a niche of space in a hallway that we were planning on installing a built-in bookcase in the future. The bookcase was going to built with a 'buffet' height top so we could charge our cell phones there etc. instead of in the kitchen, luckily it already is wired for electricity and land line phone. After I used it for his homework with a TV tray table and chair, I made up my mind that it would be a desk nook instead. That would make it a space the entire family could use....I didn't want the bookcase to end up as a catch all space AND I did want a cabinet door type arrangement just in case of potential clutter.

We made our second trip to the home improvement store and picked up our wood trim for our board and batten application.

This image shows the pieces of wood trim we used to frame out the opening of the built-in. I am applying a board and batten treatment to finish this desk trim.

Ever since we did the initial build I was contemplating whether or not I wanted to disrupt the current baseboard molding or leave it in place. I didn't necessarily want to take the baseboard out, yet I didn't want our built-in to look strange. I wanted a seamless application for our new desk. I then came across an image in which they didn't remove the original baseboard and instead the worked with it. I researched it further and it seemed to be more and more common, especially in the DIY realm. I felt it looked nice but I didn't want to regret my choice. After seeing that method applied in so many different ways in other spaces I finally felt comfortable moving forward and finishing our desk with the board and batten wood trim treatment.

Step 1:

Frame out opening to desk with wood trim and mimic the door frames throughout the rest of the home.

Here is an example of the headers of each door frame in the rest of our home so we wanted to keep that pattern in the built in desk since the opening resembled a entry way. It works out in a functional way in that it is more flush with the wall, since this space is a thoroughfare we didn't want a traditional crown molding header since it was protrude outward.

Step 2:

Add your 'outline' frame of entire space, then I created my board and batten pattern with smaller boards.

At the top of the ceiling we cut the board at an angle so that it would fit flush against the next board.

Step 3:

Trim the edge of the desktop with mullion molding.

It is called Solid Pine Mullion Molding, from hardware store located in the trim section that holds the crown, chair rail, and baseboard.

Step 4:

Caulk the seams and prim your wood for painting. Luckily these trim pieces already came primed.

Caulk and close up all the gaps and seams with paintable caulk.
I wanted the mini board and batten trim on the ceiling to serve at a way to delineate the space. This space would be now separate from the thoroughfare / hallway. I was now going to be a mini room of it's own.... our Built-in Homework Nook!