As long as the correct wall is chosen to be the accent, it is fine and can be very cool. Here is a nice article about which wall to pick. https://www.thespruce.com/dos-donts-of-feature-walls-2213473 While there are exceptions to every rule, these are usually true: Accent the headboard wall in a bedroom, accent the focal wall in a living/dining space (this is the wall your eye is naturally drawn to in the room). Not many kitchens benefit from accent walls (there is already a lot going on it a kitchen), bathrooms/mud rooms/laundry rooms are usually not ideal places for accent walls (due to a lot going on and the rooms are generally small). The exception to this is a guest/half bath sometimes can be a show piece with an accent wall.

I disagree. (and her sideboard is not solid wood. not if it was from the 1970's) they're veneers. I've seen these done in a glossy enamel. perhaps you've seen poorly painted pieces. there's a big diff. Bev, have you ever tried to refinish one of these in a stain? Most of the time they are very difficult to strip and stain. What she has looks like a factory Pecan wood or Fruitwood type of finish that was so popular back then. these don't re-stain well. at all. but they do paint well. here is one in almost the same type of wood OP has . Looks 100X better painted. and no, you could not strip and stain. Before you put down those painted pieces, at least look at what a decent job gets you. This girl uses one of the most expensive paints on the market to redo her 'crappy' pieces. I would gladly use one of hers. http://www.theresplendentcrow.com/blog/ As for your 'it's still a crappy piece of furniture', well, it's going to be in her dining room. might as well look decent. Those pieces you've posted that are made today are cheap knock-offs of real wood, solid wood, pieces. (unless you're paying 2K for the solid wood pieces). those look the ones you buy in Homegoods or Ashley.

Don't have the blinds down and then say there isn't enough light. Drapery panels will be better for this room and if necessary blinds that pull up instead of down. Any mirror should be at either head of the table or 90 degrees to the window to catch the best light., but it looks like there is no room at one end of the table for anything.

We want a lounge chaise (instead of meeting chairs) facing the desk because I do a lot of reading and document review and a mirrored map that we have above that. Shelves on the other walls wouldn’t really fit since we have the window on one wall and then the double doors open into the office so it takes up the wall across from the window