Thanks so much. I had a plain gray wall for ten years and this past November we had the house painted. I didnt want to do the same old thing plus not enough studs to safely screw in to for the spacing I needed. Thought about a nice oak slab but we found an antique wood supplier about ten minutes from home and very reasonably priced, $5/sq.ft. I am eastern Ontario, east of Toronto. The barn was built in 1915. We are very happy with it. Lots of Irish coffee consumed in that room in the morning with its southern exposure.
Good luck with your endeavors.