Knotty pine will bleed through the paint where the knots are located, You indicated you primed the wood, but with what? Myself I would put two to three coats of shellac over each knot before I painted.

Plain white will work best IMO, but geez, repaint the ceiling with a flat paint. That sheen on the ceiling looks inappropriate for an office.

Take a look at Clark and Kensington brand at Ace hardware. Color name: Biscaya. It’s a foggy green that we love. We have it in the living room, a couple bedrooms and three or four bathrooms.

The one on the left is what we use. The one on the right is very different. How odd that they are so different !

I would go with white paint. It need not look "cottage-y" if you decorate it with a clean, minimalist esthetic.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions! Yup I used 2 coats of shellac primer on the knots, then about 3 coats on the paneling. Glossy ceiling has been painted with a flat ceiling paint and the boob light is definitely going ! Being replaced with a contemporary white fan. I will rethink white for the walls, I like the photos above and can see that with the right furnishings and decor it doesn’t have to look like a shabby chic beach cottage.

Would love if you can post a current pic!

How has the paint held up?