Thursday, March 30, 2017
And So The New Decor At The White House Begins!
And So The New Decor At The White House Begins!
Everyone has a favorite color. Mine is probably a soft blue. Yours? We all know that President Trump loves the color of golden yellow. From his gold spun hair to the elevators at Trump Tower to the gold plated seat belts on his Trump Jet – for whatever reason, Trump loves the color of gold! Maybe it stems from being Scottish and having a head of white hair as a child.
Aww – now, THIS is a cute little towhead baby! Precious!
Regardless of where his love of gold comes from, judging from his penthouse at Trump Tower – he definitely has the Midas touch!
Because the Obamas had just revealed, via Architectural Digest, their White House decor that the staid decorator Michael Smith had created for them, the public is now very curious about what changes Donald and Melania have in mind for the White House.
The Michael S. Smith designed master bedroom at the White House – with just a hint of gold on the walls. Will the Trumps like this decor? It’s so hard to say. It is a fancy look, but there’s not much bling here. Melania has said that she loves the way her penthouse is decorated. It is exactly her taste, she said in an interview, even though it was designed by Trump and his first wife. If you are interested in the White House decor, you are wondering what rooms will the Trumps keep as is, and what will they redecorate, ASAP?
I doubt the Trumps will make many changes on the first floor with all the state rooms like the Blue Room, the Green Room and the Red Room. The State Dining Room was just updated by the Obamas for the first time in years. But, I do have a feeling the Trumps may change the Family Dining Room as soon as they can. It seems so far removed from their style. I’m not sure I would mind a change myself – this was my least favorite of the Smith decorated rooms:
The Family Dining Room: The rust curtains and contemporary rug seem so far from the Trump aesthetic – it will be interesting to see if they will keep it, despite the fact that it was just redone. They could put in a pretty gold-toned damask wallpaper, along with a similar fabric on the curtains and chairs. A Fortuny-like fabric would be beautiful in here. The furniture would stay – it’s been in this room for over a century. The art work by Alma Thomas between the windows was purchased for the White House – the first art work in the house collection by an African American woman.
And who will be their decorator? Will they use the team that decorates their hotels or will they pick a new, more well-known name like Suzanne Kasler or Suzanne Rheinstein?
Ivanka Trump used Kelly Behun to create her ultra-chic apartment. It will be so exciting to watch what happens – but I just hope the Trumps won’t make us wait to see their changes as long as the Obamas did!!!!!
Leading up to the election, the internet was filled with memes making fun of the various candidates and their hopes of winning the White House. I love this one of Hillary measuring the drapes, a bit early, in the oval office.
And here, behind the famous Resolute Desk in the Oval House.
Even Bernie Sanders wasn’t immune – he was teased about turning the White House into a hippie commune (I guess?) This meme place Bernie inside the Clinton oval office.
And of course, Trump is easy to tease – just throw in a bit of gold and there’s your meme.
And so, today, on the day of the inauguration, I was finishing up a new blog story that I’ve been writing when I suddenly hear that President Trump has already remolded the White House! What?!?! He just moved in this afternoon!
But sure enough, he has already made a few changes to the Oval Office and some of them are very ironic.
So, I quickly put this story together about the Oval Office and its changes.
In 1909, William Howard Taft created the first Oval Office when he moved the President’s Office from what is now called the Lincoln Bedroom to the EOB. Taft took over a secretary’s office space that was a half-oval, which he extended into a full oval, just as the Blue Room and Yellow Oval Room were. The curtains were silk velvet and the floor was wood in a checkerboard pattern. Taft chose a green color scheme for the room, which remained for decades. The curtains lasted a long time too.
Presidents Wilson, Harding, and Coolidge all worked in the same oval office which mostly looked the same as this one seen in 1927. In 1929 a fire destroyed the office and it was rebuilt for Herbert Hoover.
In 1933, FDR moved the Oval Office to its present location in the SE corner of the newly expanded West Wing – so that he could more easily reach it in his wheelchair. It was built 2 ft wider and longer than its previous size. Since 1934, the office has not changed much except in decor. What has stayed in the room since 1934 is the marble mantel, moved from the original 1909 office and the two flags placed behind the desk. Here is FDR’s office seen in 1945 with the same curtains as in the older offices. The blue-green rug was later used by all the presidents until Nixon ordered the first custom made Oval Office rug
Truman originally used FDR’s decor, but in 1947, he introduced a modern look to his office along with new green curtains.
The doors to the Rose Garden in the new Oval Office.
President Eisenhower kept much of the green decor, changing mostly the art work.
The beautiful marble mantel was moved from the old oval office to the new West Wing Oval Office. Eisenhower’s landscapes were a departure from the portraits of the Presidents that were hanging before.
John Kennedy originally kept FDR’s green rug and curtains. Jacqueline brought the Resolute desk into the Oval Office for the President to use. After his death, it was on tour and at the Smithsonian until Jimmy Carter began using the desk again. Since him, it has been used by many presidents.
After the President left for Dallas, his office was remodeled with a royal red rug and new white curtains with red trim! Love that! But, I can’t help but think the shades should have been hung higher!
This console table has been used since the Oval Office fire. It is still used by most presidents, including the Bushes, Clinton, and Obama. Notice the floor – at this time, it was cork. IKE’s golf cleats ruined the cork and it was later replaced by LBJ who put down linoleum in the Oval Office. Linoleum in the Oval Office – I swear!!!!
Here, white slipcovered sofas with twin bronze ash trays! Notice all the nautical paintings and models. John Kennedy never saw his newly decorated office nor did his wife. It was dismantled before she came back to Washington. The decorator was Stéphane Boudin.
President Lyndon Johnson originally used the Kennedy red rug and sofa. He added a larger coffee table.
Later, LBJ removed the red rug and replaced it with the FDR green rug, along with new green velvet pillows. He did use the same JFK curtains. He added a modern 3 screen TV to watch the news. LBJ did not use the Resolute desk, but instead had the Senate cabinet shop build him a new desk to fit his long legs.
I think LBJ would love to be alive today with the 24/7 news and all the TV channels and the internet and tweeting. I think he would love all of that!! The Johnson family owned the popular radio station KLBJ for decades and they also put the first TV station on air in Austin in 1952. The family eventually sold their holdings.
Nixon originally used the FDR rug. It must have been so dirty by then!! He kept the white curtains but added a new green trim.
Later, in what was to become a new tradition – Pat Nixon ordered a custom rug in blue and gold. She also added gold chairs and curtains, creating a very stately office. Besides Jimmy Carter, all further presidents have ordered their own custom rug and decor.
President Gerald Ford first used Nixon’s decor, then ordered a completely new look in yellow. It looks like this was a temporary rug until his new one arrived.
The Carters reused the Fords new decor. They also had a very unusual furniture arrangement with two sofas back to back. I love this decor and color scheme. Here, the new rug is in place. You can see the plain linoleum that LBJ had installed to replace the ruined cork floors.
Here the Carters eat in front of the fireplace. Actually, I kind of like this furniture arrangement. I love the decor with the gold damask and yellow striped sofas.
Another view of the Ford/Carter decor with PM Golda Meir. It’s incredible to think of all the world leaders who have visited this office!!
