President Obama’s Oval Office has received a makeover with a New York accent. The redecorated office is now distinct for the handmade striped wallpaper from Amagansett in Hamptons, New York.
New wheat, cream and blue coloured oval-shaped rug made of 25% recycled wool is at the heart of the makeover. The rug carries presidential seal bordered by five time-honoured quotations chosen by Obama. The rug has been crafted and donated by the Scott Group, a Michigan-based carpet maker, who made the Oval Office rug used by former President Clinton.
Important furniture in the office including the brown leather desk chair, and coffee table made of American walnut and mica are crafted by New York manufacturers. New custom-made couches and two new table lamps with blue ceramic bases have also been produced by New York manufacturers. The renovated Oval Office now features furniture that has a more modern look. Two arm-chairs previously used by President George W. Bush were reupholstered using caramel-coloured leather.
Each president decorates the oval office to suit his taste, choosing new furniture, new drapery, and designing their own oval-shaped carpet to take up most of the floor. The features that remain constant at the office are the white marble mantel from the original 1909 oval office, the presidential seal on the ceiling and the two flags behind the president’s desk.
The Oval Office, named for its distinctive oval shape, was designed by architect Nathan C. Wyeth at the order of President William Howard Taft in 1909. Badly damaged by a fire in 1929, the office was rebuilt by President Herbert C. Hoover. In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enlarged the West Wing and added today’s Oval Office, designed by Eric Gugler. The office was inspired by the elliptical Blue Room and features three large south-facing windows behind the president’s desk and a fireplace at the north end of the room.
