Do presidents decorate the Oval Office?
Presidents generally decorate the office to suit their personal taste, choosing new furniture, new drapery, and designing their own oval-shaped carpet to cover most of the floor. Artwork is selected from the White House’s own collection, or borrowed from museums for the president’s term in office.
Which presidents made no changes to the Oval Office?
Since its completion in 1934, the modern Oval Office has changed very little except in its furnishings. Most presidents have commissioned a new rug and drapes, but two presidents chose not to change the decor: Eisenhower and Carter. Kennedy’s new decor was just being installed the day he was assassinated.
What desk did George HW Bush use in the Oval Office?
The C&O desk is one of only six desks ever used in the Oval Office by a sitting President of the United States. The C&O Desk was used there only by George H. W. Bush, one of two Oval Office desks (along with the Johnson desk) to be used by only one president.
Where in the White House is the Oval Office?
The Oval Office is the symbol of the U.S. Presidency. It is located in the West Wing of the White House and is the center of presidential activity. In the Oval Office, the President hosts world leaders, diplomats, senior staff, and dignitaries as well as often addressing the American public.
What is the oldest piece of furniture in the White House?
mahogany bookcase
The English-made mahogany bookcase (c. 1770) is one of the oldest pieces of furniture in the White House collection.
What chair does the president use?
Resolute desk
| President Barack Obama sitting at the Resolute desk in 2009 | |
|---|---|
| Designer | William Evenden (probably from a design by Morant, Boyd, & Blanford) Kneehole panel designed by Lorenzo Winslow built by Rudolph Bauss |
| Materials | Oak timbers of HMS Resolute |
| Style / tradition | Partners desk |
| Height | 32.5 in (83 cm) |
Why is it called Resolute desk?
This double pedestal partners’ desk, usually called the “Resolute desk”, was made from the oak timbers of the British ship H.M.S. Resolute as a gift to President Rutherford B. Hayes from Queen Victoria in 1880. It has been used by every president since Hayes, excepting Presidents Johnson, Nixon, and Ford, 1964-1977.
What president converted an old room into the White House family theater?
Franklin Roosevelt
Originally a cloakroom known as the “Hat Box”, the White House Family Theater was converted into its current use in 1942 on the orders of Franklin Roosevelt.