apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I LOVE tiger maple. And not only because I live in Canada.

Lovely bed. I love Michael Smith, but I don't understand how he will redecorate for the $100 000 budget they have. A $12 000 bed already takes a pretty big chunk out of the budget. Anyone know how it works?

sherry2, I think it's a commbination of a few things. One, the Obamas aren't making as many radical changes and are keeping several of the pieces brought in or renovated by Laura Bush (the yellow sunburst rug in the Oval Office and a tiger-print couch are two things I've heard specifically mentioned)--at least for now. Also, the White House has a collection of antiques available already, so some of the redecorating involves merely switching things out according to the Obamas' preferences.

Funny, I would see them picking something a little more modern looking. The wood is beautiful though!

Ashley
rainycitystyle.blogspot.com

Is there an article on the decorating in their Hyde Park home? I'd love to see what they did with that, and then compare it with what they do in the White House.

I was hoping for something more contemporary and youthful too. Transitional at the least.

Oh come on! Everyone loves a 4 poster bed! Modern/Contemporary are going to be relative terms when you live in a Federalist Mansion that is technically public property.

plus....this bed could be very modern with the right bedding!

I also would have thought that their tastes would run more modern, then again I can totally see why they would make this choice- he's a history buff, and this bed would really complement the historic element of their new digs. And how cool to be able to furnish your home from a literal archive of antiques?

Kristina, I agree- I would love to see pics of how they decorated their Chicago home... although if they're keeping a tiger-pattern couch, I'm sure they like to mix things up a bit.

I hate it, and how exactly did they re-size it to a king?!?

the selection of Michael Smith as decorator signals traditional aspirations... don't expect anything edgy or innovative...

I don't know how that bed could possibly be a king size! Its only one foot deep!

That wood is just amazing! I love it and I think it fits the bill, hopefully the Obamas will modernize the White House a bit though.

Believe it or not, folks, there is nice furniture that wasn't made between 1940 and 1970. And the White House is officially a museum.

They probably fell in love with the beautiful wood.

"And the White House is officially a museum."

The public rooms and Lincoln bedroom are; the family quarters are not.


Your home reflects who you are, and to some degree, who you want to be. It is an intimate, very personal and physical manifestation of those notions. You home reveals how your mind works, your wit and playfulness, and comfort level with new ideas.

It is thus somewhat surprising to have a president and First Family who supposedly represent so much fundamental change to continue to espouse the decor of the rather mundane traditionalism of a decorator such as Michael Smith. It is, frankly, a disappointment.

It would have been nice to have design ideas incorporated into the home that reflect the passage of time, and include a healthy dose of the current century. Life goes on, and so should the Whitehouse private quarters, otherwise the nation risks seeming as moribund as those rooms.

And keeping Bush 43rd's oval office the same but for pictures, is well, creepy.

The bed itself is beautiful, but I cringe at the thought of it being enlarged to a king-size. The proportions will be awkward, and cutting into such a beautiful piece is next to sacrilege. If it is to be a King-size bed, which is a modern invention, why not a modern bed, or one custom-made by a passionate craftsperson ( a lovely way to help build someone's career and reinvigorate carpentry).

Everything is an opportunity to demonstrate leadership when you are the President...

It's just possible that a guy who models himself on Abraham Lincoln LIKES antiques more than Ikea.

Liking antiques doesn't mean you have to live in a conventional version of a traditional space; antiques of different vintages mixed with strong contemporary pieces is a far more interesting approach. Designers such as Axel Vervoordt and John Saladino offer two very different visions on how to achieve this.

I think it's shortsighted to automatically assume that the Obamas prefer modern or contemporary furniture over traditional. In my opinion, everyone in the world has them all figured out, when in reality, we don't know much about them or their tastes in decor other than what small snippets we've seen. I agree with Lisa Hunter (Montreal). There is better furniture out there than the latest piece of wood and upholstery from DWR.

I also don't think the direction of our country has ANYTHING to do with what kind of bed the president and his wife sleep in every night. That's a silly notion.

To get back to the topic at hand, I'm a fan of the 4-poster. The tiger maple is beautiful. I'm wondering what linens they'll use.

P.S. Did anyone see the interview photos of them at home when he was running for senate? Their living room had Southeast Asian prints on the walls, African art, and oriental rugs. It was surprisingly boho.