Posted on 09/02/2010 1:48:30 PM PDT by dselig
A friend shows me a photograph and asks, “Can you tell me what this is a picture of?”
DUH, it’s clearly a room. Sure, I recognize it. “It’s our senior lounge from high school,” I reply. “That was so cool. People donated their old couches, chairs, and coffee tables for that room.”
“No, it’s not the senior lounge,” my friend replies with a smirk.
“Really? Ok then…um…Oh yeah, it’s the living room in my first off-campus apartment in college. I remember now. We got those two big old couches from the Salvation Army; we found those chairs on the street; I picked the lamps up at Goodwill for like a buck a-piece; and I think one of my roommates brought that coffee table from home when his parents re-did their basement.”
“Nope.” my friend says, smiling. “Give up?”
“No, not yet. One more guess…” I ponder, studying the picture a little closer. “Wait a minute…Is that the presidential seal on the carpet? No, it can’t be. No way…This can’t be the…CAN IT?”
Yes, indeed, the Oval Office just underwent a nip/tuck, giving new literal meaning to the term “design on a dime” (and we thought Heidi Montag’s makeover was botched).
It’s unclear who the interior decorating whiz is who spearheaded this “family-friendly” design (of the most powerful office in the universe!) while the Obama Family was away on vacation, but I suggest they head for the border fast. For starters, they fell a tad short in rounding out their apparent frat house chic theme, missing the most important accessories: A big screen TV, circa. 1995; a portable fridge filled with beer; and a few guys with names like Otter, Bluto, Stork, and D-Day lounging around in their underwear, skipping class and playing video games.
Seriously though, I have no doubt the President wants to be comfy in the one place he spends most of his time, but I fear this new décor (or perhaps we need to go with “new digs” here) may pose multiple security risks:
ONE: Judging from those over-stuffed couches, President Obama risks losing half his cabinet in the cracks between the seat cushions, along with his spare change and snack crumbs.
TWO: The Brady Bunch is going to be none too happy when they come looking for their missing kitchen tiles that were used to make that coffee table.
THREE: Jackie Kennedy spinning in her grave over this won’t necessarily affect Mr. Obama, BUT, if, GOD FORBID!!!, the very-much-alive Nancy Reagan catches a glimpse of this, the White House better batten down the hatches and brace itself!
To say the least.
OK, OK, enough with the negative energy. Maybe the new furniture just doesn’t photograph well. Therefore, I’m going to look on the bright side of this refurbishing. After all, if you can’t say anything nice…
The first positive aspect of the room: The big accent pillows are perfect for late night Oval Office pillow fights with the Secretary of State.
Second positive point: The bowl of apples front and center on the coffee table is functional and practical! It conjures up that whole “American as apple pie” thing and it offers a healthy snack for visiting dignitaries (and/or first daughters) to munch on in-between peace-making sessions and state dinners.
Third, garage sale entrepreneurs nationwide are about to get a boon in their business as everyone races to redesign their homes so they can keep up with the Obamas.
And, a bonus point of light: The side lamps are a lovely shade of Barbara Bush blue.
Personally though, I’m holding out for the revelation that this was all set up for a special reboot of Punk’d. Picture it: The Obamas return from Martha’s Vineyard anticipating their beautiful new Oval Office only to look in sheer horror at the third-rate motel lobby arrangement they find. Then, after a moment or two, and a few heads rolling, Ashton Kutcher jumps out from behind the survivor of this titanic overhaul, the Resolute desk, announcing “You just got PUNK’D, man” while fist-bumping POTUS and FLOTUS.
Laughter all around, and scene.
I’m thinking how much better that room is gonna look with a bearskin rug on the floor, come late January 2013...
Betcha there were some middle-eastern-sounding names involved in the decorating.
no picture?
The earth tones are ok, but geez, how about some color, some pizzaz. Dull and ugly as hell.
Mrs. Bush decorated the Oval Office beautifully. It didn’t look cheap or tacky. Of course, the current occupants of the White House ARE cheap and tacky; so what do we expect?
Leave us out of this.
no pics?
They’re using the colors of the Saudi desert. Brown, darker brown, medium brown, lighter brown and taupe.
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they say its just like the lobby at the Gay Bath House him and Rahm belong to in Chicago
Its boring but it looks comfortable.
no personality, how fitting.
Just make sure you count the silverware in 2012.
Just make sure you count the silverware in 2012.
Thanks for that wonderful picture. I love Sarah.
That is really ugly.
Why not, his wife went ghetto whore.
Eh, I think it looks fine, but I’m a guy and I have no decorating sense. There’s a lot worse things to dog Zero on than overstuffed sofas.
(Although Robert Reich sure could get lost between those sofa cushions, now that you mention it...)
}:-)4
I don’t mind the colors so much, but I wish they had kept the gold drapes.
I saw all those colors and thought “Middle east”. Sand colors, camel-crap browns, etc.
Well it wont show the doggie doodoo
It just looks too middle class. But, that is our first couple who just stepped up to middle class a couple of years ago and are still on the learning curve about such things. They show no refined, instinctive good taste. Obviously they, and the staff they coerced into picking the furnishings and colors, are comfortable with the styles one would find at a middle class furniture store. The sofa fabric is just so commonplace, also. That stuff..velor, velvet, whatever lacks any originality and interest. But it is probably Scotch-guarded! All in all..it is not ugly, but not exquisite and classy. And, it is BLAND. And not appropriate. Sort of reflects a socialists view of everything needing to be monotone. Surprised it is not gray rather than brown.
But, thinking about guests visiting, I cannot imagine some statesman or foreign dignitary who has a bit of a problem getting up and down, finding those sofas easy to sit in. They are for lounging at home, in your pj's. Would have been just perfect for their private residence upstairs. We can only wonder how that is decorated, LOL!
I had to count the stars on the seal just to make sure.
Even Middle East royalty use livelier colors than this in their throne rooms, don’t they?
The truth is, it is actually very typical African-American decor. All that’s missing is the African art — and, of course, the flashing Colt 45 neon signs.
CONCUR.
Comparing the oval office to a frat house is an insult...
...to fraternity brothers the world over...
...Brack never would have fit in a fraternity anyways...
...nobody, and I mean NOBODY...uses "wee wee'd up" in a fraternity and lives...
Besides, fraternities exist in order to build a better man, and instill character (the good ones anyways)...
...Brack would not qualify (even for the bad ones).
He would be the FLOUNDER of the chapter, only given the bid because "we need the dues, man"
ZAX (to those that know what it means, anyways)
Yes, those overstuffed sofas will be embarrassing for some people, unless it’s just an overstuffed look and the cushions are filled with some kind of rigid foam.
Were they able to get the AfroSheen stains off the wall...?
The overseas trips, the wardrobe, the Oval makeover.....this is Michele's masterplan, a prelude to transforming herself into a Black Jackie (but that was before Mrs O bombed in Spain).
JACKIE'S WH BEDROOM. Her TV tour of the WH cemented Jackie's elegant image among Americans.
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Now instead of a TV tour of the WH, Michele is concentrating on showcasing American Dance.
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The Clintons brought in a Dixie Carter-like designer from Little Rock, Kaki Hockersmith, a high priced decorator friend of the Clintons. Looked like she decorated the WH out of Wal Mart's sale shelves. Kaki's red room was so embarrassing, you cannot find a sample on the net.
Bill loved it b/c she basically made the place look like what he was using it for----a bordello.
THIS WAS THE WH RELEASE Among the donations to the National Park Service was $74,607 contributed by the Clinton/Gore Transition Foundation in payments to Kaki Hockersmith of Little Rock, Arkansas, for her services as the design consultant for the White House restoration project. (The Transition Foundation is privately funded.) Ms. Hockersmith devoted a significant amount of personal time to the project, essentially closing her small business and dedicating nearly an entire year to the White House refurbishment.
Ms. Hockersmith also donated draperies of her design which now hang in the Lincoln Sitting Room. (Lists of those who contributed to the White House Historical Association and the National Park Service are attached. A list of members of the White House Historical Association is also attached.)
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The Lincoln Sitting Room in 2000, looking south (White House Historical Association)
Flashing Colt 45 neon signs would at least indicate the Bummer is gun-friendly wouldn’t they?
Oh, you mean the beer.
Hotel-lounge decor. Theme: “This will never show dirt!”
Sort of Rooms to Go chic.
I think it looks comfortable too.. much less formal
I do not hate it, but it is a huge change
Not appropriate.
To be honest, it looks a lot like my living room, only they spent more. Are those queen-size sleeper sofas? And WE have a chameleon in a 3’x3’x4’ cage!
I just realized...it looks like the redecoration was a really purposeful attempt at getting rid of anything that is jubilant about America, including red, white, blue...bright golds, etc. The eagle rug is...my goodness...like a statement in socialist’s colors. If there are such things. I would imagine, like the bleak streets during Hitler’s (yep, used that name again) reign, this was meant to signify that being creative is not appreciated. Classless room symbolizing Obama’s quest for classless society. It is all so uninspiring.
You got my drift. Older ladies will have to sit in those high back leather chairs if they want to remain dignified, comfortable, and not need a hand up.
In two years those sofas and the rug will smell so bad from the cigarette smoke they’ll have to be replaced.
Does Zero really smoke indoors? Ugh.
It’s mediocre at best.
L Fish Furniture?
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