It is accepted wisdom in Washington that each new First Family gets to put its personal imprimatur on the decor of the White House. It is also the right of every self-respecting armchair decorator to criticize the First Family's taste. The Lincolns were disparaged as spendthrifts. Rutherford Hayes' refurbishings were deemed "French-y and pretentious." Teddy Roosevelt smeared the Green Room with a polar-bear pelt, and purists reached for the smelling salts when Harry Truman built a balcony over the South Portico. Even decor queen Jackie Kennedy was sharply rebuked by the President himself when an all-too-authentic antique chair collapsed under him...
Clinton Family Values
The mansion's redecoration arches a few eyebrows
Subscriber content preview.
or
Log-In
To continue reading:
or
Log-In