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White House East RoomJacqueline KennedyStéphane BoudinMaison JansenWhite House interior design

White House East Room: A History of Post-1952 Refurbishments

White House East Room: A History of Post-1952 Refurbishments

The East Room of the White House serves as one of the most prestigious spaces in the Executive Mansion, hosting everything from formal receptions to intimate performances. Since 1952, the room has undergone several waves of refurbishment, reflecting the tastes of various First Ladies and the evolving standards of historic preservation. From the meticulous design choices of Jacqueline Kennedy to the conservation efforts of the Reagan and Clinton administrations, the room's evolution balances modern utility with timeless elegance.

The Kennedy Era: A Vision of Historic Elegance

In 1961 and 1962, Jacqueline Kennedy launched extensive renovations of the White House. For the East Room, she collaborated with American antiques expert Henry Francis du Pont and French interior designer Stéphane Boudin of Maison Jansen. While many other rooms were heavily altered, the East Room's changes were focused on refinement and historical cohesion.

Window Treatments and Textiles

The most significant update was the installation of new draperies. Kennedy requested opaque silk undercurtains and yellow drapes. After a lengthy design process involving a custom-manufactured gold and cream silk lampas (a luxury fabric with a raised pattern) featuring birds, butterflies, and floral motifs, the final curtains were hung in 1965. These were installed as straight panels from the original 1902 gilt wooden cornices. The project took nearly three years and cost $26,149, funded by the sales of Mrs. Kennedy's White House guidebook.

The East Room as altered by Stéphane Boudin during the Kennedy administration
The East Room as altered by Stéphane Boudin during the Kennedy administration

Furniture and Architectural Details

To create a unified historic look, Boudin removed several items, including 1902 console tables and 1952 Adam-style camelback sofas, replacing the latter with gilt benches. The administration also restored four Monroe-era candelabra to the southern mantels and added early 19th-century crystal candelabra to the northern wall. To complement the portraits of George and Martha Washington, portraits of Bushrod Washington and Julia Ann Blackburn Washington by Chester Harding were added to the east wall.

Other notable changes included painting the fireplace mantels to resemble white marble and the introduction of portable ashtrays. After rejecting an expensive Maison Jansen design, Kennedy designed her own standing ashtrays, which were crafted from dark wood by White House carpenters with granite tops provided by Jansen.

The First Portable Stage

Jacqueline Kennedy introduced a small, portable stage clad in red velvet for intimate performances. Designed by ballet impresario Lincoln Kirstein, the stage was stored off-site and required three men eight hours to install and prepare.

Expansions Under Johnson and Carter

President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson preferred larger-scale entertainment. This led to the commission of a much larger stage designed by Jo Mielziner. This new stage occupied one-third of the room and featured cream-white pilasters to match the architecture, though the cost of the original fabric was too high, leading Mielziner to use American-made gold silk curtains instead. Setting up this stage required eight men and three days.

In 1964, President Johnson established the Committee for the Preservation of the White House to provide expert advice on the decor and conservation of public rooms. Additionally, in 1967, the Italian government donated a 30-piece 18th-century Neapolitan nativity scene (creche), which has been displayed in the East Room every Christmas since. The Carter administration later added ten more antique Italian figures to this set.

By 1978, the East Room's parquet flooring had suffered significant wear and was completely replaced during the Carter administration.

Modern Conservation: Reagan to George W. Bush

The Reagan administration focused on conservation and restoration. Nancy Reagan oversaw a $730,000 project that included assessing the East Room's plasterwork and paneling. Minor updates included repainting the room in its traditional warm cream color and adding gold silk swag valances. New over-draperies were also installed at a cost of $130,000.

During the Clinton administration, the 1960s faux-marble paint was removed from the mantels and baseboards, revealing the original 1951 "rouge antique" reddish marble from Vermont. In 1995, three wool carpets costing $259,330 were installed to protect the oak floors. These carpets, funded by the White House Endowment Fund, were designed to mirror the 1820s plaster ceiling moldings.

The most recent significant update occurred in 2003 under George W. Bush. The Committee for the Preservation of the White House replaced the Reagan-era swag valances with deeper, more substantial versions (12 inches deeper) and repainted the room in its signature warm cream. This $200,000 refurbishment was also funded by private donations.

Key Facts

  • Funding: Many renovations, including the 1960s drapes and 1990s carpets, were funded by private donations or book sales rather than public funds.
  • The Creche: A 30-piece 18th-century Italian nativity scene has been a holiday staple in the room since 1967.
  • Material Restoration: The "rouge antique" Vermont marble was hidden under white paint from the 1960s until the Clinton administration.
  • Preservation: The Committee for the Preservation of the White House was created in 1964 to ensure professional oversight of the room's decor.
Administration Key Changes Notable Materials/Costs
Kennedy New drapes, portable stage, faux-marble mantels Gold/cream silk lampas ($26,149)
Johnson/Carter Large performance stage, new flooring, Italian creche American gold silk curtains
Reagan Conservation of plaster/paneling, new valances Over-draperies ($130,000)
Clinton Restored red marble, installed wool carpets Wool carpets ($259,330)
George W. Bush Updated swag valances, repainting Refurbishment cost ($200,000)

Frequently Asked Questions

How were the expensive Kennedy-era curtains paid for?

The $26,149 cost for the drapes and valances was covered by the sales of Jacqueline Kennedy's guidebook to the White House.

What is the significance of the "rouge antique" marble?

It is the original reddish Vermont marble installed during the 1951 renovation, which had been painted over to look like white marble during the 1960s before being restored in the 1990s.

Who manages the preservation of the East Room today?

The Committee for the Preservation of the White House, established by executive order in 1964, advises the President and First Lady on the room's decor and conservation.

Why were wool carpets installed in 1995?

The carpets were installed to protect the original oak floors from dirt and debris, and their design was specifically chosen to reflect the 1820s plaster ceiling moldings.

How did the stages used by the Kennedys and Johnsons differ?

The Kennedy stage was small, portable, and designed for intimate performances, while the Johnson stage was much larger (occupying one-third of the room) and designed for elaborate productions.

References

  1. In July 1824, Lafayette embarked on a grand tour of the United States during which he acquired several tons of items gifted to him. These items were stored in the East Room for two months during his final destination of the tour, Washington D.C. Purportedly, one or more alligators were included. E.g: in 1963, the article "The Creation of the President's House" in the journal Records of the Columbia Historical Society, Washington, D.C. – After relating Abigail Adam's comments regarding the disarray in the East Room, the author adds: "This room was also used to quarter the pet alligator presented to Lafayette on the latter's triumphal tour of 1824."[30]
  2. Moreen is a heavy wool or wool/cotton blend fabric with a heavy weft that creates a ribbed face. It has a moiré pattern finish, and was commonly used for curtains or drapes.[37]
  3. The pier table is a long, narrow table designed to be placed against a wall. It has four legs, so it may stand upright on its own. Generally, they were finely carved and designed to stand between two windows or two doors. Pier tables often were sold with a "pier glass"—a mirror in a frame which matched the carving of the pier table.[40]
  4. One of the Quervelle pier tables survives, and is known in the 21st century as the Andrew Jackson Table. All three large marble-topped tables also remain.[33][39]
  5. Astral lamps were expensive oil lamps made with a marble base, brass body, and crystal shade. The oil reservoir was in a ring around the lamp, rather than directly beneath it, so that there was little shadow cast by the lamp. Mantel lamps were narrow lamps with a tall glass shade designed to sit on a shelf or mantelpiece. They sometimes had a shade on the rear, to reflect light outward rather than against the wall.[41]

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