Is The White House Gold Decor Really From Home Depot?

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From making his mark on the Rose Garden to announcing plans for an ornately designed ballroom, as President Donald Trump adds his Midas touch to the White House it's less about reinventing history and more about layering on a bit of Mar-a-Lago glam. Earlier this year, while showing off what he called "the new and improved Oval Office," it was abundantly clear that his "gold standard" isn't just a policy position. It's a decor obsession. Gleaming ornamental moldings have been added to the fireplace mantel, inside picture frame wainscoting, and below the crown molding. He's added golden tables topped with gold coasters, hung portraits in gilded frames, and glammed up the presidential seal over the Resolute Desk. There are even golden cherubs hanging out inside the pediments. Love it or leave it, the new decor is unmistakably Trump. 

According to The Wall Street Journal, a south Florida cabinetmaker that Trump calls his "gold guy" custom made the elaborate finishes at the President's request. But some social media sleuths are skeptical. They claim the decor that Trump described as handled with "great love and 24 karat gold" is nothing more than a bunch of cheap Home Depot millwork appliqués covered with spray paint. 

It's harder than ever to know who's telling the truth these days, but some insiders claim the rumor might have some weight to it. If you're excited that the White House is in its Gold Era, all the gleaming new accents may make it onto your list of the iconic White House-inspired decor ideas to bring into your home. But if you find Trump's Oval Office renovation garish, you might vote to keep the bling locked up at Fort Knox where it belongs.

Inside Edition did some hard-hitting investigative reporting to determine not just whether there's any truth to the Home Depot rumor, but also to explore how you can make your own White House-inspired gold decor using supplies from the home improvement store. There are some White House features you'll never see in the common home, but Inside Edition claimed one TikToker made a convincing case that both the fireplace millwork and cherubs are polyurethane pieces from Ekena Millworks, a national brand sold at Home Depot.

As the story picked up steam, BuzzFeed reached out to the manufacturer for comment. "We work with several design firms in DC that have worked on the White House and believe these could be our onlays," they responded. The White House did announce that it would be working with Washington, D.C.-based McCrery Architects on that new ballroom, lending a whiff of possibility to the rumor. And Ekena Millworks claims its reputation for excellent carvings is one of the reasons companies like Disney trust it for difficult projects. If the inexpensive polyurethane and wood moldings do the trick at the Happiest Place on Earth, surely they can stand up to tension in the Situation Room, too. 

Whether each piece was hand-carved and finished by President Trump's "gold guy" or it was purchased from Home Depot, if you love the look there are simple DIY gold leaf projects that will make your home shine. Although Mr. Trump prefers real gold to paint, products like Rust-Oleum Universal Surface Metallic and Krylon Gold Spray Paint get endorsements from DIYers on both sides of the political aisle.