The White House's New Lincoln Bedroom Bathroom Is A Vision In Marble

The White House is more than just the home of the current president. It's a museum of sorts, one with a rich history and rooms and halls filled with artifacts from past presidents. Over the years, the decorating styles of some presidents and their first ladies have left their marks on the executive mansion and gifted us with some of the most iconic White House-inspired decor. The bathroom in the Lincoln Bedroom has sported an art deco style since 1945, when it was last redone by President Harry S. Truman. It has now been entirely redone by President Donald Trump.

In a Truth Social post announcing the renovation, President Trump said, "It was renovated in the 1940s in an art deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era." Now, a black and white statuary marble covers the entire room — the floor, walls, shower, bathtub, and vanity. Gold accents were added through the fixtures, hardware, and even a trash can. Overhead hangs a large crystal chandelier. The overall effect is the kind of opulence that might earn a place on the list of White House features you'll never see in the common home.

With such a dramatic change, there are bound to be strong opinions, particularly from interior designers. While some may question this makeover, it's been 80 years since President Truman added the art deco finishes to this room. "The old style was outdated and not in keeping with the historical nature of the White House," Liz Potarazu, CEO and principal designer of LP&Co., told The Washington Post over email. However, Potarazu also noted, "Marble is a timeless material, but perhaps it was a bit overused in this latest iteration." 

Diana Lombard, owner and lead designer of Diana Lombard Interiors, agreed. She told the Post that, while using the material was not off-base for the time period, she would have preferred the marble be used sparingly rather than on every surface. "Integrating the marble with other natural materials that were more common during the 1860s would have better honored the period's architectural integrity and created a more rich, layered, and elegant space," Lombard suggested.  

Though it may have been overdone in this case, it's hard to find a decorative material with more classical appeal and beauty than marble. Used for over 2,500 years in palaces and mansions all over the world, marble is the stunning interior design trend that's here to stay. It's also undoubtedly a president's prerogative to make these kinds of changes.