White House Interiors: Reworking Presidential Trends With Scalamandré and Fabricut

With each presidency, the White House changes. Each administration and its tastes infuse the Oval Office with their own decor aesthetic. Fabrics and Home looked at some of the redesigns of the past so we could offer a few design reinterpretations using Scalamandré and Fabricut fabrics and wallpapers.

The Transformation of the Blue Room 

One part of the White House that has undergone renovations several times is the Blue Room. In President Martin Van Buren's era, for example, the space - then called the Oval Room - received a dignified look when he replaced crimson colors with silver wallpaper and light blue satin fabrics. From that moment onward, the area became the Blue Room.

President William McKinley would later refurbish the  Blue Room in a Colonial Revival style.

An example of a room decorated in Colonial Revival. Photo credit: Internet Archive Book

Our Interior Design Interpretation: Using Scalamandré Wallpaper and Fabrics

Fabrics and Home has updated the Blue Room design, pairing a choice of two Scalamandré wallpapers and fabrics to mimic a similar color scheme.

Scalamandré's Seneca Shimmer's adds a silver glimmer while Jamila's dark blue offers a bit of gravitas.

Enjoy the lush beauty of Scalamandre's Sonatine in Marine and Safim in Silver and Marine.

Everything Is Better in Blue

President Andrew Jackson also liked the color blue and used it for his upholstered furniture, which he paired with mahogany tables, in the East Room. According to White House History, by the time his term ended in 1837, he had spent $45,000 on new furnishings - a huge amount for the time.

Our Suggestion: Blue Fabric from Fabricut

Celebrate presidential style with these basic colors that keep a room looking thoughtful, inspiring and, maybe, even a little bit patriotic.

Rich blue, gray and white fabrics can make lovely upholstery, pillows or bedding. These Fabricut patterns in Acquaintance, Beckwith, Dublin Linen and Ming. 

Featured photo: Example of a Federal look - something President Dwight D. Eisenhower enjoyed in his furniture. Photo credit: Knoxville Museum of Art, Thorne Rooms at KMA, Federal Dining Room.