Surroundings mag::E::zine Fall Issue has arrived!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxG1lewyKlqYTJ9oyx13S5oktQZTPzjhrMiTtcxPibquNjUwXlxuKm5v9gLTDpvOVv9S96tWX1YVlxFydqVkMULsH9HbnnxmFzUCicHRh2flkEQ4aP_ps-d6hCCncK0h8TsLikYEvx4QR/s1600/Surroundings+Fall+2010+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQxG1lewyKlqYTJ9oyx13S5oktQZTPzjhrMiTtcxPibquNjUwXlxuKm5v9gLTDpvOVv9S96tWX1YVlxFydqVkMULsH9HbnnxmFzUCicHRh2flkEQ4aP_ps-d6hCCncK0h8TsLikYEvx4QR/s640/Surroundings+Fall+2010+cover.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://issuu.com/surroundings/docs/surroundings_fall_2010a"><b>CLICK HERE TO VIEW</b></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div><embed align="middle" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true&autoFlip=true&autoFlipTime=6000&documentId=100906181213-db2b62b4c05c4290b16dbda9f987a482&docName=surroundings_fall_2010a&username=Surroundings&loadingInfoText=Surroundings%20mag%3A%3AE%3A%3Azine%20Fall%202010&et=1283815896554&er=22" menu="false" name="flashticker" quality="high" salign="l" scale="noscale" src="http://static.issuu.com/webembed/viewers/style1/v1/IssuuViewer.swf" style="height: 272px; width: 420px;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed><div style="text-align: left; width: 420px;"><a href="http://issuu.com/Surroundings/docs/surroundings_fall_2010a?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true&autoFlip=true&autoFlipTime=6000" target="_blank">Open publication</a> - Free <a href="http://issuu.com/" target="_blank">publishing</a> - <a href="http://issuu.com/search?q=decorating" target="_blank">More decorating</a></div></div><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/40/61AD69B5456EE9E48D48218DA34439B1.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a> <br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe to ::Surroundings::</a>

Surroundings mag::E::zine Fall Issue has arrived!

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Decorating the Seats of Power

So, we've been all chewing over President Obama's new Oval Office decor. It has been received with an overwhelming ... eh... and that's on the positive side. Some people, perhaps unwilling to publicly criticize Michael Smith, rumored to be the designer, have supported the decor as at least being satisfying to Mr. Obama. Because after all, the client is always right, right? Personally, I think the designer's job is to bring to the client more than he or she thought was possible. But it must be acknowledged that whether it was Mr. Smith or someone else who did the design, it couldn't be easy to design by committee. Some wonder why we should care, it's his office after all. And to that, I say, no, it's not. The White House isn't known as "The People's House" for nothing. The Oval Office is meant for ceremonial purposes and should reflect the national and international importance of that room. Of course, the President should feel comfortable in the space, but he does have a private office as well. This is his public office and "We The People" are the owners of the space. All our Presidents are temporary inhabitants, there because a majority of those who voted gave them the permission to move in. And so I think it's entirely appropriate that we all weigh in on how we're represented to the world. And, it got me wondering, how does The Oval stack up to other heads of state around the world? (In all honesty, I thought this would be an easy post but it turned out to be more time consuming than expecting. So I've only pulled pics of the French Presidents Office and the UK's Prime Minister's office.)<br /><br /><b>US: The White House</b> (recap)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/WhiteHouseSouthFacade.JPG/800px-WhiteHouseSouthFacade.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/WhiteHouseSouthFacade.JPG/800px-WhiteHouseSouthFacade.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-2010-new-overview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-2010-new-overview.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>France: The Élysée Palace</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Palais_elysee.jpg/800px-Palais_elysee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Palais_elysee.jpg/800px-Palais_elysee.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />President Nicolas Sarkozy's office, open for tours during a Heritage Day celebration.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbBq6cwTByObw41-E6-_cTXm8uk89e4WEUnyjzxTHOquAEzcmgv6ELbEkMdN8ML7gs4Gda_IZoORXBSUBFgPEb2SMTgt_K9UlohU8hZQ0AFIclXpSZY-JE5qcsrEEl8RGsWBEE5IMh2Ry/s1600/PalaisDeL'ElyseePresidentsOffice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXbBq6cwTByObw41-E6-_cTXm8uk89e4WEUnyjzxTHOquAEzcmgv6ELbEkMdN8ML7gs4Gda_IZoORXBSUBFgPEb2SMTgt_K9UlohU8hZQ0AFIclXpSZY-JE5qcsrEEl8RGsWBEE5IMh2Ry/s400/PalaisDeL'ElyseePresidentsOffice.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://travelwithterry.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html">Travels with Terry</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rue89.com/files/20090929bureau2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.rue89.com/files/20090929bureau2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.globaldashboard.org/2008/10/01/nicolas-sarkozy-has-a-very-modern-telephone-table/">Global Dashboard</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/09xY9Rp0jNeC0/610x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/09xY9Rp0jNeC0/610x.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.daylife.com/photo/09xY9Rp0jNeC0">Daylife</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/04aZ8EL93RaJC/610x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/04aZ8EL93RaJC/610x.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Like The White House, The Élysée Palace (finished in 1722) consists of private living space as well as offices and formal public spaces. However, French Presidents seem to have made individual choices as to whether to live there. Mitterand preferred his own home on the Left Bank, Chirac did live in the Palace and Sarkozy apparently prefers to live at Carla Bruni's home in Paris (according to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lys%C3%A9e_Palace">Wikipedia</a>).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>United Kingdon: 10 Downing Street</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/4953955159_8cb6e79e2f_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/4953955159_8cb6e79e2f_z.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/conservatives/">Conservative Party </a>on Flickr</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">PM David Cameron and his wife Samantha welcome their new daughter Florence home to the iconic front door at 10 Downing, today! (via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/conservatives/4953955159/">The Conservative Party</a> on Flickr)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Former PM Gordon Brown with some Americans</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00158/g20-No10group_158492s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00158/g20-No10group_158492s.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00158/g20insideNo10_158404s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.independent.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00158/g20insideNo10_158404s.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">via <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/obama-the-perfect-guest-ndash-shame-about-philip-1659995.html?action=Popup&ino=12">The Independant</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/4619144748_c1601471f3_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3334/4619144748_c1601471f3_z.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Current Prime Minister David Cameron (r) in his office</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3310/4601280123_dbd648ae3d_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3310/4601280123_dbd648ae3d_z.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://richardwillisuk.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/cam-and-thatch.jpg?w=500&h=325" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://richardwillisuk.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/cam-and-thatch.jpg?w=500&h=325" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">10 Downing Street was once a private residence and is a fairly congested section of London. The famous black door entrance is relatively unassuming as compared to The White House or The Élysée Palace. The rear of the building is much bigger looking and is the true entrance.  The Prime Minister's and their families do live in the building, which Margaret Thatcher referred to as "living above the shop". </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think the differing design styles of the three spaces is pretty obvious and expected. All showcase their own countries decorative arts and architecture. France is bolded and gilded to the extreme, England is classic and conservative; and the US is certainly classic, but still a bit of a mish-mosh. One thing I've realized that our Oval could use - large and bold artwork, or groupings of smaller pieces. The small scale of the artwork on the Oval's walls just seems skimpy compared to the sumptuous detailing of France, or ancestral portraiture of England. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Don't forget, I'm<a href="http://chameleon-interiors.blogspot.com/2010/09/potus-in-oval-who-did-it-best-decor-of.html"> running a poll</a> about who's Oval Office (from FDR to BHO), so cast your vote if you haven't already done so. You may be surprised by who's winning! And, since we've all been saying what we would want to have seen in the Oval's design, I'm challenging those interested to come up with a design board of what they would do. Let's put our design chops where our mouth's are. Entries accepted between now and September 30th. I'll post all and offer a prize (TBD). </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/40/61AD69B5456EE9E48D48218DA34439B1.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a> <br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe to ::Surroundings::</a>

Decorating the Seats of Power

So, we've been all chewing over President Obama's new Oval Office decor. It has been received with an overwhelming ... eh... and tha...

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POTUS in the Oval: Who did it best? (the decor, of course)

So, one of the big topics of conversation today is the reveal of the newly decorated Obama Oval office, done by Michael Smith, who also did the Obama's private living space. If we take a stroll through the history of the Oval, the Obama office is pretty much more of the same. I have to say that I think it's pretty dull, in general. I like the idea of the quotes around the edge of the rug, but the center is blah.  <br /><br /><br />#44 President Barack Obama<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-2010-new-overview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-2010-new-overview.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-2010-first-look.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-2010-first-look.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-2010-from-desk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-2010-from-desk.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />#43 President George W. Bush<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rugrag.com/image.axd?picture=oval-office-carpet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.rugrag.com/image.axd?picture=oval-office-carpet.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-bush2-rug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-bush2-rug.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">digital rendering of Bush 43's carpet</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/photo/files/2009/04/c161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://blogs.reuters.com/photo/files/2009/04/c161.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-2008-bush-obama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-2008-bush-obama.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />#42 President Bill Clinton<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.rugrag.com/image.axd?picture=clinton-oval-office-rug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.rugrag.com/image.axd?picture=clinton-oval-office-rug.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-rug-clinton-warp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-rug-clinton-warp.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">digital rendering of Clinton's carpet</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-c1996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-c1996.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9SPq4FglAroRct8p0TDZJxtb_9fm9eABJpRgSLo7EHVNZBH8yP89MOyILBZFtCxUezzK1TCG3Qi6KmtG4H3LEVCgavqEzQkKW9lvuz_JXxhT9k6vVW4ltaX8W_vQUkwYVy14KE3HfRwx/s1600/The+rug+for+Clinton%27s+Presidential+Library+pictures+from+friends+%26+fun+photos+on+webshots_1283396556089.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9SPq4FglAroRct8p0TDZJxtb_9fm9eABJpRgSLo7EHVNZBH8yP89MOyILBZFtCxUezzK1TCG3Qi6KmtG4H3LEVCgavqEzQkKW9lvuz_JXxhT9k6vVW4ltaX8W_vQUkwYVy14KE3HfRwx/s400/The+rug+for+Clinton%27s+Presidential+Library+pictures+from+friends+%26+fun+photos+on+webshots_1283396556089.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This shows the Clinton rug replica being made for his library. It really shows the size of the carpet.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>#41 President George H.W. Bush<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-c1991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-c1991.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-1991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-1991.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />#40 President Ronald Regan (#43 borrowed the carpet until his was made). Clearly #43's carpet was inspired by this one.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-reagan-last-day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-reagan-last-day.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jewishsightseeing.com/jewish-images/2007-12-28-oval%20office.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.jewishsightseeing.com/jewish-images/2007-12-28-oval%20office.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office-reagan-last-day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office-reagan-last-day.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />#39 President Jimmy Carter used #38 President Gerald Ford's decor:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-reagans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-reagans.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-1977-meir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-1977-meir.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-ford-replica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-ford-replica.jpg" /></a></div><br /> #37 Richard Nixon:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-ford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-ford.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> President Ford using the Nixon decor, before redecorating</div><br />#36 Lyndon Johnson<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-johnson-replica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-johnson-replica.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">this is the replica office in the Johnson Library</div><br />#35 John F. Kennedy<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-kennedy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-kennedy.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sadly, this decor was installed while President and Mrs. Kennedy were in Dallas in November 1963. It was dismantled before Mrs. Kennedy returned to the White House. </div><br /><br /> #35 President Dwight D. Eisenhower<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-c1956-s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-c1956-s.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-1960-n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-1960-n.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br />#33 President Harry Truman<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-1962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-1962.jpg" width="462" /></a></div><br />#32 Franklin Roosevelt<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-1930s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-1930s.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-c1936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.bremenbaseball.com/whm/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-c1936.jpg" /></a></div><br />Bonus President: Josiah Bartlet ("The West Wing"):<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://westwing.bewarne.com/seventh/images/2WESecN05jed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://westwing.bewarne.com/seventh/images/2WESecN05jed.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://l.yimg.com/l/im_siggzTl3hMp3Ayxmgg.t9XeHUg---x324-y400/tv/us/img/site/20/06/0000002006_20060919152920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://l.yimg.com/l/im_siggzTl3hMp3Ayxmgg.t9XeHUg---x324-y400/tv/us/img/site/20/06/0000002006_20060919152920.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/05/02/weekinreview/02baker_CA0/02baker_CA0-popup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/05/02/weekinreview/02baker_CA0/02baker_CA0-popup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://westwing.bewarne.com/sixth/images/WEScjN04-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://westwing.bewarne.com/sixth/images/WEScjN04-3.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Love the sconces!</div><br /> So, who do you think did it best?<br /><br /><form action="http://poll.pollcode.com/6hN" method="post"><table bgcolor="#eeeeee" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 150px;"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;"><b>Which President did it best?</b></span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="1" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Obama 44</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="2" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Bush 43</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="3" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Clinton 42</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="4" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Bush 41</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="5" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Reagan 40</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="6" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Carter 39 and Ford 38</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="7" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Nixon 37</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="8" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Johnson 36</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="9" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Kennedy 35</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="10" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Eisenhower 34</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="11" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Truman 33</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="12" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Roosevelt 32</span></td></tr><tr><td width="5"><input name="answer" type="radio" value="13" /></td><td><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Josiah Bartlet </span></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><br /><center><input type="submit" value="Vote" />  <input name="view" type="submit" value="View" /></center></td></tr><tr><td align="right" bgcolor="white" colspan="2"><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">pollcode.com <a href="http://pollcode.com/"><span style="color: navy;">free polls</span></a></span></td></tr></tbody></table></form><br />So, we basically have 60 years of the same old, same old. So, the question is, if you were decorating the Oval, would you do something different? And what about when we finally have a woman President, would we see a little something floral and not just the same old "man cave" as <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/opinion/01dowd.html?_r=2&hp">Maureen Dowd</a> calls it?<br /><br />I thought I'd run a little contest. Create a single panel design board (via Olioboard or Polyvore, or with any other format) of how you'd love to see this, the world's most influential room, look. <a href="mailto:linda.m.merrill@gmail.com">Email</a> me your entry by September 30th. I'll post them all and we'll run a little poll about who got it right. Don't forget to tell us if you're decorating for a male or female president, or, why you don't think it would matter. I'm not yet sure of the prize, but I have a ton a fabulous new design books, so am thinking a book of your choice would make a nice prize. So, you have 30 days to create your own oval office. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">images courtesy of <a href="http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/">The White House Museum</a> and other sources</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/40/61AD69B5456EE9E48D48218DA34439B1.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a> <br /><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe to ::Surroundings::</a>

POTUS in the Oval: Who did it best? (the decor, of course)

So, one of the big topics of conversation today is the reveal of the newly decorated Obama Oval office, done by Michael Smith, who also did ...

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