Lincoln Bedroom - Redecoration During The George W. Bush Administration

Redecoration During The George W. Bush Administration

During the administration of George W. Bush the new curator, William Allman along with new Bush appointees to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, including Bush family decorator Ken Blasingame, continued with the process. A boldly patterned Renaissance Revival patterned carpet was created for the room. The wallpaper became a compromise, using the diamond pattern found in the historic engravings and painting, but eschewing the deep Victorian color palette found in the oil painting, for a much lighter off-white color favored by the Bush family in many of the White House rooms they refurbished.

The crown-shaped canopy hood which originally held the canopy of the Lincoln bed was recreated, and the lace and silk and wool velvet bed drapes were accurately recreated, including hand-made fringe and tassels based upon 19th century photographs. New gilded window valances in the Rococo Revival style, perhaps intended to echo the bed canopy crown were created in place of those shown in engravings, drawings and a painting made during Lincoln's presidency.