tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post7139993325192574094..comments2024-03-28T14:29:32.353-05:00Comments on The Devoted Classicist: White House: The President's Dining RoomJohn J. Tacketthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-51264221238498657962014-06-13T12:04:53.245-05:002014-06-13T12:04:53.245-05:00The caption on the December, 1961, photograph of t...The caption on the December, 1961, photograph of the chimneypiece has been changed to reflect the information provided by Patrick Phillips-Schrock.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-83293325454583311872014-06-13T12:03:06.545-05:002014-06-13T12:03:06.545-05:00Penelope, the Tuttles asked my friend and former P...Penelope, the Tuttles asked my friend and former Parish-Hadley co-worker Brian J. McCarthy to assist in the refurbishment of Winfield House. So, yes, a post on it will be coming.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-63748216233754368942014-06-13T11:42:22.877-05:002014-06-13T11:42:22.877-05:00Thanks, Patrick. It seems that the intent was to ...Thanks, Patrick. It seems that the intent was to reuse much of the MM&W detailing and was put in storage, but was not used in the Truman reconstruction after all. The current chimneypiece seems to have been installed during the Kennedy administration with early Sister Parish shots showing what you have identified as the Winslow chimneypiece (and not MM&W); I presume it is an antique that was found and thought to be better suited to the scenic wallpaper. Many thanks for your comments. I want to find your book which I am sure is full of interesting facts.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-51339639001829466492014-06-12T22:37:41.074-05:002014-06-12T22:37:41.074-05:00FYI: The mantel in the room (in the early pictures...FYI: The mantel in the room (in the early pictures) was designed by Lorenzo Winslow in 1952, to replace a fine stone piece installed by McKim, Mead, and White in 1902. The new mantelpiece which replaced it was, for a brief time, tried in the Family Dining Room directly below this room. Patrick Phillips-Schrock, author of THE WHITE HOUSE; AN ILLUSTRATED ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY (2013).<br />Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08910749706841514014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-55131355461335703952013-04-29T19:54:03.128-05:002013-04-29T19:54:03.128-05:00Oh, how I love that scenic wallpaper!!! It simpl...Oh, how I love that scenic wallpaper!!! It simply has to be restored!! I am almost certain Michael Smith would be all for it!<br /><br />I was lucky to be invited to a party at the "Ambassador's Residence" in London, when our friend Bob Tuttle was the Ambassador to the Court of St. James.<br /><br />I seriously almost fainted when I walked into the "Green Room" with its 18th century hand painted Chinese wallpaper that Billy Haines found in an Irish castle! Never have I seen a more beautiful room! Never. It has french doors on two sides out to the garden. The green garden wallpaper,with birds and butterflies, the Chinoiserie carved pine pelmets and overdoors all make the most divinely exquisite room I have ever been in, or even seen! I couldn't speak!<br /><br />Bob's wife, Maria discovered there was no book about this exquisite house; so she wrote one (with an architectural historian)! It is an incredibly beautiful book. Gorgeous photography and very well written. Winfield House is the name of it.<br />Billy Haines decorated and restored this house when Walter Annenberg was the Ambassador in 1969.<br /><br />Not many people know about this gorgeous estate smack in the middle on London on 12 acres! It was donated to the United States (well, sold for 5 dollars) by the heiress Barbara Hutton in 1945.<br /><br />How about a post? Is there one??? Oh please!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-21845340411583958252013-01-03T19:17:09.306-06:002013-01-03T19:17:09.306-06:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-63027501225102916482012-07-14T20:24:04.806-05:002012-07-14T20:24:04.806-05:00Dear Rose, your comment made me chuckle. Not that...Dear Rose, your comment made me chuckle. Not that I disagree but "a dog's dinner" is a way of putting it that was unfamiliar to me. Appropriate though. The Reagans' decorator Ted Graber was more accustomed to parties for Hollywood royalty than the other kind, and it shows. Thank you for commenting.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-6495091097106777942012-07-14T18:58:21.696-05:002012-07-14T18:58:21.696-05:00Loved this post on the several reincarnations of t...Loved this post on the several reincarnations of this room. The scenic wallpaper is by far the best idea in my book. Forgive me saying this about such an illustrious house but the 1981 dinner set up for Prince Charles frankly looks like a dog's dinner. Shame about that oriental carpet with a touch of the boudoir about it but probably perceived as easier to live with than the historic document one. But what do I know?!Rose C'est La Viehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17193872186283731567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-73284298998278716242012-05-31T15:53:07.767-05:002012-05-31T15:53:07.767-05:00Grand, you are correct sir, I DO have the smartest...Grand, you are correct sir, I DO have the smartest readers in Blog-dom and I am grateful for them all. My Devoted Readers are very appreciated. One of the best things about a blog, is the timely response factor we can have, nothing like the Olden Days when a Letter To The Editor MIGHT get published in the magazine issue a couple of months later.<br /><br />The loss of the Kennedy/Boudin Treaty Room is one of the great decorative tragedies in White House history. Let's just hope that some stylish future occupant - and their equally chic decorator - will have the good taste to restore the scheme. Thank you for commenting.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-87642397890424445142012-05-31T15:41:29.343-05:002012-05-31T15:41:29.343-05:00Julietta, although I did not agree with the placem...Julietta, although I did not agree with the placement of the portrait over the mantle, I gave leeway for personal touches for a private room. But it is amazing how wrong the flower arrangements are, is it not? Since they are temporary, I gave a pass on those, too. It is a lesson in appropriateness. Thanks for the second look.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-52655055024067875422012-05-31T15:27:22.182-05:002012-05-31T15:27:22.182-05:00I had to go back a few times to see the giltwood m...I had to go back a few times to see the giltwood mantle mirror as it is hard to see from the photo. I see it now and you are right. But in my estimation not half as bad as the pastel painting with the tacky flower arrangements of the Clinton years, not to mention the yellow chintz on the chairs. Nice for a sunroom but not a DR, particularly not this one! I don't hold much hope for the Obamas.<br /><br />Thanks for the class!lindaraxahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15721286284279902181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-34555243191183336602012-05-31T14:54:22.027-05:002012-05-31T14:54:22.027-05:00I have most of the official White House Guidebooks...I have most of the official White House Guidebooks published over the years and a few of the big-deal standard references, but this is the first time I can ever recall so much care & attention being paid to one of the lesser-known rooms. <br />The early Kennedy decor is still my favorite. The Waterford is pretty, of course, but it's the boldness & swagger of the ormolu that really makes (or made) the look against the scenic paper, and in a way that couldn't be replicated downstairs against the paper in the Diplomatic Reception room because of that room's low ceiling. Then again, the ormolu could re-appear at any moment, because, as you've shown, nothing at the White House is permanent--and in a good thing, too. Those Graber curtains? Yikes. Nice way to obliterate the architecture, Ted. <br /><br />On the other hand, I may be the only one, but I sort of like the Clintons' version of the room. Unlike the scenes of warfare that supposedly bothered some people before the Ford makeover, nobody could have found anything even vaguely upsetting about KH's genteel, polite scheme for the room--other than the fact that it could be absolutely anywhere, I mean. The poor woman was simply in over her head. I'm sure she did her very best, and I certainly wouldn't have wanted to be in her shoes. <br /><br />Anyway, thanks for all the work. How, before blogs (and good bloggers) would so many people ever been able to all get together for an aesthetic review of such a relatively obscure room? Your readers are some of the smartest people I know. Who else would even know what I was talking about if I were to admit that, a few years back, I dreamed that I heard on NPR that Michael S. Smith was re-creating the Kennedy/Boudin decor for the Treaty Room? I woke up all excited, which says all you need to know about my life.Magnaverdehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04231057342527140091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-91562773731920855332012-05-31T12:35:02.960-05:002012-05-31T12:35:02.960-05:00Thanks, Andrew. I agree. In any case, a change i...Thanks, Andrew. I agree. In any case, a change is certain.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-52954097183872054122012-05-31T09:17:37.939-05:002012-05-31T09:17:37.939-05:00What a wonderful post! I always thought the room w...What a wonderful post! I always thought the room was attractive and at it's best with the hand-blocked French scenic wallpaper and Empire ormolu chandelier. I hope one day soon the room can return to this look.andrew1860https://www.blogger.com/profile/09302166776668727094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-86266693897949858482012-05-30T22:31:13.211-05:002012-05-30T22:31:13.211-05:00Julietta, I enjoyed seeing all the decorative inca...Julietta, I enjoyed seeing all the decorative incarnations of the space, myself, and who felt the inclination for change rather than replacing in kind when there were signs of wear.<br /><br />I personally like the scenic wallpaper, but I would have furnished the room in the neoclassical style of the first half of the nineteenth century and kept the chimneypiece as it was. Therefore the ormolu chandelier would have been a good choice. (I understand it was used in another room). That said, I think the Waterford chandelier is very attractive. What I really do not appreciate is the giltwood mantle mirror in the Geo W Bush scheme; it's not right for the room.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-84410086459400498352012-05-30T16:08:01.184-05:002012-05-30T16:08:01.184-05:00I have the attention span of a 2 yr old and often ...I have the attention span of a 2 yr old and often get bored when posts get too long. In your case, I eat the whole thing up. I don't know if it's the subjects you pick, your writing style or what but I enjoy these educational posts tremendously. You make a wonderful presentation, to say the least, particularly for people like me who have no background in design.<br /><br />Another great post, John. Thank you.<br /><br />BTW I think the Kennedy redecoration was perfect for the room and although I almost always agree with my friend Reggie, in this case, I think the Waterford chandelier "softened" the look and was a good balance to the mirror over the fireplace.lindaraxahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15721286284279902181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-79197452850613764902012-05-30T11:44:11.351-05:002012-05-30T11:44:11.351-05:00Liz, thank you for commenting.Liz, thank you for commenting.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-75728848741841946772012-05-29T22:01:57.337-05:002012-05-29T22:01:57.337-05:00D.E.D. I don't know how you do it! The researc...D.E.D. I don't know how you do it! The research and the photo resurrections are singular. Yes, and the scenic wall paper should return. Mark Hampton was infallible. Thank you for another amazing post. You make us all so much smarter. <br />Best, <br />LizDovecote Decorhttp://dovecotedecor.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-689295596014807992012-05-29T15:26:54.836-05:002012-05-29T15:26:54.836-05:00D.E.D., it is my understanding that same antique w...D.E.D., it is my understanding that same antique woodblock-printed paper from the Kennedy era was reinstalled for the Carters. In 1996, however, there was a desire (K Hockersmith?) to relocate it to another room and wallpaper installation expert Robert M. Kelly was consulted. His findings were that it was not feasible without damaging the paper, but he devised the system to cover it with fabric. For more information, see his site, wallpaperscholar.com.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-21843950205271788562012-05-29T14:41:14.304-05:002012-05-29T14:41:14.304-05:00Was the re-installed scenic paper the former set, ...Was the re-installed scenic paper the former set, or a reproduction? It has that 'off' color quality I associate with newer scenic wallpapers (the paints and dyes used just do not have the same color resonance).<br />Fascinating post. However, I do confess to not being a big fan of the decoration of the White House, especially those gawd-awful excessively fantasy 'period' interiors that the current White House Historical Commission has created. Give me the suggestion of period, by really good decorators, like the Jansen/Sister Paris White house of the sixties. Please.The Down East Dilettantehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13950254669198151850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-59921930282147404192012-05-29T13:09:04.628-05:002012-05-29T13:09:04.628-05:00APB, I am hoping one of my Devoted Readers can tel...APB, I am hoping one of my Devoted Readers can tell us something definitive about the wallpaper. I am assuming that it was backed with canvas to make it more stable and surely there had to be some manipulation to make it fit the room. But from the photos, it looked great and we can only hope that someone else will think so in the future. Thanks!John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-79695324877938340402012-05-29T12:57:52.401-05:002012-05-29T12:57:52.401-05:00I've always been amazed that the sceneic wallp...I've always been amazed that the sceneic wallpaper was able to be removed, and survive storage, such that it could rise to the walls once more. How ironic that it was absent during the Bicentennial given it showcases scenes of the American Revolution? <br /><br />From what I understand, when the scenic wallpaper was covered over during the Clinton era, fabric covered wooden baffles were used on which the new wallcovering was hung. Pity that when the notion of changing the wallcovering came up again during the Bush 43 era, the scenic paper was not restored. At least it awaits intact, like a buried treasued, for its next glimpse of daylight.APBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13713371127208721313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-72458658109981385632012-05-29T12:05:40.273-05:002012-05-29T12:05:40.273-05:00Toby, Politics may have come into play concerning ...Toby, Politics may have come into play concerning the scenic wallpaper depicting war, and the thought that Correctness would not endorse such acts. Never mind that we would not have a nation otherwise. I think it is a matter of taste (or lack of it). It is my understanding that the scenic wallpaper is intact and protected underneath the damask this time, so we'll just have to see if any of my Devoted Readers can provide any information as to the current status. (I can guarantee that no photos of the family quarters of the Obama's White House decor will be published between now and the election, however). Thank you for commenting.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-7673662626159144762012-05-29T09:49:52.592-05:002012-05-29T09:49:52.592-05:00A dazzling tour de force sort of post!
And a cours...A dazzling tour de force sort of post!<br />And a course in the history of Decorating packed into one room~<br />to say nothing of how it illustrates, so lavishly, the maxim that<br />there is no accounting for Taste. Why a scenic wallpaper is loved<br />and understood by one administration and reviled by the next,<br />only to be restored, then packed away again in favor of a tame<br />damask, that is a saga in itself.Toby Worthingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05887066048372484464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390485471778959088.post-12447381722902053792012-05-29T08:18:29.283-05:002012-05-29T08:18:29.283-05:00Columnist, the Queen's suite, at the opposite ...Columnist, the Queen's suite, at the opposite end of the second floor from the President's Dining Room, is comprised of a bedroom, bath, and corner sitting room. After the expansion of the White House with additional family quarters on the third floor, First Lady Mamie Eisenhower decided that the space should become an official guest suite. After being named the Rose Room, it became known as the Queen's Bedroom, etc., as several queens had stayed in the room (and avoiding the association with one particular country).<br /><br />By the way, the Kennedy era decoration of the Queen's Sitting Room, attributed to Sister Parish by the magazines of the day but probably more the contributions of Stephane Boudin, survived for forty years -- perhaps a record in White House decorating.John J. Tacketthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17138329330942154191noreply@blogger.com