Summary
- Trump renovated Lincoln Bedroom bathroom in polished marble.
- Criticized old 1940s green art deco tile as unsuitable.
- Said marble design fits Civil War-era President Lincoln’s time.
The opulent gold-and-marble bathroom restoration does not seem to fit the historical, more subdued style of the Lincoln Bedroom and its adjacent White House quarters, despite the fact that the White House has historically had both marble architectural elements and stone statues.
“It was renovated in the 1940s in an art deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era,”
Trump wrote on Truth Social
“I did it in black and white polished Statuary marble. This was very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln and, in fact, could be the marble that was originally there!”
The president spoke of his plans for the room earlier this month.
“It’s a style that is not good … it is actually art deco and art deco doesn’t go with 1850 and civil wars,”
he said.
Lincoln himself utilized the space, which had wallpaper and carpeting, as a state room and office. The Prince of Wales Room, an adjoining room, was adorned with drapes made of embroidered cloth.
Both rooms are "very neatly papered, but should be better furnished," according to an 1862 newspaper article. Every piece of furniture is too rickety and extremely ancient to be revered.
The White House has been refurbished by presidents throughout American history, notably President Harry S. Truman's extensive mid-century renovation that included the bathroom that Trump is currently targeting.
The same is true of President Trump, who has decorated his office with what he claims are 24-karat gold ornaments, although online detectives suspect that some of the new furniture is actually spray-painted plastic from Home Depot.
How White House renovation decisions are approved and documented?
The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) traditionally reviews and approves significant civil construction systems. Still, some amendments, like certain interior variations, may be pure from formal review under specific legislation (e.g., the National Major Preservation Act of 1966). Still, chairpersons frequently freely submit plans for translucency and oversight.
The Commission of Fine Arts also reviews the aesthetic and literal felicitousness of proposed changes but doesn't have proscription power. Public exposures and translucency are frequently maintained through sanctioned statements, press releases, and occasionally congressional sounds or briefings.
For high- profile or precious systems, the White House may submit detailed offer documents, including design definitions, backing sources, and environmental assessments, especially when in line with or outside the compass of formal civil oversight.