I Went Down A Rabbit Hole Looking At How The Oval Office Has Changed Since The 1930s, And You'll Never Guess Which Former President's Curtains Trump Is Using Right Now

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The Oval Office and its decor have been a major talking point lately, and as a lover of history, I began to wonder what the room looked like prior to the plethora of gold accents it seems to have -ahem- sprouted over the past couple of years. So, I went for a dig.

Ornate gold tableware and decorative pieces displayed on a shelf in an elegant, gilded room

Every president is allocated $100,000 by Congress to redecorate the White House to their taste (though some have opted to use personal funds or reuse furnishings instead).

Presidents can take a personal liking to particular items used by their predecessors and leave them installed during their own terms. But if they do want to change things up, it often takes time for a full redecoration. Sometimes they end up using their predecessor's office decor until their personal revamp is complete, meaning photos interestingly show the Oval in a transitional state between two presidencies.

Here's the Oval Office on inauguration day, Jan. 20, 1969, as White House staff removed President Lyndon Johnson's setup to make room for President Richard Nixon's.

People arranging furniture and hanging a portrait in an office, with boxes and covered floors indicating moving or renovation activities

From brand-new rugs to the last guy's curtains, here's what the Oval Office has looked like through the last 16 presidencies:

Unfortunately, we only have a black-and-white photo of his setup, but President Roosevelt is seated here behind the Hoover desk, which the Grand Rapids Furniture Manufacturers' Association gifted to President Hoover in 1930.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt sits at his desk in the Oval Office, flanked by flags and surrounded by classic furnishings

President Truman's Oval Office was decorated in a sea-green shade with green curtains. He chose to remove the Hoover desk and have President Theodore Roosevelt's former desk moved into the Oval Office instead.

The Oval Office with a desk, chairs, and flags; presidential decor with photographs displayed

Here he is with his personal staff around 1945.

A historical meeting in an oval room with men seated around a large table, discussing formally. An American flag is visible by the window

And celebrating his 67th birthday at his desk in 1951.

A man in a suit and tie smiling at a desk with a cake adorned with lit candles in front of him

President Eisenhower kept Truman's color scheme and Theodore Roosevelt's desk. He's pictured here with Vice President Richard Nixon and Russian Premier Nikita Khruschev in 1959.

A group of suited men, including historically significant figures, are gathered indoors, one is holding a small object and smiling, appearing amused

Here he is behind the desk in 1956.

An older man sits at a large wooden desk with an American flag behind him, holding eyeglasses and looking directly at the camera

President Kennedy chose to swap Theodore Roosevelt's desk in favor of the Resolute Desk, made from timber from the British ship HMS Resolute, which Queen Victoria had gifted to President Rutherford B. Hayes.

Two men in suits stand and converse in a formal office setting with a large desk, bookshelves, and framed items on the walls

Here's Kennedy at his desk in 1962, in front of those familiar green curtains. He created a new design for the Oval Office but never saw it come to fruition, as the renovations, including white walls, white curtains, and a red rug, were completed during the trip to Texas on which he was assassinated.

A man in a suit sits at a large, ornate desk in an office with multiple windows, a flag, and various desk items

Here are John F. Kennedy Jr. and Caroline Kennedy playing in the Oval Office, also in 1962.

A man stands in a spacious office with two children playing nearby on the floor, creating a lively and familial atmosphere

President Johnson kept the new white color scheme that President Kennedy had designed, though he swapped out Kennedy's red rug for a light blue one. He also got his own unique personal desk.

A person sits at a large desk in an office with curtains and flags, focused on reading papers

He's seated here with Thurgood Marshall discussing his nomination to the US Supreme Court in 1967.

Two men in suits sitting and smiling in an office with flags and windows in the background

Here, first lady Lady Bird Johnson stands nearby as LBJ speaks with the Kennedy family after Senator Robert F. Kennedy's assassination in 1968.

A woman in a formal coat stands near a wooden desk where a man is seated, speaking on the phone in an office with classic decor

President Nixon chose a very bright gold-and-blue color scheme for the office, leaving the walls white. He also used the Wilson desk, which had previously sat in the vice president's room at the Capitol. (That desk later had a recording system installed in it in 1971, the tapes from which were part of the Watergate scandal.)

The Oval Office featuring a desk with flags behind it and yellow curtain and furniture, capturing a classic U.S. presidential ambiance

Here he is seated at his desk in front of a bust of Abraham Lincoln in 1972.

A man in a suit sits at a desk in an office, speaking on the phone. An American flag and a bust are visible in the background

Here, he's near the fireplace in gold chairs with Cardinal Terence Cooke, Archbishop of New York, in 1970.

Two men in suits sitting in armchairs, smiling, in a formal room with a fireplace in the background

Ford kept the Wilson desk and took Nixon's bright blue-and-gold color scheme and toned it down a bit, going with a pastel yellow and blue theme instead.

A man in a suit is sitting at a large desk in an office, focused on reading documents. An American flag and a statue are in the background

He also added terracotta curtains and a floral rug, as seen in this 1986 photo with Chevy Chase (they're inside a replica of the Oval Office in Ford's Presidential Library in Grand Rapids, Michigan).

Two men sit and shake hands in a formal room with a large window. One wears a suit, the other a blazer and tie, both smiling

Here he is seated behind the desk in 1975.

A man in a suit sits at a cluttered desk in an office with large windows, decorated with framed photos and a globe

President Carter kept President Ford's curtain and rug setup, but brought back the Resolute Desk.

A public figure stands at a desk speaking to a large group of reporters and photographers in an office setting

Here he is on the phone in a sweater in 1980.

A person seated, speaking on a corded phone in an office setting with a globe on the desk and shelves in the background

Here, he's near the fireplace with some vases and British Prime Minister James Callaghan in 1978.

Two men in suits standing in a room with a fireplace and decorative vases. A portrait is visible above them

During his first term, Reagan kept the Oval Office design left behind by Presidents Ford and Carter. Here, Reagan holds a lunch meeting with National Security Advisor William P. Clark, Jr., and Secretary of State George P. Shultz in 1982.

Three men in suits are sitting at a formal dining table with place settings in an ornate room

Here he is blowing out his birthday candles at the Resolute Desk in 1982. Reagan actually had the desk altered, adding 2" to the base to accommodate his height (6'2") and prevent his knees from hitting the drawers (more easily seen in this photo).

A man in a suit is blowing out candles on a large cake in a formal office setting

During his second term, he redecorated with a new beige color scheme, inspired by "earthy colors." The rug had a sunbeam pattern that radiated out from the center.

Person sits at a large wooden desk in an office with American flags and plants, appearing focused on reading documents

In this 1989 interview with Mike Wallace from 60 Minutes, some of his western-themed statues are visible on the shelves and tables as well.

Two men sit in a formal office setting having a discussion, surrounded by shelves with books and decorative items

President Bush made some drastic changes to the room's color scheme, choosing blue-and-white curtains and a light blue rug. He also removed the Resolute Desk and chose to continue using the desk he'd used as vice president.

The Oval Office with a central desk, flags, globe, sofas, and a large rug featuring the presidential seal

Here he is seated at his desk in 1991, shortly after announcing the start of an air offensive to liberate Kuwait.

Man in a suit at a desk reads documents, surrounded by family photos, a globe, and flags. Behind him, a large window and dark curtains

Here, H.W. meets with the Jordanian delegate to the Middle East peace talks, Salam Majali, and Palestinian delegate Haidar Abdel Shafi in 1992.

Three men in a formal meeting room, sitting around a coffee table with greenery. One man gestures as he speaks, likely discussing a topic

President Clinton also chose to make considerable changes to the room, opting for gold curtains, a dark blue rug, and striped couches. And yep, that is indeed the Resolute Desk, back home in the Oval.

The Oval Office with a wooden desk, chairs, and a blue carpet featuring the presidential seal

Here's what the office looked like empty in 1993.

Elegant, traditional living room with striped sofas, ornate vases, and historical portraits above a decorative fireplace

Here, Clinton is seated behind the Resolute Desk while meeting with the chairman of the National Economic Council, Bob Rubin, in 1993, partway through the redecoration. His gold curtains are behind him, but President Bush's light-blue rug is still in place.

Two people sit at a wooden desk in the Oval Office, with an American flag and an ornate rug featuring the presidential seal

President Bush decked out the Oval Office in a rug reminiscent of President Reagan's, featuring a similar sunburst.

The Oval Office, featuring a desk with a chair, flags, and a window view. Classic decor includes paintings and statues

He also chose a set of antique gold curtains. Here, he sits behind the desk in 2006 during an address to the nation on the anniversary of 9/11.

Person in formal suit sits at a desk in an official setting with framed photos and flags visible in the background

Here, he is seated at the Resolute Desk during a phone call, with his chair mat visible, in 2003.

A man sits at a large wooden desk in an official office setting, speaking on the phone. USA flag, window, and decorative items in the background

President Obama's revamp of the Oval Office included striped wallpaper and a beige rug featuring the presidential seal. (In this image, President Bush's curtains are still up.)

The image shows the Oval Office with a large wooden desk, U.S. flag, presidential seal on the carpet, and chairs

Here, Obama sits behind the Resolute Desk editing his remarks after the death of Osama bin Laden in 2011 in front of his chosen red curtains.

A person is sitting at a wooden desk in the Oval Office, working with papers. The American flag and presidential seal are visible behind

Here, President Obama sits with the future King Charles, Queen Camilla, and President Joe Biden, in front of the fireplace.

Four people are seated in a formal room with portraits and a fireplace, engaged in conversation and smiling

14. Donald Trump (first term)

President Trump's proclivity for gold was present during his first term. If the gold drapes he chose for his first term look familiar, it's because, ironically, they're the exact ones used in President Clinton's office setup. The rug is the one used by President Reagan.

The image shows a large, ornately carved wooden desk in a formal office setting with flags and large windows behind it

Here he is speaking to the media in front of the aforementioned curtains, flanked by HHS Secretary Tom Price and Vice President Mike Pence.

Three men in a formal setting, with one seated at a desk speaking, gesturing with raised hands. Flags and curtains are in the background

Here, the brocade-patterned wallpaper President Trump chose to add to the room is visible around the fireplace.

People in suits and formal attire seated in an official setting, surrounded by flags and microphones, conducting a meeting or interview session

Here's the room empty, featuring the Clinton curtains, Reagan's rug, and the brocade wallpaper in 2017.

The Oval Office with presidential flags, large desk, and elegant seating. Portraits and drapes adorn the room, bathed in natural light

President Biden chose to keep the gold Clinton curtains from President Trump's first term installed in the Oval Office.

A person sits at an ornate desk in a formal office setting with flags and framed photos in the background

However, he chose to replace the rug with the same dark blue one President Clinton used as well. Here he's pictured with then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2021.

Two people sit and converse in an elegant, historical room with portraits and light-colored furniture

Here, he is speaking with Kenya's President William Ruto in front of the fireplace in 2024. President Trump's brocade wallpaper remained in place throughout Biden's presidency as well.

Two people sitting and talking in a formal room with portrait paintings on the walls and sculptures on the table

16. Donald Trump (current term)

President Trump has made a plethora of changes to the Oval Office in his current term, including adding many gold adornments to the walls, trim, and fireplace that some folks have speculated came from Home Depot.

A person stands in a richly decorated room with ornate gold details and historical portraits on the walls

Here are some of the furnishings on the fireplace, along with gold accent pieces.

A person is sitting in a room with ornate gold decorations, including vases and intricate moldings above a fireplace

More of the gold wall decor is visible behind the 1980 US Olympic men's ice hockey team (not actual cowboys, surprisingly enough).

Group of people in cowboy hats meeting around a desk in an ornate room with a Christmas tree and historical portraits

He also added this cursive label to the outside of the room.

Sign reading "The Oval Office" on a white wall beside a window with silhouettes visible through the glass

And finally, here, President Trump sits behind the Resolute Desk; the gold accents on the walls (and also on the door) are visible. The Clinton curtains remain, and the Reagan rug has also been returned to the floor.

A person sits at a large desk in an ornate office, surrounded by reporters and cameras capturing the moment

Now I've gotta know: Which setup is your favorite, and why is it definitely Harry Truman's? Let us know in the comments.

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