The Oval Office is the official workspace of the President of the United States. Located in the West Wing of the White House, this iconic room is where the President conducts business, meets with advisors, and makes important decisions that shape the country’s (and the entire world’s) future.
The person sitting in that office can change every four years. However, the office itself hasn’t had a major refurb since the 1950s.
The team at HouseFresh decided it was time for that long overdue refurb. So they put together six digital Oval Office refurb designs based on the styles of some of the USA’s best-known home brands.
Let’s take a look at each one.
The Ikea Oval Office
What would the Oval Office look like if Sweden invaded the White House? This first Ikea-inspired refurb gives us some ideas.
The Oval Office, Pottery Barn style
The soft, muted colour scheme of the Pottery Barn makeover creates a homely feel. The large Chesterfield Upholstered Sofa looks like the perfect spot for a mid-afternoon snooze following a particularly stressful meeting about geopolitical security concerns. So it might be the ideal addition to the ‘real’ Oval Office should Joe Biden win that second term.
The Urban Outfitters look
Lifestyle and Homeware retailer Urban Outfitters first opened its door during the height of the 1960s counterculture movement. However, this Urban Outfitter-inspired Oval Office has a more conservative 1950s look, reminiscent of the hit HBO show Mad Men.
The only thing missing is a fully stocked liquor cabinet. And that’s probably a good thing. It’s important to keep a clear head when you’re the Commander in Chief of the greatest military force the world has ever known.
The CB2 design
CB2 is a modern furniture store that creates stylish and affordable pieces for first-time homeowners and young adults.
CB2’s modern organic style is founded on a minimalist approach with simple silhouettes, clean lines, and pared-down furnishings to create what contemporary designers call a visual flow.
And that’s on full display in this CB2 version of the executive office. This is the White House done hipster style. Donald Trump would not have approved.
Anthropologie Oval Office
US furniture retailer Anthropologie describes itself as “an oasis for the discerning woman with an appetite for inspiration.” The designer creates pieces targeted at what it calls “creative and worldly professional women aged 30-50.
Is this what the Oval Office will look like once a woman takes the executive seat for the first time in US history? We’ll have to wait and see.
The Restoration job
The US debt is now at a staggering $31trillion. If the White House decides to refurb the real White House, it should avoid taking too much inspiration from this next design.
All the furniture comes from Restoration Hardware (RH), a premier American home-furnishings company headquartered in Corte Madera, California.
Coming in at over $70,000, this is the most expensive design on the list. The sofas alone cost more than $9K. Then again, when you’re $30trillion in debt, why worry about an extra few thousand dollars?