According to a recent article in The New York Times, President Obama’s Oval Office, from which he addressed the nation on Tuesday night about the important new milestone in Iraq, has gotten a makeover.

Two constants in the White House Oval office are the desk, and much more important of course, the grandfather clock, as can be seen in the picture below:

article by Sheryl Gay Stolberg, photo by Doug Mills, New York Times, August 21, 2010

According to the Times article, the new design is more neutral hues of brown and taupe, and less of the gold and yellow tones which adorned the room when President George W. Bush was in the White House.  Also now gone is the sunburst rug which had been designed by former First Lady Laura Bush, and of which the then President was said to be so fond of, and was in sync with his continuing expression of optimism.

The makeover was not done at taxpayer expense.

Who made this grandfather clock, which stands int he Oval Office, and is at least 1 of 2 grandfather clocks still displayed in office areas used by President Barack Obama. From the Answer.com article on the Oval Office: [courtesy of K. Nixon]
“A large case clock, commonly called a grandfather clock, built in Boston by John and Thomas Seymour, c. 1795-1805, stands in the northeast portion of the room.”

You may also be interested in seeing other posts we have made in this very grandfather clocks blog, regarding grandfather clocks at The White House. Many of the readers of this blog may know of the Howard Miller Presidential Collection of grandfather clocks, and despite their amazing aura, quality, and majesty, are not related to any existing grandfather clock in the White House, but which isn’t to say they were now somehow inspired by the current models of the Howard Miller Reagan Grandfather Clock, the 2 models of the Howard Miller Eisenhower Grandfather Clocks, the stunning Taylor grandfather clock (which bears the closest physical resemblance to current grandfather clocks in the White House, and the Howard Miller Truman Grandfather clock. Other Howard Miller Presidential Collection grandfather clocks have been retired by Howard Miller, and include the Gerald Ford Grandfather Clock, the Kennedy Grandfather Clock, and the Hayes Presidential Grandfather Clock.

Other related posts on this subject can be viewed quite quickly by clicking on the links below. Be sure also to look at the responses to each post, as this clocks subject has generated some quite interested and informed exchanges and responses.  Click on each link to see individual post and replies and discussion:

Grandfather Clocks in Oval Office Obama Private White House Office

Grandfather Clocks Stay While Presidents Come and Go

Grandfather Clock in background, President Bush calls to Congratulate President-Elect Obama