Change Is Coming...

Nov. 10, 2008. White House photo by Eric Draper

... and I'm not talking about policy. Each president puts his individual stamp on the Oval Office. President Obama will be no different in this respect. He will be given the opportunity to design the much talked about Oval Office rug. A new color scheme will evolve, and a new era of style in the White House will have been born.

I hope you enjoy these photos of the Oval Office from previous administrations.

The Clinton Oval Office, circa 1996 (Clinton Library)

George HW Bush and members of his staff at work Oval Office, circa 1992 (White House Historical Association)

George HW Bush and members of his staff at work Oval Office, circa 1992 (Bush Library)

George HW Bush and members of his staff at work Oval Office, circa 1990 (NARA - Bush Library)

George HW Bush and members of his staff at work Oval Office, circa 1990 (NARA - Bush Library)

Ronald Reagan wraps up some business on his last day office in 1989 (Reagan Library)

Replica of the Reagan Oval Office in the Reagan Library

The Reagan Oval Office in 1981 (using the Ford-Carter decor) (Reagan Library)

Jimmy Carter meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in 1977 (NARA - Carter Library)

The Carter Oval Office in 1977 (Carter used Ford's final decor) (NARA - Carter Library)

Reproduction of the Ford Oval Office in the Ford Library

Gerald Ford in the Oval Office, circa 1974 (still using Nixon's decor) (Ford Library)

Richard Nixon with comedian and golf-enthusiast Bob Hope in 1973 (NARA)

Richard Nixon talking with the Apollo 11 astronauts in 1969 (NARA)

The Oval Office in 1969, with Johnson's decor and Nixon's desk (White House Historical Association)

LBJ and his staff monitor television coverage of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Johnson Library)

Replica of the Johnson Oval Office, circa 1966, in the Johnson Library (Daniel Stout)

The Johnson Oval Office in 1964, still using the red Kennedy rug (Johnson Library)

The Johnson Oval Office in 1964, temporarily using the final Kennedy rug and curtains but with
LBJ's desk—built for him by the Senate cabinet shop (White House Historical Society)

The new Kennedy Oval Office in 1963, completed while the first couple was visiting Dallas
and dismantled after the assassination, before Mrs. Kennedy returned (Kennedy Library)

The new Kennedy Oval Office in 1963; note JFK's footrest to ease his back pain (Kennedy Library)

The Oval Office in 1962, with Truman's decor and the Resolute desk (White House Historical Association)

John Kennedy in a rocking chair, around 1962 (Life)

John Kennedy in the Oval Office, 1961 (still using the Truman/Eisenhower decor) (NARA - Kennedy Library)

John Kennedy around 1961 (Life)

The Eisenhower Oval Office in 1960 (National Geographic)

The Eisenhower Oval Office, circa 1956 (Eisenhower Library)

The Eisenhower Oval Office, circa 1956 (Eisenhower Library)

The Eisenhower Oval Office, circa 1956 (Eisenhower Library)

The east doors to the Rose Garden, circa 1950 (Truman Library - Abbie Rowe)

The modern Oval Office in 1947, famous for Truman's "The Buck Stops Here" sign (Truman Library)

A recreation of Truman's Oval Office at the Truman Library (Truman Library)

Truman Oval Office in 1946, with Roosevelt decor (NARA)

Truman Oval Office in 1945, with portraits of FDR, Simón Bolívar, and George Washington (Truman Library)

Close-up of the Roosevelt valance, same as presidents before him, back to Taft (NARA)

Franklin Roosevelt's first modern Oval Office, circa 1936 (Library of Congress - Theodor Horydczak)

Franklin Roosevelt with secretary Missy Le Hand, circa 1935 (White House [Roosevelt Library])

Replica of FDR's Oval Office in the Roosevelt Library (Roosevelt Library)

FDR's Oval Office in 1945 (Life)

Herbert Hoover in the rebuilt Oval Office in 1932 (NARA)

Aftermath of the Christmas Eve fire in the old West Wing, 1929 (Library of Congress)

The Oval Office around 1925

Calvin Coolidge in 1923 (Library of Congress)

The original Oval Office in 1923 (the black crepe memorializes President Harding) (Library of Congress)

The original Oval Office circa 1923 (probably taken at the same time as the one above) (Library of Congress)

The original Oval Office circa 1921

Woodrow Wilson signs the Army & Navy bill in 1918

Woodrow Wilson at his desk, circa 1917

Hand-tinted photo of the William Howard Taft's original Oval Office
in the center of the West Wing, circa 1909 (White House Historical Association)

The original Oval Office, circa 1909

Hand-tinted photo of Theodore Roosevelt's original West Wing office in 1904 (now the Roosevelt Room),
directly adjoining his Cabinet Room



The new Oval Office flooring, 2005 (Rode Bros. Flooring)
Source: The White House Museum


1962: John F Kennedy's children visit the Oval Office
Source: guardian.co.uk