SEPT 20 WHITE HOUSE RENOVATIONS THROUGH THE YEARS

SEPT 20  WHITE HOUSE RENOVATIONS THROUGH THE YEARS

Earlier today, Melania Trump proudly opened the doors of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for a State Dinner. When Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his lovely wife Jenny entered the Diplomatic Reception Room, they were the first people to see the fabulous re-model. Everything sparkled. In the center, Melania added a intricate rug depicting all 50 state flowers. Likewise, she refurbished the Green Room décor. Also, the walls in the Red Room were so faded, people called it the Pink Room. Not any more. To salute our current First Lady, we'll look at similar White House renovations through the years.

EARLY YEARS. After getting torched in the War of 1812, the Presidential Mansion was painted white to cover up the burn marks. Or so the story goes. The first remodel came in 1828, after Andrew Jackson's inauguration. The "People's President" invited everyone into the White House for a drink and thrashed the place.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR. When he abruptly took office in 1880, Vice President Arthur turned his attention to the building itself rather than the duties it represented. He replaced the dismal décor with up-to-date Victorian flair. While the flamboyant purple furniture is long gone, his giant Louis Comfort Tiffany screen still graces the main entrance.

TEDDY ROOSEVELT. When Roosevelt moved into the White House, he brought dozens of pets with him: Eight horses, five dogs, three cats, two snakes a couple of guinea pigs and flying squirrel. Staffers demanded more space and the West Wing was constructed. At the heart of the new addition was the Oval Office.

FDR. The uncertainty of World War Two made the White House a vulnerable target. Under FBI pressure, Roosevelt had the East Wing added. In addition to giving the building balance, it also provided an underground bomb shelter to protect the Chief of Staff in case of attack. It's still in use, but it's now called the Presidential Emergency Operations Center.

HARRY S TRUMAN. After the war, President Truman continued renovating the aging White House. In fact, he shut the whole building down and moved to the Blair House for his entire four year term. During this period, the entire steel frame was replaced and new spaces were created. For the first time, the White House was officially open to the public for tours.

JOHN F. KENNEDY. Like Melania, Jacqueline Kennedy had an acute sense of style and grace. As First Lady, she completed a thorough re-decoration in attempt to restore the building's historical legacy. With the help of the DuPont family, she recovered paintings, tapestries and art treasures that had previously been auctioned away. She famously displayed them all on a TV special.

RICHARD NIXON. As an avid bowler, Vice President Nixon noticed some of the space in the underground additions was not being properly used. When elected President eight years later, he converted closets into a one-lane bowling alley. It's still in use today, and has been a favorite hideaway for many presidents since.