Michelle Obamatook on abighome project.
The First Lady recently renovated the White House dining room, making it one of the first rooms in the historical home to get amodern update.
The revamped room — officially called the Old Family Dining Room — was first unveiled to the public Tuesday, when Obamasurprisedvisitors on a White House tour. The dining room has been in use since 1825 and had previously always been off-limits to the public.
“You feel a really huge responsibility to make sure that the changes reflect the values of the house, that they reflect the values of the country,” Obama said in aninterviewwithTodaycorrespondent and former first daughter Jenna Bush Hager.
BEFORE
AFTER
The dining room functioned as a breakfast room until former first lady Jackie Kennedy moved the family’s dining area upstairs to the private residence. Now, the room is used as staging during state dinners or for lower-key official meals, including lunches with foreign leaders.
“Living here is such a gift. And you feel an awesome sense of responsibility to make sure you’re taking care of this house. But you also want to make sure that Americans feel like it’s their home, too,” Obama said.
In the interview, the first lady also speaks about how she and President Obama have turned the mansion into a home for their two teenage daughters, adding that family dinners are crucial, as they offer an opportunity to “just eat a good meal and catch up.”
“They’re absolutely important. I mean, Barack and I have tried to hold fast to the family dinner, almost every evening,” the first lady said. “I mean, now we’ve got kids who have sports and, you know, dances and things like that.”
Plus, a nice family meal can also provide a much-needed break from the public eye. “It’s a good opportunity for Barack to just forget about the worries of the world that he carries around. And we can just be a family.”
–Morgan Gibson
This embed is invalid
source: people.com
