Are there any other rooms in the White House with gold decor?
Executive summary
Reporting shows the Oval Office has been heavily gilded during President Trump’s second term, and multiple outlets say gold detailing now appears beyond the Oval Office — notably in the Cabinet Room and in plans for a gold‑accented State Ballroom — although the scope and authenticity of the materials are disputed [1] [2] [3]. Coverage also records gold urns and other historic gilt objects from the White House collection being redeployed and notes social‑media claims that some additions are inexpensive appliqués rather than real gold [4] [5] [6].
1. The Oval Office: the epicenter of the “goldening”
Every major story in the provided sample centers on the Oval Office’s transformation: reporters document gold trim on ceiling and doorways, gilt items on the mantel, a gold‑embossed presidential seal above the Resolute Desk and cherubs and medallions applied to the room, with coverage from outlets including The Guardian, Newsweek and others describing the Oval as “gold‑drenched” [7] [4] [5] [2].
2. Other rooms explicitly named with gold decor: Cabinet Room and Lincoln Bathroom
At least two other areas are repeatedly named in the reporting: Business Insider and Newsweek say gold embellishments were added in the Cabinet Room as well as the Oval Office, and opinion and itemized pieces mention the Lincoln Bathroom having gold trim among wider updates [1] [2] [8]. These are specific claims in the coverage, not speculation.
3. Planned or proposed gold spaces: the State Ballroom project
The White House announced plans for a large new State Ballroom described in illustrations as “gold‑accented,” and reporting by Snopes and architectural outlets documents those plans and cost estimates; the renderings show gold accents, though Snopes notes the illustrations did not include any “gold Trump signs” and that funding and final design details remained subject to change [3] [9].
4. Historic gilt objects relocated — not all new gilding is newly made
Some of the decorative gilt items come from the White House collection: The Guardian and Newsweek note that objects such as a 19th‑century French compotier, gilt urns tied to President James Monroe, and silver from the Eisenhower era were displayed in the redecorated Oval — meaning not all visible gold is newly manufactured or added [4] [5].
5. Dispute over authenticity and provenance: gold vs. spray paint
A lively dispute threads through the reporting: the White House and the president have described “24‑karat gold” details and said some work was paid for personally, while social‑media sleuths and investigative pieces claim at least some appliqués are inexpensive polyurethane or Home Depot trim spray‑painted gold [2] [10] [6]. Coverage quotes interior designers and commenters who note similarities to mass‑market millwork [11].
6. Who made the gold work — and why that matters
Multiple outlets identify a Florida cabinetmaker, John Icart, described as Trump’s “gold guy,” as playing a central role in installing gilded flourishes, which the White House framed as personal edits by the president; critics counter this raises questions about historic‑preservation compliance and the symbolic messaging of overt gilding in a public presidential residence [7] [4] [11].
7. Tone and political context in coverage
Reporting ranges from factual before‑and‑after photo essays to strongly worded opinion and satire. Newspapers and magazines present competing frames: some focus on taste and preservation law concerns, others on symbolism (Gilded Age comparisons), and columnists and op‑eds portray the changes as emblematic of excess or personal branding — readers should note those different agendas when weighing coverage [12] [9] [8].
8. What the sources do not settle
Available sources do not provide a comprehensive inventory of every White House room altered or a definitive materials audit certifying which items are solid gold versus gold‑leaf versus gold‑painted appliqués; they also don’t publish a single, official list of rooms that now feature gold decor (not found in current reporting). For definitive confirmation beyond named rooms (Oval Office, Cabinet Room, Lincoln Bathroom and illustrations of a gold‑accented State Ballroom), the press materials or a White House catalog would be needed [1] [3] [4].
Conclusion — what to take away
Multiple outlets corroborate that the Oval Office is extensively gilded and that gold elements appear in at least the Cabinet Room and other referenced spaces; there is also documented reuse of historic White House gilt objects and a clear dispute over how much of what you see is genuine gold versus cheaper trim painted gold [1] [4] [6]. Readers should weigh both the factual reporting of which rooms are named and the competing claims about authenticity and motive when interpreting these aesthetic changes [2] [11].