Dan's Papers - January 30, 2009 - Decorator to the Stars ... of the White House

In parts of this forlorn, foreclosure-filled country, you can purchase a lovely house for $100,000 or less. That is also the relatively modest amount of money America's new First Family has been allotted for jazzing up their quarters at the White House.

Interior designer to Cindy Crawford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Spielberg, Rupert Murdoch and Evelyn de Rothschild, 44-year-old Michael S. Smith was once described in Vanity Fair magazine as "the thinking celebrity's decorator." From this brief compliment alone, Smith would appear to be the perfect choice for those bright and shining stars, the Obamas.

First announced on the Domino magazine Web site, the smart selection of Smith as decorator for the private rooms at the White House is not surprising, as he is known for his updated style combining traditional antiques with unexpected, exotic accents. We now have a well-traveled president who has spent many years living in foreign countries yet also possesses a deep love and appreciation for American history. With Smith's guidance and considerable expertise, the Obamas are sure to put their personal stamp on the interiors, while respecting the storied past of the White House.

Based in Santa Monica, California, but involved in projects across the United States, the busy decorator has published two lavishly-illustrated books, Elements of Style (2007) and Houses (2008), which would have allowed the Obamas to quickly appreciate his talents and the cozy, casual, sunny sense of calmness he gives to traditional settings. Smith is as certain to use inexpensive yet beautifully patterned Indian bedspreads as upholstery cushions as he is to select pricy antiques.

We can assume the high-end Hollywood decorator has forsaken his usual design fee and percentages, or the $100,000 in funds would disappear faster than an investment with Bernie Madoff's firm. Still, Michelle Obama is known for her savvy shopping style and sensible, stylish choice of clothes from mass-market retailers including White House Black Market, the Gap and J. Crew. When it comes to putting her signature on the rather formal White House, the First Lady and Smith seem to be on the same (catalog) page as far as selecting some cheap and chic pieces.

"The family's casual style, their interest in bringing 20th Century American artists to the forefront and utilizing affordable brands and products will serve as our guiding principles as we make the residence feel like their home," Smith said in a recently-released statement. Apparently, the interior designer has already begun shopping for Sasha's and Malia's bedrooms, at "a variety of different outlets, kid-friendly, everyday retail stores," according to a spokeswoman for Michelle Obama.

In other words, although President Obama reveres Lincoln and was inspired by Team of Rivals, Doris Kearns Goodwin's extraordinary study of the 16th president and his cabinet, Michelle Obama will not be taking after the shrew and spendthrift Mary Todd Lincoln and her pricy decorating schemes. Mrs. Lincoln's acquisitiveness incurred the ire of her husband, who ordered her to stop spending money on "damned flubdubs" when Union soldiers desperately needed uniforms and blankets. From observation, it would seem that Michelle Obama has her priorities in order and is rather more penny-wise than many of her predecessors.

Domino will be revealing more about Smith's plans for the White House family quarters in the coming weeks. Recessionistas, that breed of fashionable and frugal females who evolved from the fashionistas, will be watching to see how the political and the personal combine in this energetic yet economical new era. The Obamas have announced their intention to invite "normal people" to the White House, and it seems that they will also introduce an everyday elegance and family-friendly freshness to the formal First Family's quarters as well.