Ground Floor Executive Residence

1 ground floor

1.1 original kitchen , ancillary spaces
1.2 library , ancillary spaces
1.3 diplomatic reception room
1.4 map room
1.5 vermeil room
1.6 north lawn extension

ground floor
original kitchen , ancillary spaces

the ground floor of white house contained service rooms. white house built on slight hill slopes south. provide access north side of ground floor, area around north side of mansion , northeast , northwest corners excavated provide light , air half of ground floor. architect james hoban designed ground floor kitchen directly beneath entrance hall, door kitchen below north portico. storerooms east of kitchen, while toilet , dishwashing room west. kitchen relocated 2 rooms in northwest corner of ground floor 1846, while old kitchen space transformed informal sitting room/reception space. of 2010, large central space occupied kitchen in 1800s had been subdivided offices white house curator , united states secret service. kitchen, too, continues occupy 3 rooms (somewhat altered in size now) in northwest corner of ground floor.

the storeroom east of kitchen became pantry in 1809, meat locker in 1825, , flight of stairs leading state floor 1946. area remains largely unchanged of 2010, exception of narrowing of stairs in 1952 create elevator shaft.

library , ancillary spaces

the storeroom in northeast corner of ground floor remained in use storage space until 1809, when became laundry. in 1902, president theodore roosevelt hired architectural firm of mckim, mead & white renovate white house. turned room gentleman s anteroom . room became white house library in 1935. first lady jacqueline kennedy radically transformed room in 1961. kennedy consulted group consisting of members of united states commission of fine arts, designers american institute of interior designers (aiid), , historians. aiid agreed take on job of refurbishing room, , kennedy worked decorator jeanette becker lenygon of aiid on project. lenygon designed american library room in federal style. except minor decorative changes, white house library remains same of 2010.

the toilet , laundry room west of kitchen became general-use work areas 1809, , pantry, small kitchen, , cook s office 1825. 1946, these had become general workrooms, narrow, winding staircase inserted room closest former kitchen. 1952 renovation turned winding staircase steep, straight stairs , added elevator in space. of 2010, pantry-sized refrigerator occupied portion of space.

diplomatic reception room

the diplomatic reception room on ground floor of white house.

the oval space beneath blue room servants hall, turned furnace room in 1837. during white house s 1902 renovation, room turned sitting room. president franklin d. roosevelt used fireside chat radio broadcasts in 1930s. rebuilt (along rest of gutted white house) during 1948-to-1952 renovation, room became diplomatic reception room. sparsely furnished until first lady mamie eisenhower received large donation of museum-quality antique furniture national society of interior designers in 1960. except decorative updating, remains unchanged of 2010.

map room

west of servants hall, ground floor contained small bedroom and, in 2 westernmost rooms, steward s office. smaller, westernmost of 2 rooms in steward s office became white house vault. 1825, housekeeper s office had moved easternmost room of steward s office. steward s office , vault became general workrooms 1946, 1902 renovation had turned housekeeper s office ladies powder room. less decade later, president woodrow wilson turned billiards room. @ outbreak of world war ii in december 1939, president franklin roosevelt removed billiards table , turned room place keep track of war s progress on wide range of maps , store top-secret communications world leaders. map room (as called) heavily guarded, highly secret u.s. , allied military information updated on maps kept in room. in 1960s, map room transformed ladies powder room again jacqueline kennedy, , portraits of first ladies hung there. map room continued retain name, in 1970 decorated in chippendale style , turned reception room. retained name , function of 2010. small medical clinic , office of white house physician occupy 3 rooms west of map room of 2010.

vermeil room

east of original servants hall housekeeper s office, , room general work. housekeeper s office turned general workspace in 1809, while bedroom became general-use servants room. rooms east of oval servant s hall turned staff bedrooms 1825 (with housekeeper s office taking portion of steward s office). in 1837, president martin van buren made bedroom become china room quarters stoker, job keep white house furnace fueled 24 hours day, 7 days week (with summers off). first lady edith wilson turned room china room in 1917 display executive residence s growing collection of white house china. east of china room, 1902 renovation turned staff bedroom sitting room known social room. briefly renamed billiard room after 1952 restoration, became vermeil room in 1957 after mining heiress margaret thompson biddle bequeathed 1,575 pieces of vermeil silverware white house. remained little changed of 2010.

north lawn extension

during 1948-to-1952 reconstruction of white house, additional white house workspace excavated under north lawn. storage space had first been excavated here in 1930s, expanded , enhanced during truman renovation. trumans included bowling alley in space (it architecturally aligned entrance diplomatic reception room on other side of white house). president dwight eisenhower had bowling alley moved executive office building west of white house, president richard nixon (an avid bowler) had restored original spot in 1969. of 2010, space continues house bowling alley, white house chocolatier, office , workspace of white house chief floral designer, cold storage room flowers , other perishable items, carpentry shop, , general workrooms.