Obamas Buy Antique Bed From Local Store (MA)

WBZ-TV (Boston) ^ | Jan 17, 2009 4:45 pm US/Eastern | WBZ-TV

[LibFreeOrDie]

SEEKONK (MA) WBZ-Boston

The Obamas purchased a bed from Seekonk-based Leonards New England, which specializes in antique and reproduction beds.

A store in Seekonk delivered a king-sized bed to the White House Saturday after the Obamas made the purchase a few weeks ago.

Leonards New England delivered an 1820s, tall post Tiger Maple bed to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

The store, which specializes in antique and reproduction beds, sells beds that cost up to $12,000.

According to the Providence Journal, store officials said they were asked to send photos of the beds in stock for the Obamas to check a few weeks ago.

The exact cost of the bed is unknown.

[LibFreeOrDie]

Photo of bed (or similar one) at link.

[GOP_Lady]

[therut]

Not even worth 500.00 to me. But maybe they like it.

[pillut48]

If that bed cost around $12,000, then that money could have been used to take 12,000 people to Mackey D’s and gotten them something from the $1 menu!!!

Shame on the First Family!

/sarc

[GOP_Lady]

I have a bed that is a copy of Lincoln’s.

I have a white house, so it’s in my Lincoln bedroom.

[ottbmare]

Good taste, whatever else you think of Bam and Shelly.

[lonestar]

Good taste, whatever else you think of Bam and Shelly.

Then I have bad taste...I think it's plain.

[ffusco]

Who gives a damn?

[LibFreeOrDie]

Uh, I put this in Chat so only people who give a damn about chatty things would bother reading it. Have a nice day.

[library user]

But, but, but Sarah Palin once spent $15,000 on a bra!

/sarc

[JoeProBono]

[ffusco]

Got snotty much? Not exactly breaking news.

[ffusco]

You can go “have a nice day” yourself, too.

[peggybac]

I thought the White House provided beds.

[LibFreeOrDie]

The Obama’s are redecorating the family living quarters in the WH.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123206925413188425.html

[jbarntt]

Nice bed.

[ottbmare]

Classic simplicity is the essence of good taste. Excessive ornamentation is difficult to handle, especially if you have new money like the Obamas, and they were wise to avoid it. This bed reflects the tastes of our Founding Fathers and their contemporaries. I may not like the Obamas but I admire whoever suggested to them that they buy a ca. 1820 bed.

[2ndDivisionVet]

I hope the press keeps me up-to-date on ALL the Obama family activities and acquisitions. I just can't get enough! He's soooooo smart and dreamy and Michelle is just like Jackie O, only prettier and more stylish! And those adorable girls and their light-hearted antics! Please regale me with photos and stories of their adaptation to life in the White House and their new school! And please tell us more about Granny and her tales from the past and “old school” admonitions that’ll keep the youngsters on the straight-and-narrow.

[lonestar]

I was not suggesting something gaudy. I have an antique bed that I like much better--and it's a real antique.

[ottbmare]

I think the issue is that it’s rare to find an antique bed that will actually accommodate a king-sized mattress and box spring. So if you want a king-sized bed that looks antique, you usually have to get a repro or spend big money (in the mid-five figures). The article did say that the bed was a king, unlike the double in the photo.

They may also have wanted something kind of Federal looking to fit in with most of the decor in the White House, which of course was built at that time. I kind of like the maple thing they have going on there (or maybe it’s light-stained cherry, can’t tell).

What period is your antique bed?