One’s home is quite possibly the most true reflection of self, and our returning (insert jumping for joy and disorderly jubilation) First Family’s White House is no exception. A testament to their positive influence that’s inspired a nation again, one of the things on their agenda the first go around was planting a garden ala Alice Waters, the local food movement’s Grand Dame who’s been championing universal access to healthy, organic foods since the ’70s. Next up was a forward thinking chef to revamp the White House kitchen and help out with Let’s Move, and a celebrated Hollywood interior designer to make their living spaces chic and comfortable.
In honor of the ever-inspiring Obama’s homestead, we thought we’d take a look at other beautiful presidential dwellings around the world. From our own great nation’s extra large Georgian country house to Pritzker Prize-winner Oscar Niemeyer’s ode to simplicity and modernity in Brazil, click through to virtually visit our picks for the most beautiful presidential pied-à-terres on the planet. Nominate any that you think we’ve missed in the comments below!
The White House by James Hoban, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Henry Latrobe – Washington, DC
Image credit: HiraV; Pete Souza; The White House Blog
Élysée Palace by Armand-Claude Mollet, Étienne-Louis Boullée and Joseph-Eugène Lacroix – Paris, France
Images via le dauphine; THE DARKROOM
Palácio da Alvorada by Oscar Niemeyer – Brasília, Brazil
Images via Wikipedia
Casa Rosada by Enrique Aberg and Francesco Tamburini – Buenos Aires, Argentina
Images via Peach, Plum, Orange; deviantART
Palazzo del Quirinale – Rome, Italy
Images via daringtodo; Rai
Rashtrapati Bhavan by Edwin Landseer Lutyens – New Delhi, India
Images via kamit; Landscape Lover’s;
Schloss Bellevue – Berlin, Germany
Presidential Palace by Uheiji Nagano – Taipei, Taiwan
Image credit: Kamakura; Ma Jien-kuo
Bessastaðir – Álftanes, Iceland
Image via Perlesmeden; Stephan Schmatz
Belém Palace – Lisbon, Portugal
Images via TrekEarth; Antónia Lobato