The official office of the President and his primary place of work, the Oval Office provides the President with easy access to senior advisors and the Residence. It was created in 1909 when the West Wing doubled in size under President William Howard Taft.
Each President may decorate the Oval Office to suit his tastes, though some features remain constant, including the white marble mantel from the original 1909 Oval Office. President Barack Obama chose to retain the famous "Resolute Desk” – recognized in the historic photograph of the young JFK, Jr. peeking out from its panel. Constructed from timbers of H.M.S. Resolute, the desk was presented by Queen Victoria to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1880.
In August 2010, the Oval Office was refurbished for President Obama with striped wallpaper, new sofas, and a mica-clad coffee table. An oval rug features the presidential seal and historical quotes of meaning to President Obama around the border.