As houses go it seems pretty nice but a little over the top for my tastes.

The White House was modeled after an Irish country manor. It has no imperial pretentions; the design is very simple but yet it has a certain elegance to it. It was painted White after the British burned it during the War of 1812. Various renovations have been done on the structure. Most recently, it recieved a massive overhaul in the early 1950's, when it was found that the 150 year old structure was ready to collapse on itself. What came out was a building with all the modern convieniences along with refinished original furnishings. It was obvious that the Cold War was brewing at the time, a bomb shelter was built to make sure that the government can function even during nuclear war. Modern plumbing and wiring were installed at the time. The architect doing the renovation claimed that the building was made to last another 500 years. Maybe. But if you've visited the royal palaces in Europe like Buckingham, you'll find the White House to be less ornate. But the elegance is simple, understated, notably American.