Redecorating in the U.S. Senate Chamber

Your home isn’t the only place that needs an occasional remodel. During the Senate’s five-week recess, crews are working steadily to prepare the Senate chamber for the next election cycle.

Originally, they planned on simply replacing the threadbare carpet with new material of the same design. However, as the old carpet was pulled up they discovered that the floor of the Senate chamber was full of holes.

Apparently, after each election cycle, the Senate desks are rearranged and bolted into their new places.

“I’ve been told that the floor was beginning to look like Swiss cheese back there,” said Don Ritchie, Senate historian for the Senate Historical Office, in an interview with the National Review Magazine.

So now, on top of replacing the carpet, the architect of the Capitol staff is also replacing floorboards and making structural repairs. The Senate plans to reconvene in early September and only a few days remain to complete the overhaul. Hopefully we won’t see any senators falling through the floor.

According to the National Review article, the Senate chamber has been undergoing revisions since 1859. The goal is to strike a balance between modern design trends and the historical aura of the chamber.

The carpet of the chamber hasn’t faced a design shift since the 1980s. The current royal blue color and broad geometric shapes give it a calm, yet distinguished feel. The same can’t be said of the carpets before it. In the 1960s, the chamber featured a dull pink carpet with red, black, white, pink and maroon patterns and stars. In the 1970s, the carpet was a light blue with flecks of yellow—in other words, not very attractive.

So the next time you visit the Senate chamber in D.C., take a moment during your tour to look down at your feet. What you’re standing could, one day, be piece of Senate history.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for carpet cleaning in the San Antonio area, we’ve got you covered. Contact Steamer’s Carpet Care today to set up an appointment.