Green Room, State room in White House, Washington, D.C., US

The Green Room is a state parlor on the first floor of the White House in Washington, about 28 by 22.5 feet, with walls painted green and six doors opening into the Cross Hall, East Room, South Portico and Blue Room. A large crystal chandelier hangs from the ceiling, and a gilt-framed portrait hangs above a white mantel holding a clock and two candlesticks.

Little is documented of the room's decor before the 1814 fire; after the 1816 rebuilding, inventories show French Empire pieces bought by President James Madison. In 1902 McKim, Mead & White gave the room an 1820s French Empire scheme, moving in an 1817 mantel from the State Dining Room. Willie Lincoln, who died on February 20, 1862, was laid in state here.

The room takes its name from the green silk velvet installed by Grace Coolidge in 1926, replacing a patterned floral wall covering. In 1962 Jacqueline Kennedy chose a moss-colored moiré silk made by the French firm Tassinari et Châtel. The room is used for small receptions and teas, and during state dinners guests are served cocktails here before descending the Grand Staircase.

This room is used for social gatherings before official dinners and smaller receptions held throughout the year. Visitors touring the White House should note that not all state rooms are accessible at all times, depending on the schedule of events at the residence.

In 1862, the coffin of Willie Lincoln, the president's son, was placed here while his mother Mary Todd Lincoln was too grief-stricken to enter the space. This episode connects the formal reception room to a moment of deep family tragedy during the Civil War.