Obamas lease $4.3 million home in tony DC neighborhood - with nine bedrooms, an exercise room, and even a butler's pantry waiting for them when they quit the White House
Obamas are choosing the manicured gardens and marble fountains of Kalorama for their new home, according to reports
They're leasing a home from ex Bill Clinton press secretary Joe Lockhart who is now a top NFL official
The elegant home has 9 bedrooms, 8 1/2 baths, and substantial garden but lies just minutes from downtown
A small exercise room has a stationary bike that could help Michelle Obama keep up her workout hobby
The choice of area is reportedly so that Sasha can finish her last two years at Sidwell Friends School
Obama said earlier this year: 'Transferring someone in the middle of high school - tough'
Former residents of the area include include Franklin D Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson
By Geoff Earle, Deputy Us Political Editor For Dailymail.com and Alexandra Genova For Dailymail.com
Distinguished address: The home in Kalorama puts the Obamas in one of the capital's most upscale neighborhoods
Room to stretch out: The house boasts a large reception area, ideal for Barack and Michelle to do a spot of entertaining post presidency
Salon: The bright living room occupies much of the ground floor and has a classic yet more modern feel to the apartments at the White House
Open prospect: One of the reception areas opens on to the gardens, which feature a manicured lawn, it's unclear if it's a rose garden
Inviting: The fireplace is the centerpiece of the living room and can be used in winter
Tasteful: The house is decorated in muted pastel shades and the living room looks out onto the garden
Cosy: The living room includes a more intimate nook, ideal for political tetes-a-tetes
Table space: A dining room with wood flooring can serve as an entertainment space, or a place for 'kitchen table' discussions about the family budget
Rumpus room: The Lockharts have a young daughter and had left some of her toys out while the property was being photographed
Room for breakfast: The gourmet kitchen has a large island for a breakfast bar - but perhaps not room for White House kitchen staff
O-burner: The stove boasts two ovens and six burners, making entertaining simple
Lockhart's wife, Giovanna Gray,was Washington editor of Glamour magazine. She recently completed a profile of Michelle Obama.
The home features plenty for the Obama's to brag about in D.C.'s hot real estate market.
A graceful foyer features marble flooring.
It has a gourmet kitchen featuring a six burner stove, according to an online database reviewed by Daily Mail Online.
In case the Obama's have grown accustomed to having help around the house, there is a butler's pantry.
A dining room with wood flooring can serve as an entertainment space, or a place for 'kitchen table' discussions about the family budget, now that Obama will no longer draw a government salary.
There's an upstairs office where Obama would be free to work on his memoirs, having already written two successful books that made him wealthy.
There is a wet bar and a wine cellar.
Although Obama will have to give up 'the Beast,' he will maintain Secret Service protection. The home features two parking spaces, which could be tight, but may suffice.
The most appealing part of the home is its location, in one of the nation's priciest zip codes, and just a few minutes from D.C. attractions.
The leafy enclave played host to Woodrow Wilson after he retired from the White House. FDR lived there when he was secretary of the Navy.
Donald Rumsfeld was a Kalorama resident when he ran the Pentagon for George W. Bush. The French ambassador's residence just up the road has Obama's new pad beat for style and splendor.
Second kitchen: As well as the public kitchen for entertaining, there is a second kitchen with its own fridge, stove and oven, as well as a washer and dryer
For the help: A butler's pantry is off the living room to allow for guests to be catered for
Master suite: This will be the Obamas' post-presidential bedroom. It also has a sitting area and two bathrooms
Michelle's: Mrs Obama will have her own bathroom, which is decorated with images of the first president and his wife
Space for storage: The master suite features a dressing area with extensive closet space, which could be handy for Michelle's fashion sense
Plenty of space: One of the bedrooms, which is currently in use for younger children
Bedrooms: The home has nine bedrooms, allowing plenty of space for the Obamas to invite friends
Guest suite: One of the bedrooms is currently set up for younger visitors, perhaps friends of their daughters Sasha and Malia
Restrooms: There are eight bathrooms in the property with the latest mod cons with virtually all the rooms ensuite
Office space: One of the rooms is likely to be used by Obama to write the memoirs he is expected to start when he leaves office
Executive space: One room is currently configured as a home office. Both Barack and Michelle will likely want one each
Playtime's over: Sasha and Malia are unlikely to need a playroom, so the Obamas are unlikely to keep the configuration of this room, set up for the Lockharts' young children
Ready for guests: One of the nine bedrooms, which has its own bathroom to the left; Perhaps Joe and Jill Biden can visit
Exercise space: Both the Obamas are known for keeping fit and are likely to take advantage of the exercise room on the upper floor
Central hall: The marble floor in the hallway gives on to an exposed wood stairway to the upper levels
The Obamas are choosing the manicured gardens and marble fountains of Kalorama, Washington DC as their new home
Landlords: The home the Obamas will lease belongs to Joe Lockhart and his wife Giovanna Gray (left). He was Bill Clinton's press secretary during the then-president's impeachment (right) while she was Washington editor of Glamour magazine until they moved to Manhattan for his new job as executive vice president for communications of the NFL
The soon to be former leader of the free world has eschewed Embassy Row, which he had apparently been toying with, and decided on Kalorama
Distinguished residents: Woodrow Wilson (left) bought a recently built house at 2340 S Street in 1921 and lived there till his death three years later. Franklin D Roosevelt (right) lived at 2131 R Street while Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1913 until 1920
Hillary Clinton will be nearby even if she loses the presidency. Her D.C. home is just off nearby Embassy Row. The Clintons have maintained a $5.6 million second home there since Bill left office in 2001.
Lockhart and Gray, who had been known as a Washington power couple, have moved to Manhattan where Lockhart is the executive vice-president of communications for the NFL.
Gray was the Washington editor of Glamour magazine and is now working for it on special projects.
Lockhart, 56, was best known as Bill Clinton’s press secretary from October 1998 to September 2000, during the impeachment of the president over his lies.
He was later an adviser to John Kerry’s failed presidential campaign and has worked for Facebook as a spokesman.
His wife, 36, with whom he has a young family, was a long-term Democratic aide on Capitol Hill.
The Obamas have made the unusual decision to stay in the capital because they do not want to interrupt their younger daughter Sasha’s time at high school.
The 14-year-old is a student at Sidwell Friends School, where fees are $39,360 a year. Her elder sister will be in the middle of a year off when they leave the White House. She is then going to study at Harvard.
Obama said earlier this year: 'Transferring someone in the middle of high school - tough.'
