From the outside, Donald Trump and Melania Trump don’t appear to spend much time indulging in shared hobbies. Their public lives are rigidly structured, their private moments rarely visible. Yet behind closed doors, there is one unexpected passion that consistently brings them onto the same wavelength: interior design.
According to people familiar with the couple, both Donald, now 79, and Melania, 55, share a deep interest in shaping spaces. Trump has long been hands-on when it comes to his properties, personally selecting furnishings, finishes, and layouts for Mar-a-Lago and his golf clubs. Design, for him, isn’t delegated — it’s directed.
Melania, it turns out, speaks the same visual language. The shared interest became especially noticeable over the holidays, when the Trumps rang in 2026 at an extravagant New Year’s Eve celebration at Mar-a-Lago. Fireworks lit up the Florida sky, the couple shared a midnight kiss, and guests noted a clear contrast in moods — Melania appeared relaxed and genuinely enjoying herself, while the president looked tired but remained polite and attentive to attendees.
For Donald Trump, aesthetics are never an afterthought — they’re a statement of power. He has taken direct command of what is shaping up to be one of the boldest undertakings of his career: tearing down the White House’s East Wing to clear space for an enormous ballroom projected to cost $400 million and cover roughly 90,000 square feet. This is no ceremonial gesture. Trump is reportedly hands-on at every step, personally driving decisions on the vision, layout, and even the materials used, treating the project less like a renovation and more like a personal signature.
During the holiday season, he was even spotted visiting a marble and stone supplier in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, personally reviewing options for the ballroom. At a Hanukkah reception in December 2025, Trump openly praised a federal judge who allowed the project to move forward, calling the decision an act of courage.
Melania’s design instincts, however, were shaped long before her life in the White House. Raised in Slovenia, she studied architecture at the University of Ljubljana — a demanding discipline that sharpened her understanding of structure, proportion, and aesthetics. Those principles later guided her work in fashion and jewelry.
When she launched Melania Timepieces & Fashion Jewelry, she took a hands-on role in every stage of production, from early sketches to final designs. In past interviews, Melania emphasized that she prefers full creative control, a mindset that now carries over into her approach to interiors.
Her inspiration has always come from lived environments — homes in Palm Beach and New York, personal collections, and the balance between elegance and practicality. Even though her jewelry business has since closed, its influence remains clear in how she views space, detail, and design choices.
Today, that shared sensibility has become a quiet point of connection between the Trumps. Whether discussing finishes at Mar-a-Lago or debating elements of the White House ballroom, interior design has emerged as their common ground — a private passion that exists beyond politics, schedules, and public scrutiny.
