Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Graceland: The Basement

I don't think anyone else has a basement like this one. As you descend the mirrored stairway down into Elvis' basement, you first enter the Television Room. Painted in bright yellow and navy blue Elvis would come here to watch television. He would have three TVs going on at the same time. He got the idea of having three tvs side by side after hearing that President Lyndon Johnson had tvs mounted together. Featuring mirrored ceilings, fireplace and his trademark TCB lightening bolt Elvis spent a good amount of time in this room. He even shot out one of the television sets when he got mad at what was on.


The room also has a full wet bar in the room with stools. Elvis would spend most Sunday's in this room watching football. There is also a pull down movie screen in the room.

Beside the television room is the pool table room. This room is my personal favorite.

This room really shows off Elvis' eclectic style. While the main focus of this room is the pool table, the real beauty of the room is the folded fabric that covers the entire room. The fabric is pleated and covers every inch of the walls and ceilings. There is over 350 yards of fabric covering the room. It took three men ten days to cut, pleat and hang the fabric in the room.


The light fixture is colorful, delicate and makes you feel like you are in a billiard hall instead of just in a room. It was custom made in Memphis for Elvis.

There was so much fabric left over, they covered the two couches in the room in the fabric. Elvis got the idea of using the fabric all over the room from a photo he had seen of a room from the 18th century.

Elvis was a very able pool player and enjoyed playing 8 ball and rotation. To this day there is a tear on the felt table. It was made when a friend was trying to make a trick shot on the table. Around the room is a bookcase and various art on the walls. The room is a little dark but with other lamps in the room I'm sure Elvis had more than enough light to play the game.  


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

The overall look of the patterns are too much for me, I feel suffocated and smothered, but I love the light shades hanging over the pool table.

Unknown said...

This is awesome. I love the pics. I bet this was a great place to visit.

elle jo said...

I love this basement! I would love to be the TV room, not for the TVs but for the comfort of the room!

liz @ sundays with sophie

Shelly said...

Wow! Interesting facts about Elvis' Graceland basement! The billiards room is so neat with that pleated fabric.

This is a place I've always wanted to go to. :) My best friend is probably the biggest Elvis fan in our age group (early 30s), and it has been her dream to go there.

-Shelly

annabelt @ geeks diet said...

Love that lightning bolt on the wall!