U.S. Capitol Senate Majority Leader’s Office

EverGreene was entrusted with the conservation and recreation of the trompe l’oeil ceiling decoration in Room S-324, the historic Senate Majority Leader’s Office in the U.S. Capitol. The ceiling, designed to create the illusion of elaborate three-dimensional architectural ornament through painted decoration, had suffered extensive deterioration from previous alterations, water intrusion, and aging, leaving significant portions of the original artwork severely damaged or lost.

A historic finishes investigation identified the original decorative scheme and determined the extent of surviving historic fabric. EverGreene conservators conducted detailed paint analysis, selective probes, and archival research, supplemented by historic photographs and documentary evidence, to reconstruct the ceiling’s original appearance and understand the sequence of earlier campaigns and subsequent modifications.

Based on these findings, EverGreene developed a restoration strategy that prioritized the preservation of original material wherever possible. Conservators first stabilized the historic plaster substrate through consolidation and localized repairs, addressing areas of delamination, cracking, and loss to create a sound foundation for the decorative treatment. Original sections of the painted ceiling that remained intact were carefully conserved, cleaned, and integrated into the overall restoration.