 The plans for decoration and construction of the house were dictated by Mamie Eisenhower . At one point , Eisenhower told the contractor " For God 's sakes , just give her what she wants and send me the bill . " His main concern was personally mixing the paint to recolor the barn , which had a red coat he thought was hideous , so he painted it a light gray @-@ green . Mamie , meanwhile , was delighted in being able to use everything they always had in storage , and decorated more for sentimentality than for aesthetics . 
