After becoming a household name in the ’50s, Elvis Presley decided to buy a property for his family and friends in Memphis, Tennessee. The house on the Graceland estate is a 17,552 square-foot Colonial revival stone-laid mansion fitted with tall white columns, and it has 23 rooms, including eight bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and five staircases.
One of the most significant parts of Graceland is Elvis’ bedroom, located in the upper part of the house. The King, who treasured his privacy, only invited a few close friends up to his room. Sadly, the room is currently off-limits to tourists who visit since it was opened to the public in 1982. Elvis’ bedroom remains a mystery to most people except for stories from members of his family and some selected friends who have had the opportunity to see the inside of the room.
What does Elvis Presley’s bedroom look like?
The bedroom’s appearance has been described by people who were quite close to the King of Rock and Roll, among them Billy Smith, his cousin, and Lisa Marie, Elvis’ daughter. Billy Smith described Elvis’s bedroom on the YouTube channel he and his wife, Jo, host.
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“He had a gold and black bedspread. His bedroom had red stuff mostly in it, a big chair. The nightstands were gold leaf and so were the lamps,” he revealed. “Later, he also had TVs put in the ceiling so if you [lay down and looked up on the bed] you could see TV [and] you’d never have to sit up.”
Lisa Marie also told Lorraine in 2018 that her father’s bedroom was very flamboyantly furnished. “It’s got a long shag carpet, black bed, red walls,” the 52-year-old said. “Gold everything here and there.”
Billy Smith’s wife describes the beautiful moments in Elvis’ bedroom
Jo, the wife of Billy Smith, one of the few people to have been hosted in the King’s room, revealed some of the activities they engaged in while playing guest to Presley. “It was so comfortable. I remember we used to go up there and watch movies on the video player,” she recalled. “One time we watched A Shot in the Dark until I swear I think I knew every line in it and we would get so sleepy. It would be Patsy Presley and Billy and me and Gigi and Elvis and whoever Elvis was with.”
“We would get so tired; we’d sit at the end of the bed and lean against the foot of his bed because the TV was right in front, up on like a little platform thing so he could see,” Jo continued. “Sometimes we’d fall asleep, and we would hear, ‘Y’all better not be sleeping!’ and we’d jump to alert!”
Jo describes the King’s personality
The Memphis Mafia member’s wife has also disclosed that the King had a very likable personality and would always engage his friends in discussions bordering on topics such as science, religion, spirituality, numerology, and the paranormal.
“He had the best laugh in the world. Some of my best memories and best times at Graceland was Billy and me and Elvis and Linda up in his bedroom and just letting it all just [come out],” she claimed. “He’d have food brought up, and we would sit around and eat and act silly. It was like a release for him.”
She also explained that a visit to Elvis’ bedroom would end with joining hands while reciting a unique protection chant which the King devotedly believed in.