Obamas lease $4.3 million home in tony DC neighborhood - with nine bedrooms, an exercise room, and even a butler's pantry waiting for them when they quit the White House

Distinguished address: The home in Kalorama puts the Obamas in one of the capital's most upscale neighborhoods

Room to stretch out: The house boasts a large reception area, ideal for Barack and Michelle to do a spot of entertaining post presidency

Salon: The bright living room occupies much of the ground floor and has a classic yet more modern feel to the apartments at the White House

Open prospect: One of the reception areas opens on to the gardens, which feature a manicured lawn, it's unclear if it's a rose garden

Inviting: The fireplace is the centerpiece of the living room and can be used in winter

Tasteful: The house is decorated in muted pastel shades and the living room looks out onto the garden

Cosy: The living room includes a more intimate nook, ideal for political tetes-a-tetes

Table space: A dining room with wood flooring can serve as an entertainment space, or a place for 'kitchen table' discussions about the family budget

Rumpus room: The Lockharts have a young daughter and had left some of her toys out while the property was being photographed

Room for breakfast: The gourmet kitchen has a large island for a breakfast bar - but perhaps not room for White House kitchen staff

O-burner: The stove boasts two ovens and six burners, making entertaining simple

Second kitchen: As well as the public kitchen for entertaining, there is a second kitchen with its own fridge, stove and oven, as well as a washer and dryer

For the help: A butler's pantry is off the living room to allow for guests to be catered for

Master suite: This will be the Obamas' post-presidential bedroom. It also has a sitting area and two bathrooms

Michelle's: Mrs Obama will have her own bathroom, which is decorated with images of the first president and his wife

Space for storage: The master suite features a dressing area with extensive closet space, which could be handy for Michelle's fashion sense

Plenty of space: One of the bedrooms, which is currently in use for younger children

Bedrooms: The home has nine bedrooms, allowing plenty of space for the Obamas to invite friends

Guest suite: One of the bedrooms is currently set up for younger visitors, perhaps friends of their daughters Sasha and Malia

Restrooms: There are eight bathrooms in the property with the latest mod cons with virtually all the rooms ensuite

Office space: One of the rooms is likely to be used by Obama to write the memoirs he is expected to start when he leaves office

Executive space: One room is currently configured as a home office. Both Barack and Michelle will likely want one each

Playtime's over: Sasha and Malia are unlikely to need a playroom, so the Obamas are unlikely to keep the configuration of this room, set up for the Lockharts' young children

Ready for guests: One of the nine bedrooms, which has its own bathroom to the left; Perhaps Joe and Jill Biden can visit

Exercise space: Both the Obamas are known for keeping fit and are likely to take advantage of the exercise room on the upper floor

Central hall: The marble floor in the hallway gives on to an exposed wood stairway to the upper levels

The Obamas are choosing the manicured gardens and marble fountains of Kalorama, Washington DC as their new home

Landlords: The home the Obamas will lease belongs to Joe Lockhart and his wife Giovanna Gray (left). He was Bill Clinton's press secretary during the then-president's impeachment (right) while she was Washington editor of Glamour magazine until they moved to Manhattan for his new job as executive vice president for communications of the NFL

The soon to be former leader of the free world has eschewed Embassy Row, which he had apparently been toying with, and decided on Kalorama

Distinguished residents: Woodrow Wilson (left) bought a recently built house at 2340 S Street in 1921 and lived there till his death three years later. Franklin D Roosevelt (right) lived at 2131 R Street while Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1913 until 1920