Inside Graceland: A Look At The Most Iconic Features Of Elvis Presley's Sprawling Mansion

Who doesn't love Elvis Presley? Whether you grew up listening to his early hits like "Love Me Tender" and "Jailhouse Rock" or discovered him during his spangled-jumpsuit phase in Las Vegas during the 1970s, you know that the King of Rock 'n' Roll occupies a one-of-a-kind niche in American music and culture.

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One of the most legendary emblems of Elvis's life and career is his Memphis home, Graceland. The gracious Colonial Revival-style mansion built in 1939 was his getaway and happy place where he held jam sessions with his entourage, hung out, and relaxed with his wife, Priscilla, and daughter, Lisa Marie, and could escape the demands of being a global superstar.

A Look At Graceland's Most Iconic Features And Elvis' Time There

Graceland is Elvis's peaceful final resting place. He passed away there on August 16, 1977 at 42 and is buried in the Meditation Garden with members of his family including his daughter and also his grandson. Let's take a look inside the dwelling Elvis called home for much of his adult life.

It's hard to sum up Graceland in a word.  Quirky, eclectic, and idiosyncratic are a few possibilities. The décor reflects Elvis's oversized passions and tastes. It is a shrine dedicated to the man, the music icon, and the era he dominated. He purchased the home in 1957, when he was just 22, for $102,500, according to history.com. Today, the residence he loved is a National Historic Landmark visited annually by over 600,000 Elvis devotees who pay homage to their idol.

Stained Glass Peacocks

There are splashy features galore at Graceland, reflecting Elvis's flamboyant preferences. The interior is still as he wanted it to look back in the day. He left his distinctive mark everywhere, choosing the lavish furnishings with care, buying what appealed to him no matter the price.

Per the Graceland web site, in the stately living room, there are stained glass panels depicting peacocks. Whimsical musical notes adorn the estate's wrought-iron front gates, along with a silhouette of Elvis himself holding a guitar.

An Artificial Jungle

And then there is the famous Jungle Room. Some might call it kitschy. More than merely a den, it has Polynesian-style furniture, green shag carpeting, and fake fur upholstery. In keeping with the tropical motif, there is a miniature waterfall. The Jungle Room also served as an impromptu recording studio.

A State Of The Art (For Its Time) Kitchen

Graceland's down-to-earth kitchen has a cozy, middle-American 1970s vibe. Its contents also suggested Elvis's finicky, not- too-refined palate. Staples that reportedly had to be perpetually on hand, according to "The Life and Cuisine of Elvis Presley" via history.com, were "fresh, lean ground round steak, one case of Pepsi, one case of orange drink, rolls, at least six cans of biscuits, pickles, wieners, peanut butter, banana pudding, ingredients for meatloaf and sauce, brownies, fudge cookies, gum, cigars, cigarettes and Sucrets, among other items."

Sounds like the makings of the peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches Elvis favored always awaited him when he got the munchies, plus feast-worthy desserts.

Elvis Had His Own TV Room

Graceland's TV Room was cheekily described by Architectural Digest as a "Deco meets disco basement hideaway." Elvis's hand-painted motto, "Taking Care of Business, In A Flash," is emblazoned on one wall.  A fan of lighter TV fare whose favorite shows included "Laugh-In" and "I Love Lucy," Elvis placed three televisions side-by-side, a concept he adapted from President Lyndon Johnson, who liked viewing several newscasts simultaneously.

Billard Room Is A Dream Come True For Couch Potatoes

The Billiard Room's unusual trademark is 400 yards of meticulously pleated, multi-color fabric covering the sofas, ceiling, and also the walls. "Graceland's a living time capsule, but the billiard room is out-of-this-world," said Director of Public Relations for Elvis Presley Enterprises Kevin Kern per Memphis Magazine. "It feels intimate, welcoming. It's probably the closest thing to a family room we have here."

Elvis Had His Own Aircraft

Graceland's grounds also have their own story to tell. Elvis's personal aircraft, the Lisa Marie, is on display there. Similarly over-the-top as Graceland itself, it has a 24k gold sink in the rest room.

Singer and songwriter Paul Simon summed up his gut reaction to Graceland this way: "I didn't tell anybody I was coming. I didn't get any special treatment. I just waited on the line, and went there, walked around, was singularly unimpressed-'til you finish the tour, and you come outside, and then there's his grave and it said, 'Elvis Presley whose music touched millions of people all around the world.' And I read it, and I just started to cry. ... Being in the crowds that come to Graceland, it's almost like a religious thing about Elvis."

Scores of people have come to this remarkable showplace over the years. Many have probably reacted to Graceland just as Simon did - with emotion, awe, and gratitude for Elvis Presley's extraordinary career, which will never be equaled or surpassed.