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Major league home
By Audra D.S. Burch
Charles and Rhonda Johnson were in the market for a house that beautifully fit their personalities. It had to be big, open and warm, a home that suited Rhonda's down-to-earth, energetic vibe and Charles' quiet Southern way. A home made for two little boys, an eclectic art collection and a dog named Shaq (yes, the tiny Yorkshire terrier was named after the popular big man).
They found it -- a Mediterranean Plantation Acres estate -- on a street carved from thick swaths of malaleuca and Australian pines trees.
Charles Johnson, 35, the former franchise catcher for the Florida Marlins, was playing for the Baltimore Orioles at the time, so Rhonda was in charge of finding their home. Even as Johnson's stellar career carried him across the nation and back, the Florida natives -- she is from Miami, he is from Fort Pierce -- always knew South Florida would be home. The couple met at the University of Miami where he was a star baseball player.
"It's funny. I had been looking and looking and I walked into this house and I just knew it was right for us, " says Rhonda Johnson, 36, who owns Paper Niche, a nearby luxury invitation boutique. "It wasn't what I wanted in terms of decor, but I knew what it could become."
It was seven years ago that Johnson first walked into the 7,800-square-foot home that included vaulted ceilings, seven bedrooms, 7½ bathrooms, a bar and a pool room -- almost all awash in the most subtle shades of white. But the house had architectural moxie, welcoming visitors with a glass-paneled atrium, now home to bronzed giraffes, and opening into a foyer crowned with a masterpiece of light called the tappeto volante (flying carpet). The house stretches into a sprawling backyard with a pool, a basketball court and a bank of grills where Charles delivers his famous barbecue ribs.
Charles, who has left most of the chatting to his wife, offers his best "I am the BBQ King smile."
Suddenly, Rhonda's tour is taken over by her husband, who begins pointing to his babies: three manly stainless steel grills.
"This is my other passion, " Charles says alluding to his 12-season career as a star professional baseball catcher, five seasons with the Marlins.
He offers zero ingredients in his special recipe. Again, we get the trademark, million-dollar smile.
"I love to entertain, " and that ends the conversation about ribs.
Back inside, Rhonda talks about how they they made magic from the sterile bones of the home. It was a six-month journey from whites and antiques to colors and contemporary furnishings.
A VISION
Rhonda started with a vision of what a home should look and feel like. It had to remain open, with much of the bottom level visible from the front door. It had to have plenty of practical space -- the two boys, Brandon, now 8, and Beau, 6, needed room to play.
It had to be an artful mix of urban chic and sophistication. "I knew I didn't want the house to be like a model home where people couldn't sit down or didn't feel comfortable, " says Rhonda.
Charles added: "I didn't want it to be cold."
Next, a call to Toni Michal O'Neil, of Dupont-O'Neil Associates, the Boca Raton firm whose work has appeared in design magazines and on HGTV.
"We wanted this house to reflect who they are. They have an amazing appreciation for well-designed things, and a particular appreciation for contemporary and African art, " says O'Neil. "They were looking for a really warm and inviting space."
That wish translated to warm woods and a rich palette -- the deepest hues of purple and plum, red and chocolate and gold. And one guest bedroom upstairs, outside the coloring lines, dressed in billowy panels of white. All white, some waffled; some sheer. On the walls, flowing from the canopy, on the four-poster bed.
The inspiration: the über-chic Delano Hotel on South Beach, where the liberal use of white beckons the beautiful people and, well, brought back sexy.
"I always knew I wanted a white room, " says Rhonda. "It just speaks to the feeling of tranquility."
Down the hall -- and overlooking the den -- a small sports lounge is dedicated to Johnson's baseball career and his appreciation for sports in general. This is where you come to play pool, perhaps smoke a cigar and take in the sports paraphernalia displayed like art on the walls. Framed jersey after jersey (so many, some are on the floor) along with a pair of Muhammad Ali's boxing shorts in a shadow box.
Art -- in all its forms -- are a part of just about every room in the house. Dramatic glass bowls -- picture giant champagne glasses holding moss balls -- are showcased in the den; a Mark Rothko abstract hangs in a hallway; a tall African metal sculture stands in a cove upholstered in rust leather. Even the dining room table, made of exotic tiger wood, is artistic, designed by Michael O, who has a showroom at DCOTA in Dania Beach.
"We knew we wanted to be in a home surrounded by art, " says Rhonda.
'FLOWERS BRING LIFE'
And many of the rooms have fresh flowers, a habit Rhonda learned from her grandfather. "He taught me that fresh flowers bring life to a home."
Downstairs, the den, brushed in purples, khaki and caramel, offers a comfortable everyday space for the Johnsons to spend family time. After hours, all the action is at The Stainless Purple, the name the Johnsons playfully christened a stainless steel, wave-shaped bar that sits at the back of the den.
"It takes a certain 'consumption' to be a member of The Stainless Purple, " says Charles joked. "This is for grown folks."
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Fantastic home. I always knew that Mr. Johnson would end up in a place like this. It reminds me somewhat of John Entwistle's home in England. Only difference there is that the staircase is lined with guitars that hang from the walls. John passed away a few years back, but the house still remains intact. This house is very similar but with that "Delano" look or South Beach look I should say. I love the house. I sure would love to visit it and become a member of the Stainless Purple Club...I don't think I would have a problem with the consumption part!!!
Posted by: herrball on Tue, 2008-03-04 09:31