House Magazine

Inviting bar and graphic wall frame the entry to the kitchen.

The spacious entrance gallery flows directly into the living room. A window-lined hallway with skylights off to the right is where the master suite, on one level, is located. To the left a two-story stairway leads to children bedrooms. The first floor of this wing features the dining room, kitchen and children’s den. The entrance gallery’s ceiling soars 17-feet. An abstract skylight and that fabulous five-foot lamp seen from outdoors is even more attractive close up. Tall windows set in mahogany frame the mahogany double entrance door. Defining this space are facing floor-to-ceiling slate tiled walls in early-fall colors of moss green, summer squash and taupe with a rough stone texture finish. Stark beige marble floor tiles anchor an abstract Tibetan rug with rich gems of golden color injected with black angled shapes.

The gallery flows into the living room where a large state-of-the-art bar is a focal point. Textures as art can be found in the purple-dyed bird’s eye maple surface of the bar contrasting with the abstract granite top in shades of green as well as the moss green striped wall covering on the hanging soffat. The bar stools feature multi-colored seat fabric and highly unusual stainless backs. One can only imagine the popularity of this entertainment setting. Angled walls of glass allow the garden’s scenery to add its magic to the room. The glass enclosed fireplace’s black granite hearth sharply contrast with the wall’s slate tile (same as in the gallery) reaching for the 17-foot cathedral ceiling. Rich maple flooring adds warmth and the black zigzag cut rug adds to the contemporary panache. The development of the color scheme, seamlessly intermingling throughout the area comes into focus. Large square panels of wall covering depicting the area’s colors appears in a graphic on the 15-foot wall separating the bar area from the kitchen. The clarity of the design reveals the area’s defining purpose as a spacious, elegant entertainment environment ideally suited for this family’s lifestyle.

The high ceilings and unrestricted open spaces, (no doors) allows fragments of adjacent areas to catch the eye. The left hallway’s violet wall covering with embedded leaves peeks out from the stairwell walls. To the right, a free standing floor-to-ceiling curved stone wall, reflecting the tri-colors of moss green, summer squash and taupe, is further detailed with a mahogany column, evoking thoughts of a sentry a defining element. This wall also serves as backdrop for the plush velveteen sofa in violet and green that meanders along the wall towards the glass windows. Surfaces as art are a signature of Najman. Here in this space he boldly embraces the concept with a huge glass kidney-shaped table of kaleidoscope colors resting on a trio of stainless steel cylinders. When asked, was it a Chihuli? He smiled and answered, “No! A Najman.”
The two-roomed guest powder room is a collection of surface art. Najman’s powder rooms are legendary and he admits insisting on free reign when it comes to the décor. From bold heavily distressed Indian marble walls to a wall of ridged-textured glass tiles that generate a desire to touch, to run one’s fingers over the surface. Rainbow-color miniature glass tiles form counter tops and shimmer in the mirror. A hand-blown basin is an aesthetic functional accessory. Natural light from an exterior window serves both rooms while an interior window provides dual privacy. Persimmon wall covering and a lacquer door add impact.

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