Party
Central:
Five levels ranging from elegant to eclectic make
this home perfect for entertaining
By Deb Rinard
Photography by Jennifer Smith
It’s what Cathy Tiberia has always dreamed of: her own
disco/nightclub, complete with a rotating mirror ball. What’s
even more remarkable is it’s inside her home.
And what a home it is.
Encompassing 6,200 square feet on an 8,000-square-foot lot,
the Arrowhead Lakes house is a five-level custom beauty packed
with elegance, whimsy and high technology. “It’s
Spanish/Tuscan/eclectic,” Cathy says with a grin, “And
we named it Tiara.”
With three bedrooms, four full baths, two powder rooms, a
game room, a disco/nightclub (and a home theater in the works),
Tiara is the perfect party house. “We love to entertain,
whether it’s six people or 150,” Cathy says. In
addition to entertaining friends and family, they have hosted
several functions for a favorite charity, Hospice of the Valley.
“When we have parties, people are everywhere, but you
never feel crowded,” says husband Jimmy, president of
both SBT Industries Inc., an executive recruitment firm in
the semiconductor industry, and Player’s Choice International,
which represents professional athletes. A business graduate
of Arizona State University, Jimmy started his business in
1989 with $2,600. “For a while, I worked off of Cathy’s
kitchen table,” he says.
Married for 16 years, the couple travels frequently and Cathy
often brings back items for their house. She loves to decorate
and enjoyed working with interior designer Carole Warner to
create their home’s special look. They credit neighbors
Dan and Pat Thomas with helping them find their property on
the water. “It’s our dream home,” Jimmy
says.
Disco Fever
The disco/nightclub is nestled into the bottom level. Ringing
the bar are several charming stools—each with a different
color cushion and a wire back that forms a whimsical face.
Nearby are eight tiny round glass tables with chairs offering
bistro-style seating. Bordering this section of the room is
a mod, L-shaped, upholstered seating area. A corner stage
near the stairway often features Jimmy, who enjoys playing
bass guitar.
While discussing the design of the house with Rob Trop—architect/contractor
of the project with Jim Samuel—Cathy insisted on including
two restrooms in the disco. “I didn’t want anyone
to have to wait to use a restroom down here, so we put in
a men’s room and a ladies’ room,” she says.
Adding a huge dollop of playfulness outside the red-walled
ladies room is a stuffed Betty Boop figure; she rests on a
chair in the shape of a giant shoe.
Electronic Heaven
A nearby room conceals Jimmy’s pride and joy: a black
rack housing the control center for eight satellite receivers,
16 televisions and the sound system for the house. “I
can control everything with one remote control,” he
says happily.
Up one level is Jimmy’s game room. This prize of a male
kingdom boasts six Tvs, a pool table, a poker table and a
black double chaise. A glass door leads to the putting green
and fire pit outside. Another short flight of stairs leads
to utter elegance—a stunning dining room dominated by
a mythology-inspired mural painted by artist Lesley Peltola.
Four Roman-style columns separate the five panels. Figures
in the mural represent Cathy and Jimmy, daughter Jessica and
five grandchildren. The rest of the room is golden, with an
elegant curved couch sitting in front of a window.
A huge head of David presides above the room on a large shelf,
and a golden angel guards the stairway. “We found David
and the angel in a roadside shop when we were driving to Las
Vegas before the house was even built,” Cathy says.
The massive dining room table with gold base seats 12. “The
glass top alone weighs 555 pounds,” Cathy says. A small
balcony overlooking the putting green completes the room.
Room With A View
Another stairway leads to the top level and another elegant,
gold room—the master bedroom. The focal point is a bed
designed by Cathy with a canopy entwined with gauzy fabric,
golden leaves and large crystals. A large balcony overlooks
the spacious patio, Hollywood-style pool and shimmering lake.
In the master bath, Cathy’s levity pops up again in
the form of a giant red throne painted on the wall above the
commode. Better yet, a golden tiara rests on a cushion on
the back of the commode.
A small room off the master bedroom has been dubbed the meditation
room and will someday be the Genie Room. “I loved the
TV show, “I Dream of Jeannie,”” Cathy says.
Painted pale lavender with matching carpet, “the room
will look like the inside of Jeannie’s bottle when it’s
done,” she says. Also nearby is a bedroom for their
grandchildren when they visit.
With five levels, there’s a fair number of stairways
in the house, so the Tiberias installed a small elevator,
“just in case we need it when we get old,” Jimmy
says.
Finally, the level below the dining room opens into a comfortable
great room with adjoining gourmet kitchen. The view from both
rooms is the rippling lake just beyond the patio. With a setting
like this, Cathy often tells friends: “We’re on
Gilligan’s Island, and we don’t want to be rescued!” |
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