ARCHITECT

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completed an 11,000 square foot
house on a ten-acre estate in Texas.
While many of the homes he
designs are large, Tobocman says
there is no such thing as a minimum
size lot. His own 2,800 square foot
house in downtown Birmingham sits
on a small lot.
Tobocman designed his house
with the help of his wife Laurie, who
decorated the interior. "Our house is
a great showcase and has been a
fabulous selling tool," Laurrie Toboc-
man said.
Although he has used typical brick
on some of his homes, the white ex-
terior of the Tobocman home was
constructed with the painted brick
that he is partial to.
The front door opens to a large airy
foyer. To the left are two large classic
Corbusier camel leather and chrome
chairs facing each other with a
bronze glass coffee table between
them. Under the setting is a black
and burgundy Afghanistan rug the
Tobocmans estimate to be about 80
years old.
The living room, sleek and
sophisticated, is done in gray, which
along with black, are the couple's
favorite colors. A gray wool, tuxedo
arm sectional runs the length of two
walls. A square, glass and chrome
cocktail table is flanked on its two re-
maining sides by two gray leather
chairs separated by a small Chinese
table, and two gray leather ottomans.
A bone area rug is on the floor.
In the corner are two carved
African wood sculptures that are
believed to be 500 years old.
Large abstract paintings enhance
the walls over the sectional. Over the
fireplace is a bold, black and brown
painting of sheep from a series by
Valintina Dubasky. The ten foot ceil-
ing in the living room and dining
room is possible because there is
nothing above or below these rooms.
On a bone carpet in the center of
the dining room is Laurie's black mar-
ble and stainless steel table. Surroun-
ding it are eight natural wicker and
chrome Mies van der Rohe chairs
designed in the 1920s. "We like the
humbleness of wicker against the
elegance of marble," says Laurie.

►

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SPRING '89

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