An inside view of Ty Law's Florida retreat: NFL star creates his own island paradise

A Personal retreat that brims with luxury, elegance and style is what many strive to create in the sanctuaries we call home. Yet those who live in the lap of luxury have the ability to take style and elegance a step further when it comes to designing their "humble" abode. A tiki hut with a rock grotto waterfall, a personal home theater, custom-made Moroccan inspired columns made of Japanese ash wood and designer leather interior are just some of the visual treats that adorn the more than 6,000-square-foot home of NFL star Ty Law.

Located in Plantation, Fla.--just west of Fort Lauderdale--Law's home features six bedrooms and six-and-a-half bathrooms. The former New England Patriots and the New York Jets cornerback purchased the property about three years ago, and even though he already had an idea of how he wanted his home designed, he sought the interior design skills of Cecil Hayes, CEO and founder of Cecil's Designers Unlimited and author of 9 Steps to Beautiful Living: Dream, Design, and Decorate Your Home with Style. The entire project took a little more than a year to complete. "As much to my surprise as well as enjoyment, he was very much into quality and certain special features he wanted," says Hayes. "He was not an absentee owner, and that's exceptional when it comes to a male, especially a young male. He knew what he wanted [for] each room."

Intrigued with earth tones, warm colors and contemporary, yet unique, designs, Law says he wanted to create something special that was inviting. "It feels like a resort. It's a place of peace and relaxation for me, and that's what I tried to create," he says.

While each room is a visual delight, both Hayes and Law say their favorite room is the master bedroom, which features warm tones, shoji-style screens of woven Japanese ash and a leather platform bed with a moving headboard. Even though Law doesn't get to enjoy his home as much as he would like (thanks to his schedule), he successfully created his own piece of paradise with the help of Hayes. "A lot of people want to go on vacation and go to this island or that island," Law says, "but I tried to create my own little island right here."

COPYRIGHT 2006 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning