My Favorite Room: In Tony and October Gonzalez’s ‘catchall’ office, nothing’s out of bounds
Tony Gonzalez spent 17 years playing for the NFL, so it should be no surprise that he used a football pun to describe his favorite room.
“It’s a catchall room,†the former tight end said of the office in his Beverly Hills home. “You can work out in here, you can reprimand in here and you can have a glass of alcohol in here.â€
The office in the five-bedroom Beverly Hills he shares with wife October and four kids is decked out with hardwood floors, painted wood-beamed ceilings and a mini-bar.
The couple were so enamored of the history and classic beauty of the office when they first walked in three years ago that they decided not to redesign much. Instead, they painted the walls and spruced up the space with family photos and memorabilia from the Hall of Famer’s career. Framed photos of the pair posing with former President Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey sit on the room’s hardwood shelves.
“For our kids, when they walk in and get an idea of your accomplishments, it’s inspiring for them, and a little intimidating,†said October, who’s currently co-hosting the game show “Beat Shazam†with Jamie Foxx.
What makes the office special?
October: This is the only room that doesn’t have a lot of distractions. There’s no TV. We can help [our kids] understand life and answer any questions they have in a place that’s quiet and peaceful and emulates love and acceptance.
Tony: It’s like a classroom that you want to be in.
If there’s a fire and you only have time to grab one thing out of this room, what do you take?
October: Our wedding photo.
Tony: I have a nice bottle of wine in the fridge from 1988, which is my football number. So since you’re grabbing the photo, I’ll grab the wine.
Any interesting pieces in here?
Tony: When I was playing in Kansas City, a sensei would come in and give a samurai sword as the award for player of the week. I keep mine in the office, and when we first started dating, she saw it and said, “Is that a samurai sword?â€
October: It was an odd piece for a football player’s home. I thought, “Is he gonna kill me?â€
How does the old-school aesthetic appeal to you?
October: The original beaming is so beautiful. It feels like an authentic, historic room. You always wonder when you buy an old house like this how many types of people lived here and what they did for a living.
Tony: It feels very ’50s Rat Pack. You can imagine Frank Sinatra coming over to have a cocktail. Marilyn Monroe could’ve been knocking back gin and tonics in here after a shoot.
Who pours the drinks when you’re entertaining?
October: Whenever we have a party, it’s just Tony back there. In his past life, he was a bartender. He’s like the guy from “The Shining†that’s always cleaning the glass, always smiling and kind of creepy. It’s his second calling.
What’s your drink of choice?
Tony: We have 30 types of tequila back there, so I take people on little tequila flights to see what they’re into.
Twitter: @jflem94
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