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Versace's Old Mansion Goes ClubbingDesigners create a new look, yet preserve the past for the landmark home, now a private club.
She's a second generation Venetian interior decorator who loves rich colors, fine fabrics and anything handcrafted. He is a Fort Lauderdale native with more than 25 years of experience in construction.
Katia and Tom Bates specialize in vintage homes but also do new construction and yachts. For the past several months they have been transforming the Versace mansion on South Beach into a private club. Named Casa Casuarina after Christopher Columbus' home in the Dominican Republic, the Ocean Drive mansion was the home of the late fashion designer Gianni Versace, who was murdered on the front steps in 1997.
Originally the Amsterdam Palace, an old apartment building of immense charm, Casa Casuarina was embellished by Versace's own designs and treasures. When Peter Loftin bought the mansion from the Versace family in 2000, it had been stripped of furniture, art work and even some bathroom fixtures. Loftin held his own when it came to the antique chandeliers; they stayed.
Loftin, who owns several homes and lives primarily in Boca Raton, lived in Casa Casuarina from time to time before deciding to turn it into a private, membership-only club. Several functions have been held in the mansion since its 'soft' opening a few weeks ago
more: www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/cla... (564)
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6/12/2004 | Viewed 7,907 time(s)
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