This Sarasota home was inspired by Versace’s Casa Casuarina

The most expensive home currently on the market in Sarasota, Florida, is a lavish mansion on the shores of Little Sarasota Bay. Listed for $28.35 million by Steve Wexler of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, the mansion evokes the sensibility of an Italian villa and is inspired by Gianni Versace’s Casa Casuarina in Miami’s South Beach. There are grand European details and opulent interiors that might catch Versace’s eye, and the entire property, located in the prestigious gated community of Oyster Bay, is walled around the perimeter for added security.

You enter the 1.25-acre estate through a wrought-iron gate and continue to the landscaped courtyard, lined with palm trees. The neoclassical mansion was built in 1992 but underwent a complete renovation in 2020, led by classically trained Italian architect Andrea Gallo. The goal was to create an “Old World” residence through handcrafted details and bespoke customizations. The lavish 9,225-square-foot home features four bedrooms, four full bathrooms, and two half bathrooms spread over two levels.

To truly refine and perfect the authentic European feel, Gallo traveled alongside the owner across Europe, including Italy, for both inspiration and raw materials, including marble for the flooring, stone for the exterior walkways, and roof tiles imported from Italy. A double staircase leads you to the main entrance, an imposing double-height arch. Inside, there are black and white checkered marble floors, soaring double-height ceilings, and intricate patterns adorning the banisters and columns.

Other unique details include Roman columns, Venetian plaster walls, custom moldings, coffered ceilings, 23-karat gold leaf details and hand-painted frescoes. The home’s entry foyer features a bar on one side and a formal dining room on the other. The wrought-iron railings that line the second-floor gallery off the foyer feature a Greek key motif and gold medallions, two motifs that Versace used in his clothing and jewelry designs.

The heart of the home is the light-filled great room with numerous arched windows overlooking Sarasota Bay and a continuation of the lobby bar. There are two ultra-luxurious master suites, each with a private sitting room and lavish bath; the two additional bedrooms are also en suite. Other spaces include a pair of offices, a family room with a fireplace, and a Clive Christian-inspired kitchen with a huge center island for food prep. If that’s not enough, there’s a catering kitchen behind it.

The home is completely surrounded by a covered porch with cypress ceilings and fans to alleviate the sweltering Florida heat and humidity. Plenty of outdoor seating allows for year-round outdoor entertaining. There’s also a sun-drenched tiled patio, perfect for soaking up the Florida rays, and the pool is similar to the one at Casa Casuarina. There’s also a hot tub, summer kitchen, and 140 feet of bay frontage with a private dock and a boat lift that can hold up to 20,000 pounds. Adding to its appeal for boaters, the Field Club, an exclusive yacht club, is nearby.

Click here for more photos of Villa Sarasota.