Versace began infusing its home line with its strongest fashion looks for its Spring '01 collection, and by now signature clothing fabrications, like this Fall's colorful circus paisley print, can be found on everything from poof chairs and reclining couches to tea cups and ash trays. Although the concept has been experimented with by other fashion houses (Paul Smith's signature stripes on tea sets and Etro's rich paisleys on bed linens immediately come to mind) none can compete with Versace's enormous product offering, or with its ties to the world of haute couture.

While most of us couldn't manage the priceless patchwork silk dress featured in Versace's Fall couture collection, a sleek chair featuring a printed version of the fabric for a mere $1000 is much easier to swallow. An added bonus of this system is that the fashion prints, which normally die out each season for clothing, will remain archived in the home line allowing customers to pick and choose amongst their favorite designs from seasons past.

The new emphasis on specialized fabrications, plus the recent introduction of a new line of modern furniture, is just some of the ways in which Versace is expanding its already well-established home line. Since its initial launch in 1992, the Versace home collection has largely been a study in Baroque-style luxury, a nod to the house's infatuation with excess: furniture was mostly neo-classical in its style, fabrications featured the signature medusa medallions and gold ivy, while gold vermeil and pario marble were materials of choice.

The style, which directly mimicked the interiors of the famous Versace palazzi in Lake Como, Miami (now sold) and Via Gesu was an instant hit, attracting big-ticket clients like Elton John, Melanie Griffith, Antonio Banderas and Sharon Stone. Having launched in select Versace boutiques, the line is now carried in nearly 2500 stores, including Neiman Marcus and Harrods, and has skyrocketed into a $50 million dollar business, representing 10 percent of Versace's total turnover.

But these days, there are a limited number of customers who want to hark back to the age of the Greeks in their living room, and the Italian house wisely recognizes the importance of charging forward into new territory. "Our goal now is to bring the line to a wider range of customers. We are continuing to build on what we are known for as well as expanding into other areas," said a spokesman for the company.

So in addition to the new fashion fabrics, Versace has introduced a more modern collection of furniture, which, striped of its sconces and gold arabesques, is decidedly sleek in appearance. Couches are now offered in block shapes, which sit low to the floor and have reclining backs, while chairs come in 60's egg shapes or modern Cassina-like styles. Although the graphic, angular shapes are new, the flavor can remain decidedly Versace, if desired, with a choice of classic fabrics like animal or Petitot-style prints. And of course, anyone who still wants a regal bed fit for the Sun King can have that too, as Versace is not discontinuing any of its past classical styles.

The world of Versace home doesn't stop just at furniture and linens, though. The Italian house, driven by the words of Gianni Versace who dictated that "the Versace lifestyle must be an all-around choice" offers a full line of table top china, hand blown glass collectibles, and even kitchen and bathroom fixtures for those who need a sighting of the Medusa with every turn of their faucet handle. "What really sets us apart," continued the Versace spokesman "is our range of product as well as our collaboration with some of the world's most well-known manufacturers."

The highly specialized, hand-blown glass vases and objects, ranging in price from $600-2500, are produced by the illustrious Murano-based Venini, while the china and porcelain pieces are created by traditional German maker Rosenthal. Rod Stewart was apparently wooed by the quality, having recently snapped up several pieces from the Medusa and Le Jardin sets at the Versace store in Beverly Hills.