Last week, designers got a chance to take a look inside this year's Symphony Designer House and to decide which space they'd like to transform.

Actually, it's a little more complicated than that. Each designer will have to make a presentation of their design to the Richmond Symphony Orchestra League, and its members will then decide who will receive which coveted spots.

We visited the Rothesay Circle house along with all of the designers and were immediately impressed — and overwhelmed. It's a massive home — 6,708 square feet — on eight acres right by the river. It's the kind of old-fashioned mansion that you really never see anymore — or at least, you never see them as private homes. It has a smoking study, servants' quarters and a butler's pantry as big as my kitchen — and the kitchen itself is restaurant-sized. In fact, the landing at the top of the stairs might be a little larger than my living room, and this house's living room is aproximately 24 feet by 24 feet (that would be 576 square feet for those of you who don't want to do the math).

I really would love to just swoon a little over the numbers (the master bedroom is 23 feet by 24 feet, and the guest room is 20 feet by 26 feet), but suffice it to say, this place is enormous. Built in 1913 and designed by Duncan Lee, with grounds designed by Charles Gillette, Rothesay was acquired by the owner's father, George Anderson, in 1934. It has remained almost entirely intact since then and is a virtual time capsule of a way of living that doesn't exist anymore.

Twenty-eight of the rooms will be transformed, and eight local landscape architects began working on the grounds in the fall. Richmond magazine would like all of you to come along for the ride as we chart the house's transformation. We'll be updating our site with behind-the scenes stories and photographs in the upcoming months until the house gets unveiled at the Gala Preview Party on Sept. 11.