Tour the 2013 Atlanta Symphony Decorators Show House and Gardens

ATLANTA — Where can you learn about twists on traditional southern dishes from a "Southern Living" contributor, discover stylish ideas so your home and landscape will be a thrilling, yet soothing and inviting place and hear about designing some of America's greatest homes? All three and more are part of the special events at the Atlanta Symphony Associates' Decorators Show House and Gardens.

Set on a Buckhead estate, the 2013 show house and gardens is a grand chateau inspired by the great architecture of France. The house is considered to be one of William T. Baker's finest works and is a testament to the fine craftsmanship and tasteful detailing characteristic of Baker's architecture.

The house is entirely clad in French limestone and, with its slate roof and zinc dormers, is a faithful interpretation of the great houses found outside Paris. The exciting interiors incorporate architectural antiques such as leaded windows, French paneling, and marble mantles. The wood parquet floors and casement windows with their decorative cremone bolts complete the effect.

With more than 18,000 square feet of space, the house has plenty of area to explore.

The symphony brought in more than 30 of the area's top designers to transform the home. The home includes a cigar room with a lion rug, a $25,000 guitar as a wall decoration and a cappuccino room. And now that their work is done, the home is open for tours. Tours for the 43rd annual Decorators Show House and Garden are Tuesdays-Sundays through May 12. It's $25 to tour the house.

Proceeds from the tour benefit the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's educational and community programs. Each year, those programs aid more than 63,000 kids and their families from around the Atlanta area.

"We have symphony street concerts for kids in grades (kindergarten) through three," ASO president Stanley Romanstein told Nelson's News. "For many of them, it's the first time they've ever been to Symphony Hall, first time they've heard a live orchestra, first time they've talked one-on-one with a professional musician, first time they've held a musical instrument in their hands and said, 'Wow, maybe I could do this.'"

From the grand staircase to the wine cellar, the living room to the child's bedroom; there's an array of amazing areas to check out.

WSBTV