Inside Foundry Manor: What to Expect at the 2026 RSL Designer Show House

Every other year, the Richmond Symphony League selects a premier property and invites the region's most talented interior designers to transform it, room by room, into something extraordinary. The result is the RSL Designer Show House, one of Richmond's most beloved design events and a signature fundraiser for the Richmond Symphony. This year, the chosen property is Foundry Manor, and we are proud to be part of it.

If you followed along during the last RSL Designer Show House, you already know what a special event this is. For those who are new to the show house tradition, consider this your introduction.

A Signature Richmond Tradition

The RSL Designer Show House has been a part of Richmond's cultural calendar since 1984. Hosted by the Richmond Symphony League, a nonprofit organization founded in 1958 in support of the Richmond Symphony, the show house brings together designers, sponsors, and the community around a shared love of exceptional design. This year marks the 20th installment, a milestone that speaks to how deeply this event has taken root in the city.

Each show house follows the same inspiring model: designers are selected to compete for the opportunity to transform a single space within the host property, donating their time and materials. The finished home is then opened to the public for a month-long run of tours, events, and experiences, with proceeds supporting the Richmond Symphony's mission of music education and cultural enrichment.

The Property: Foundry Manor

This year's host property is nothing short of spectacular. Foundry Manor is a custom-designed home built in 1987, located at 3937 Old Gun Road West in Richmond's historic Bellona Arsenal neighborhood. The home spans 8,003 square feet and includes five bedrooms and six bathrooms, set on 25 beautifully landscaped acres overlooking the James River.

It is a property with genuine presence, the kind of home that invites bold design decisions. The scale of the spaces, the architectural details, and the extraordinary natural setting have given each designer something meaningful to respond to, and the results promise to be remarkable.

The Designers

This year's show house brings together some of the most accomplished designers working in Richmond today. Spaces throughout Foundry Manor have been entrusted to designers including Janie Molster, Sara Hillery, Gayatri Choudhary, Robin Gahan, Kate Oliver, Stevie McFadden, Cathy Green, Jessica Myrick, Rodney Webb, Stephanie Theofanos, Marie Fedowitz, Ann Merideth Donovan, Laura Evans and Beth Wood of Anne Hale Interior Design, and Andrew Stark of Ethan Allen Richmond. The outdoor spaces and landscape are in the hands of Tracy Lantzy of Gabby and Summer Classics and Rock Creek Innovations.

We are thrilled to share that U-Fab Interiors designers Diana Vicenti and Amy Spearing, along with lead merchandiser Will Chambers, were selected to design the Dining/Living Room, one of the most significant spaces in the house as the heart of the home and its primary entertaining space. We will be sharing much more about their vision and process in the posts that follow. Until then, be sure to follow along on Instagram for a look behind-the-scenes!

What to Expect When You Visit

Walking through a designer show house is an experience unlike any other. Each room has been conceived and executed by a different creative mind, which means that every doorway opens onto a new point of view. The cumulative effect is utterly inspiring.

Beyond the designed spaces themselves, visitors to Foundry Manor can look forward to an on-site café, a boutique featuring local artisans selling clothing, jewelry, accessories, home goods, stationery, and crafts, and the simple pleasure of spending time in one of Richmond's most beautiful properties.

For those who want to be among the first to see the finished home, the Springtime Sonata Gala Preview Party takes place on April 10. The evening includes a cocktail reception and music by the John Winn Quintet, along with an exclusive first look at the completed show house. Tickets are available at richmondsymphonyleague.org.

General admission tours run daily from April 14 through May 10. Tickets are available at richmondsymphonyleague.org and at the door.

We hope to see you there!