From the editor.

Mississippi's ultimate "Sensational Space" was one that exists now only in memory. The legendary story of Windsor might be best told in numbers, with a little help from Mary Carol Miller's Lost Mansions of Mississippi:

1859: The year construction began on the palatial home that sat on a 2,600-acre plantation near Port Gibson; it would be completed in two years.

$140,000: The cost to build the dwelling, according to a local newspaper; the imported furniture cost another $30,000.

34: The age of owner Smith Daniell when he died only a few weeks after the home's completion.

4: The number of stories in the home. They included a full above-ground basement with dairy, doctor's office, and schoolroom; upper floors with parlors, a library, a spacious master suite, and other elegantly decorated rooms; and above it all, a conservatory offering unbroken views across the Mississippi River.

25: The number of marble-manteled fireplaces that kept family members and guests comfortable during cold winter nights.

29: The number of years the supposedly fireproof Windsor stood before burning after a guest's cigarette was carelessly tossed into a pile of sawdust created during repair work in the observatory. Only 22 of its 29 towering Corinthian columns were left behind as a haunting reminder of the home's past beauty.

0: The number of photographs of Windsor still in existence. Only a single drawing of the home has ever been found, leaving Mississippians only to imagine how impressive this great mansion's interior must have appeared to visitors.

Thankfully, the tradition of timeless and elegant homes in Mississippi has never ceased. While Windsor and many other noteworthy historical homes may no longer be around, several centuries-old houses do still stand, making Mississippi one of the best places in the country to view examples of classical architecture and design. The tradition also carries on with a continuously evolving breed of creative people whose job it is to make today's homes beautiful. In this issue, we celebrate their talents as we present the winners of our third annual Sensational Spaces interior design competition.

With that in mind, may I offer a few new numbers:

1500s: The century in which the stunning marble floor in our Judges' Choice room originated. It was salvaged after a fire in an English chapel and eventually found a home in designer William Eubanks' lovely morning room.

1890: The year the A.L. Rosenbaum building in Meridian, the setting for our Kitchen category runner-up, was constructed. Designer Mellany Kitchens captured the historical feel by using original brick and old world finishes to create a beauty that's ageless.

2004: The year for which designer Terry Holtsinger's tranquil bathroom space--with its heated floors, recessed "rain" shower head, and fog-free mirrors, was intended. For while it's important that we remember and cherish those beautiful spaces like Windsor from years gone by, I believe the most important element of interior design today may just be the ability to create a room that's as functional and comfortable for modern living as it is pleasing to the eye.

All of the 15 rooms featured in our special section, beginning on pg. 71, meet that standard in a way that looks effortless. But anyone who's ever dabbled in decorating their own home will know that each of these finished spaces is the product of a skilled hand and a creative eye. Justas Windsor did, each of these rooms celebrates the convergence of classicism and contemporary life that is the essence of Mississippi.

Kelli L. Bozeman