'Architecture begins with the land and shaping spaces, harnessing light, utility and comfort, and rising above the mediocre and expected, to create a place of repose in an unquiet world'

James Design Studio have created the most beautiful home for our family. We are are so thrilled with the end result! It has been a wonderful design collaboration, led by Linda James & Jonathan James. From the very beginning of the design process, Linda has made us feel well looked after and confident in our design decisions. Her project management has been amazing and her experienced advice invaluable. Jonathan has shown such passion for architecture and the important part that Mother Nature brings to the design of a home. The sun, air and landscape have been at the forefront during his design process. This love of nature has meant that our home is filled with natural light and optimises the natural heating, cooling and ventilation. It has felt warm and inviting even before it was complete and now that we have moved in, it feels like a sanctuary. When we are inside, we feel like our home could be anywhere, it is very private and has a lovely calm feeling. Our new home, although contemporary in its design, fits right in to our street that is lined with California bungalows and some other more modern homes. The materials selected - timber, concrete and charcoal - have grounded our house so that it sits comfortably amongst it’s surroundings. It stands very proudly in our street, bringing something new and exciting to the neighbourhood. Linda and Jonathan are a fantastic team bringing different talents and insight. The builder that they recommended has been fantastic and they worked as a great team together, resolving issues along the way, while keeping our budget and the design intent in mind. It has been a wonderful journey and we feel like very lucky people to call our house, home :-) Thank you so very much Linda & Jonathan.

Both Jonathan and Linda at James Design Studio epitomise what passionate bespoke home builders seek in an Architecture firm. Truly professional in their approach, and working tirelessly to help galvanise the Builder/Client/Architect relationship.

We are an custom home builder based in Sydney, and have worked with Jonathan and Linda on two projects to date, with one currently under construction on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

From beginning to end JDS have been clear, decisive and creative in their design approach, providing practical design detailing (showcasing their thorough collective construction knowledge), while maintaining a consideration for client budgets and keeping on top of all things administrative.

As a passionate member of the industry myself, and an advocate for the importance of the trust established and carried through any building project between all three key parties, I would make no hesitation in recommending them to those seeking Architectural services for their new home.

James Design Studio provided:

All architecture designs for concept through to council approval All building tender documents and drawing Management of building contract Detailed building documentation Administration of the building contract Interior design services including colour schemes, kitchen and joinery.

As you can see the team provide a full end to end service which is very helpful to ensure everything came together. We specifically chose the team as they had experience in renovating old homes to keep the old character but expand and modernise for current day needs but with seamless look. Our home presented many challenges but the team delivered a beautiful external design and a brilliant internal layout to work within the current building footprint. What was also most appreciated is that the team also kept a focus on cost and helped us make decisions to get the best value for our budget. The team was equally brilliant in the build stage managing the detail and ensuring the builder stayed true to the detail required for a home of its era. We really appreciated the many hours spent checking and working with the builder and how they could explain any issues in words we could understand. Anyone who does a major renovation knows it is a long hard process. Having Linda and Jonathan helping us made it all possible. And the outcome is wonderful, we love our home and it is admired by many in the neighbourhood. One person commented "this home is a triumph and could have been here in 1915"

Thank you so much to Linda and Jonathan

We had been contemplating renovating for a few years. The house was dated & tired. We had a few companies look at our house but never felt they had the right solutions. The house was basically a combination of an old federation house with a 2 story addition that was done before we bought. While the house was comfortable it always felt a bit like 2 separate houses. James design came up with the best solution that totally made the function & appearance of our home work. We had a pretty strict budget & didn't want the budget to blow out, which is often the case. James design were also given the task of project managing the construction plus advising on finishes. The attention to detail in putting tender documents together, selecting 3 builders to quote was outstanding.

They talked us through different options on finishes & important options to ensure the budget was spent on the most important areas. Both from the perspective of life style & capital gain on the property. Weekly site meetings with builder, trades & ourselves, minutes of meeting,contracts & payment schedules & records were impeccable. Our family is really happy with the outcome. It feels & looks like a new modern home. Beyond our expectations.