Studio
Harris Design Studio is an architecture studio focused on creating timeless homes rooted in place. We design houses with a sense of permanence, homes that feel as though they have always belonged, shaped by their surroundings and by the lives unfolding within them.
Rooted in the architectural language of New England and guided by a deep respect for history, our work seeks quiet beauty over spectacle and clarity over trend.
Each project begins with a careful reading of its context, the light, the land, and the architectural character of the place, and grows from there into something lasting, thoughtful, and deeply connected to its setting.
Our process is personal and deliberate. It is shaped by dialogue, trust, and close attention to the things that are often felt more than seen.
It is not only about the form of a room, but how it works and how it feels to live in. How natural light moves through it over the course of the day. How spaces support both activity and stillness. How a home can bring comfort, ease, and a sense of rhythm to daily life. Every detail is considered carefully so the house performs well not just on paper, but in the way it is actually lived in.
Whether we are designing a new home from the ground up or carefully restoring an older one, our studio is committed to craftsmanship, lasting quality, and a kind of elegance that does not call attention to itself. While the work is grounded in tradition, it is always shaped around the needs of contemporary life, with modern comforts, technologies, and patterns of living woven into homes that feel timeless, settled, and truly livable.
The goal is always the same: to create homes that feel warm, well made, and deeply lived in from the beginning, houses that are built to last and meant to belong.
Team
James T. Harris
Founder & Principal
James is the founder and principal of Harris Design Studio, bringing over a decade of experience in high-end residential architecture, with a strong foundation in classical and traditional design.
Raised in one of the state’s oldest colonial towns, James grew up surrounded by historic homes and the layered beauty of early American architecture. That environment instilled in him an early sensitivity to proportion, place, and the quiet dignity of well-built structures, an influence that continues to guide his work today.
He studied Studio Art and Architectural Studies at Trinity College in Hartford before earning his Master of Architecture from the University of Miami, where he was awarded the nationally recognized Alpha Rho Chi Medal, an honor given to one graduating student who exemplifies leadership, service, and promise of professional excellence.
James began his professional career at de la Guardia Victoria Architects in Coral Gables, Florida, where he worked on finely detailed, classically inspired homes. He later returned to Connecticut to join Hendricks Churchill, rising to the role of Associate and Senior Designer. During his final years there, he spearheaded the design of all architectural projects, contributing significantly to the firm’s reputation in high-end residential work.
Through Harris Design Studio, James offers clients the same level of rigorous, thoughtful design associated with award-winning practices, now delivered through a more personal, collaborative studio model grounded in craftsmanship, context, and enduring quality.