Brisbane-based residential design & construct company specialising in renovations, extensions and new builds

There is something quietly powerful about a studio that can take a home from the first conversation to the final detail without ever losing the thread. Darren James Design & Construct has been doing exactly that in South East Queensland since 2005, with a rare in-house integration of design, construction, and interiors that keeps the vision intact from beginning to end.

Founded by husband-and-wife team Darren James and Elissa Greer, the studio’s story is worth knowing. Darren’s 27-year career progressed from training under a Danish master craftsman to cabinetmaking and custom boatbuilding, then to residential design and construction, and he holds dual qualifications as a licensed builder and interior designer. That breadth of knowledge shapes every decision the studio makes, from the bones of a build to the choice of a handle. Elissa brings a sharp, creative vision and a natural ability to balance space, materiality, and mood, and it’s her hands-on involvement across every project that gives Darren James interiors their distinctive sense of warmth and lived-in confidence.

The studio works across custom design and construction projects, renovations and extensions, apartment transformations, interior design, and furnishings and styling. Behind every project is a team of specialists, including senior interior designers, a drafter, a construction manager, a site supervisor, and a lead carpenter, who collectively ensure that what’s designed is exactly what gets built. It is this seamless, considered approach that has made Darren James Design & Construct one of the most respected names in Brisbane residential design, sought out by homeowners who want exceptional results and a process that feels as good as the finished home.

The accolades reflect that standing. The studio has taken out HIA Kitchen Project of the Year, TIDA Australia Bathroom of the Year and Kitchen of the Year, TIDA International Bathroom of the Year, and KBDi Australian Certified Designer of the Year, among others. A Fellow of the Design Institute of Australia and a member of the Housing Industry Association and Master Builders Association, Darren James Design & Construct is the kind of studio whose reputation genuinely precedes it.