The Studio
Create art to live in.
That has been the guiding principle since 1993 — homes that are precisely tailored to the people who live in them, and to the land they stand on.
Tim Bjella
Architect & interior designer
Tim Bjella founded the studio in 1993 and personally designs every project that carries its name. His homes are thoughtful and often eclectic — innovative forms, meticulous details, and timeless materials, composed into open, light-filled spaces with a strong connection to the natural environment.
The work blends classical design principles with fresh, modern forms. The practice is devoted exclusively to residential architecture — because a house you merely occupy and a home that is truly yours are two very different things.
Architecture, interiors, and landscape are designed simultaneously, as one idea. The result is a home where nothing feels applied or afterthought — where the whole is coherent down to the smallest detail.
Of its place
Mountain lodges, desert villas, beach houses, urban lofts, prairie homes, lake cottages — each design grows from its site, its climate, and its views.
Filled with light
Open plans, generous glass, and carefully choreographed daylight shape rooms with pleasing proportions, delightful details, and sensual textures.
Built responsibly
Sustainable technologies, energy efficiency, and healthy materials are woven into the design from the first sketch — not bolted on at the end.
“An architect-designed home is precisely tailored to fit you and the way you live.”
Tim Bjella
A Baker’s Dozen
Thirteen reasons
homes like these exist
Magical spaces
Light-filled rooms with pleasing proportions, delightful details, and sensual textures elevate everyday life.
Designed by the principal
Tim Bjella designs every home in the studio — yours included. No hand-offs, no juniors sketching in your name.
Utterly unique
Each home is a singular expression of its owners — never a variation on a stock plan.
Tailored to the site
The architecture responds to sun, slope, and view, with detailing that goes far beyond the merely functional.
An advocate at your side
The studio oversees contractors, inspects the construction, and represents your interests from start to finish.
Art, not just shelter
Creating art to live in demands creativity and vision beyond solving the practical problems of a house.
Value engineered in
Negotiation and competitive bidding lower costs during construction while good design raises the home’s lasting value.
Environmentally responsible
Sustainable technologies, energy efficiency, and healthy materials are part of the design language.
Publication-worthy
The homes are regularly featured in national publications, including Architectural Digest.
Anywhere in North America
From Malibu to Manhattan, the studio designs custom homes across the continent.
Residential, exclusively
The practice designs homes and nothing else — and understands the difference between a house and a home.
Rooted in region
Every home is tailored to its environment and regional context — a Minnesota lake home should never be mistaken for a Malibu villa.
One integrated vision
Interiors, landscape, and architecture are developed simultaneously for a result that is coherent, inside and out.
