--- title: "Leader Design Studio — Architects & Building Designers | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/leader-design-studio-pfvwus-pf~402668247 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~402668247.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Leader Design Studio" category: ["Architects"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/73730d210f62280c_7092-w400-h400-b1-p10--.jpg address: "1003 North Orange Avenue, Suite A2, Sarasota, Florida 34236, United States" latitude: 27.3269 longitude: -82.5433 phone: "(941) 404-8055" website: http://www.LeaderDesignStudio.com rating: 5 review_count: 5 best_of_houzz_awards: 5 followers: 288 last_updated: 2026-09-13 --- # Leader Design Studio Original Houzz profile: [Leader Design Studio](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/leader-design-studio-pfvwus-pf~402668247) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Architects - **Location:** Sarasota, FL - **Serves:** Tampa, Bradenton, Sarasota, University Park, South Bradenton, Bayshore Gardens, Fruitville, Palmetto, Sarasota Springs, Gulf Gate Estates, Bee Ridge, Longboat Key, West Samoset, Osprey, South Gate Ridge, Southgate, Siesta Key, Cortez, The Meadows, South Sarasota, Samoset, Lake Sarasota, Kensington Park, Vamo, North Sarasota, Desoto Lakes, Crescent Beach, Bradenton Beach, Oneco, Tallevast - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (5 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 5 awards (2014–2022), for Design, Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - Recommended on Houzz - 1,000 Ideabook Saves MISSION Leader Design Studio is a Sarasota, Florida based architecture firm founded in 2011 by Chris Leader. Specializing in new single-family construction, extensive renovations, waterfront properties and condominium renovations, Leader Design Studio has a broad range of experience creating thoughtful homes suited to our clients’ unique needs. With a combined 25 years of experience, Leader Design Studio and its staff have designed and completed over 50 custom homes in Southwest Florida over the last 10 years. We are a full service design firm and we oversee residential projects from initial concept design through construction administration. VISION Leader Design Studio is fully committed to designing thoughtful, responsible, and sustainable homes. Thoughtfully designed buildings connect us to our natural environment and improve the quality of everyday life. We design site-specific homes to be respectful and responsive to the surrounding community and take deep consideration for the larger social and physical context. Our projects optimize natural light and ventilation, use locally sourced materials, and employ the most energy efficient products and systems. With each project, we strive to contribute to a more sustainable way of living and future. Among our LEED Certified Platinum projects are the Lido Deck Haus, Fish Camp and Lotus on Orange. ### Services Provided - Architectural Design - Building Design - Home Remodeling - Architectural Drawings - Custom Homes - House Plans - Home Additions - Home Extensions - Kitchen Design - Sustainable Design - Energy-Efficient Homes - Floor Plans - Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) - Green Building - Bathroom Design - Space Planning - Guesthouse Design & Construction - Pool House Design & Construction - Mudroom Design - Staircase Design - Deck Design - Garage Design - Laundry Room Design - Home Gym Design & Construction ### Areas Served - Tampa - Bradenton - Sarasota - University Park - South Bradenton - Bayshore Gardens - Fruitville - Palmetto - Sarasota Springs - Gulf Gate Estates - Bee Ridge - Longboat Key - West Samoset - Osprey - South Gate Ridge - Southgate - Siesta Key - Cortez - The Meadows - South Sarasota - Samoset - Lake Sarasota - Kensington Park - Vamo - North Sarasota - Desoto Lakes - Crescent Beach - Bradenton Beach - Oneco - Tallevast ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Leader Design Studio | | Address | 1003 North Orange Avenue, Suite A2, Sarasota, Florida 34236, United States | | Phone | (941) 404-8055 | | Website | http://www.LeaderDesignStudio.com | | License Number | AA26003294 | | Followers on Houzz | 288 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — http://www.facebook.com/LeaderDesignStudio ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Leader Design Studio](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/leader-design-studio-pfvwus-pf~402668247) - **Website:** http://www.LeaderDesignStudio.com - **Phone:** (941) 404-8055 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - SRQ Magazine 2014 Best kitchen of the year (Platinum) - Gulf Coast AIA 2014 Award of Excellence for best Renovation - SRQ Magazine 2015 Best Renovation of the year (Gold) - SRQ Magazine 2015 Best Overall Home under 2 million (Gold) - SRQ Magazine 2015 Best Sustainable Home (Gold and Platinum) - **Best of Houzz:** 5 awards (2014–2022), for Design, Service. **Affiliations** - [AIA Custom Residential Architects Network](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/aia-custom-residential-architects-network-pfvwus-pf~629398549) - [The American Institute of Architects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/the-american-institute-of-architects-pfvwus-pf~1350720471) - [NCARB](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/ncarb-pfvwus-pf~1477640315) - [American Institute of Architects, FL Gulf Coast](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/american-institute-of-architects-fl-gulf-coast-pfvwus-pf~1452776976) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 5 reviews** ### All 5 reviews **★★★★★ — kdlyons, Oct. 2013** > We engaged Chris Leader to handle the design portion of the remodel of our 1958 ranch home into a modern coastal cottage. Previously, we only had an old small screen porch for an outdoor living area and now we have a fabulous outdoor living area with a pool to compliment the beautiful coastal exterior Chris designed. We enjoyed working with Chris. He was always professional and listened to our requests for our remodeling project. His use of 3D modeling techniques really helped us visualize the architectural design of entire remodeling project. Our project is nearing completion and we and our neighbors are delighted with the outcome! Thank you Chris! **★★★★★ — michellemvb, Oct. 2013** > My house is beautiful. I am in awe everytime I drive up and I often see cars slowing down as they drive by. Chris created a stunning and unique design for me. He was easy to work with and he really listened to what I wanted. He was available during construction to help me make decisions and clarify things with the contractors. **★★★★★ — Josh Wynne Construction, Sept. 2013** > I have worked with Chris on several projects ranging from 100 year old bungalows to large waterfront, modern homes and even mid-century modern inspired masterpieces. Chris is a great designer with a focus on client needs. His drafting is good and he is a master on Google SketchUp, which really helps his clients and my sub-contractors envision the final product even before we break ground. Chris is a great choice as a designer whether your project is an old Med Revival in need of update or you are looking for a modern waterfront masterpiece. **★★★★★ — andyandkarin, Sept. 2013** > We hired Chris Leader to design our new, LEED Platinum, modern house in Sarasota, Florida. The design phase took approximately 10 months starting in mid-2012, and construction was completed in May 2014. Our experience with Chris was extremely positive. Chris brings many strengths to the table, including: > 1\. He is very client focused - we felt like we were his only client. > 2\. He is an excellent designer - our house design is perfect for our needs and has garnered a lot of positive feedback from the community > 3\. He is very detail oriented. He really pays attention to the little things that can make a big difference. > 4\. He collaborates well and is very pleasant to work with. > Thank you Chris for designing our dream home! **★★★★★ — Michael A. Gilkey, Inc., Sept. 2013** > Chris Leader is an extremely thoughtful, creative young designer in our community. He is innovative and pushes the envelope of architecture and sustainability standards. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with him since the inception of his company and look forward to a long relationship serving many discerning clients in our community. ## Selected projects - [Bayview House](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bayview-house-pj-vj~6115057) - Location: Longboat Key, FL - Photos: 39 - Description: This home is situated on a beautiful Longboat Key bay-front lot. The residents envisioned a warm, modern, one-story home designed to capture the dramatic bay views and provide a seamless indoor-outdoor lifestyle. From the street, a series of carefully crafted terraces gently raise the existing grade to meet the FEMA required floor level of the house. Visitors approach the home through an open-air courtyard with a sculptural screw-pine at its center. The courtyard serves as a backdrop to the main… - [4464 Higel Avenue](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/4464-higel-avenue-pj-vj~1150270) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - [1140 Citrus](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/1140-citrus-pj-vj~2957174) - Location: Sarasota, FL - Photos: 52 - Description: This 3,600-square foot home is located in the historic Hudson Bayou neighborhood of Sarasota. The residents, who previously lived in a bay view downtown condo, envisioned a warm, modern, and sophisticated home designed around their own private “Selby Gardens.” The home was designed to be respectful of the scale and context of the neighborhood, while simultaneously providing privacy for the residents. The 160-foot long home meanders east to west across the length of the large double lot, wrapping… - [Longboat Key condo renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/longboat-key-condo-renovation-pj-vj~2838169) - Location: Longboat Key, FL - Photos: 16 - [1414 Osprey](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/1414-osprey-pj-vj~930838) - Location: Sarasota, FL - Photos: 24 - Description: This project was designed as a fun urban infill concept to occupy a small, non-conforming lot in a walkable area near downtown Sarasota. The design/construct team wanted to create a high level execution of contemporary details without the high cost typically associated with such an expectation. We got clever with detailing, material selections, and the execution techniques to help accomplish our goal. I challenge you to find a better IKEA kitchen on the planet! As always, this project was design… - [54th Street West](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/54th-street-west-pj-vj~386224) - Location: Bradenton, FL - Photos: 17 - Description: The interior renovation of this two story townhome was designed to reflect the European Owner’s desire for an open and elegant home featuring clean lines and timeless natural materials. The original home featured a small, dark kitchen, low ceilings, angled walls and dated finishes. The renovation stripped the home to its studs, and dramatically reconfigured spaces to maximize the connection between rooms, and take advantage of natural light. The centerpiece of the reconfigured first floor is a n… - [1414 South Osprey](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/1414-south-osprey-pj-vj~956583) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 - Description: The project is located west of Tamiami Trail, on South Osprey Avenue in Sarasota Florida. The desire for a home with clean lines and an industrial edge dictated the simple composition with a variety of unfettered materials. The exterior façade features corrugated metal panels, lap siding, smooth stucco and stained cypress tongue and groove soffits. An ample amount of glass windows provide natural daylight and cross ventilation throughout the interior of the home. At approximately 2,400 square fe… - [Lido Deckhaus](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/lido-deckhaus-pj-vj~682580) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 8 - [Fish Camp](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/fish-camp-pj-vj~337616) - Location: Longboat Key, FL - Photos: 10 [See all 9 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/leader-design-studio-pfvwus-pf~402668247) ## Ideabooks - [Lido](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/61122970/list/lido) — 7 ideas [See all 2 ideabooks](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/leader-design_studio) ## Community Q&A **Q: Are the window frames white on this home?** *(in Photo Questions)* A: The window frames have a clear anodized aluminum finish on this house. **Q: Size of home** *(in Photo Questions)* Hi, I have a lot in Summerland Key and was wondering about the dimensions of this home. My lot is 60x100 and was curious if this home would fit, minus the pool. Also, what was the cost of this home? A: This house is 29' wide by 67' long including the front and rear decks. As Josh said this would likely fit on your lot depending on zoning setbacks. **Q: Where is the rug from?** *(in Photo Questions)* Where is the rug from? A: where is the lamp from? **Q: Bar cart** *(in Photo Questions)* Where can I buy it? A: what is the paint color? --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-13.*