MJ Lanphier

I've know Matthew for almost 10 years, beginning when he came to work with me as a designer. He has evolved into a top notch designer in his own right and I am enormously proud of his accomplishments. Whenever he assisted me, the job was done right. I sought his advice and opinion on many projects, and my professional association with Matthew continues today. I can highly recommend Matthew for his always professional work and his creative talents.

Matthew Lanphier has partnered with me on multiple occasions to execute drafting for various construction and furniture projects. He’s my first call when I need help getting an idea communicated visually, and with thorough consideration. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting his homes in West Hollywood and Palm Springs, and both are a delight to visit, full of interest and visual stimuli. His tenured practice has the experience, the resources, and the passion to bring a client’s vision to life. Matthew is tirelessly curious, always searching for materials, fixtures, and furnishings that are excitingly new and intrinsically timeless. I would recommend Matthew for any job without reservation.

It's been almost two years since Matt did my kitchen, and I'm still crying. I spent nearly $100,000 for a very small Kitchen in a 1,500 s/f house in Glendale, CA. Not only did it take more than a year to complete, but every aspect of MJL's design was a disaster. The lower cabinets are two inches taller than standard (36" is standard. Mine are 38".) The bottom shelf on the upper cabinets is 62 inches from the floor (instead of the standard 54 inches, or 18 inches above the lower cabinets). Because of this, I am only able to reach items on the bottom shelves. I need a stool to retrieve anything on the second shelf, and a ladder to make use of the third shelf. (I am a 62-year-old woman who lives alone! How safe is it for me to be climbing and balancing not only myself, but food and/or dishes on a daily basis!!???) My $8,000 stove had to be put on blocks to match the counter heights, causing the decorative tiles behind the stove to be partially hidden because of the height issues. The color of each cabinet is inconsistent, and is also peeling and/or chipping. The linoleum floor was apparently installed incorrectly and it is now cracking. The cabinets in the butler's pantry were too wide, making it impossible to open the back door. Instead of removing and replacing the cabinets on both sides, only one side of cabinets were removed. Now the entire symmetry of the floor design is off. The surround on the hood over the stove had to be rebuilt by another contractor because the first installation was completely wrong. There truly is not one single thing that Matthew and his crew did that makes me happy. I'm just waiting until I can afford to have the entire thing ripped out and replaced. Hiring MJ Lanphier was the biggest and most expensive mistake I've ever made. I would definitely not recommend using him for anything!!! If I thought I could recover any of my money I would have sued. This has also caused me some skepticism with Houzz. PS, Michael is NOT a Licensed Architect, while he alludes that he is.

We've had the pleasure of working with Matthew in the remodeling of two of our homes. Matthew was so skilled at interpreting our aesthetic, offering us superb options and materials, and accurately realizing the vision (usually far surpassing our expectations). Working with Matthew has been truly a pleasure! He is enthusiastic about the work he does, is incredibly skilled at considering the large-scale project as well as the specific details, and has superb taste! Thanks to Matthew, we are living in an incredibly gorgeous space that we feel comfortable and fortunate to call home.

Working with MJ (Matthew) has been advantageous over the years since he always comes up with inventive, interesting design solutions that have consistently added value to my property. His problem solving is intuitive, and he thinks of these great solutions quickly - on the spot even. He carefully listens to what I want, but then always wants to try something a little different to push the envelope and bring me out of my comfort zone. This has created results that have impressed me and all my contractors (all whom want to work with him on other projects). He is considerate of the idea of “timelessness” and never does anything that won’t age well or will be a disconnect with the architecture. He has helped me over the course of several years to upgrade my townhouse - first beginning in 2010 with the base materials like flooring and railing options, and then slowly tackled the kitchen and baths, up until furnishings and decor which we still work on today. He’s wonderfully patient and none of his ideas - even the first ones implemented years back - have ever tired over the course of the project - they are still fresh and inspired. I have a lot of confidence in his approach and his results. Everyone I know is always impressed. A rare find!

Matthew Lanphier came highly recommended to us by one of his clients. We have used the services of an interior designer before, but Matthew is truly in a field all by himself. He is thoughtful, creative, punctual, has impeccable taste, and has patience with us when we just cannot decide between the many fabulous options he presents us. Moreover, he makes us laugh and keeps things light and professional. Matthew is currently wrapping up the design of our second home with him and we are completely in love with it. Our house now feels like home. It just feels like us. We have Mr. Lanphier to thank for that.

Matthew Lanphier has brought beauty and sophistication to my home. His selections of fabrics, paint, furniture, lighting, architectural details and accessories have completely reformed my house into a home and bring a smile to my face every time I walk into my new space. A true artist and visionary, thank you Matthew!

We could not be happier with Mathew’s work. He made the daunting task of remodeling a house so much easier. Mathew has a brilliant eye for maximizing space and is the master of getting the best bang for your buck. We were especially thrilled with our kitchen and 2 bathrooms, so much so that we had him design our guesthouse as well. Now we have a beautiful home and a fantastic place for our guests as well.

MJ Lanphier is simply fantastic. He has a broad knowledge of architecture, design, and modern decorative arts, so not only do we have a beautiful house that constantly gets compliments, we also learned a lot along the way. The process was easy and he is a pleasure to work with. He is especially good at helping us select cool art and photography and always has great, practical ideas that utilize what we have already. I can't recommend him highly enough."

Matthew Lanphier's design work is, in a word, stunning. He lives and breathes style, and that committment is reflected in the quality and creativity of his work. In my case, he overhauled my entire home, transforming it from a dowdy Spanish style into a fresh, contemporary space that appropriately references its modern roots (it was built in 1966). Importantly, Matthew worked to excavate a once-occluded view of downtown Los Angeles by adding a series of large windows on the second floor. What MLS once described as a "peek-a-boo" view has been radically transformed, thus palpably elevating the value of the home. That's just one salient example of Matthew's architectural approach, but the attention to detail goes down to the angles of the stairs, the sense of proportion in the living room space (extra-wide sofa to fit two), the vibrant use of texture and color in fabrics and wallcoverings. Matthew's point of view is fresh and modern, and his style is timeless, so there are no design elements that are faddish or scream a particular point of time ("That exterior is so mid-2000s."). There is simply no question that Matthew's signature work has elevated my home to standout position on my block.

Matthew Lanphier us such a pleasure to work with. He is well educated, extremely knowledgable, and creative. He has an exceptional ability to make a project feel effortless for the client. His "get it done" attitude is refreshing in a world where so many people are the contrary. He is extremely thorough, straightforward, and resourceful. The process has been fun, educational, and a great success. He helped my husband and I find designs that best represent us while being functional and comfortable. Matthew helped us spruce up our back yard and master bedroom. We edited existing furniture and recovered and reupholstered several elements to update our look to suit our current aesthetic. I would highly recommend Matthew for any design job-big or small.