What MN Studio does

MN Studio is a privately held, full-service interior design firm headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, founded in 2018 by principals Natalie Greenside and Melissa Mohr Brown. The firm operates across three core verticals: custom residential design ("Home"), workplace and commercial design ("Work"), and hospitality design ("Play"), with project locations spanning the California coast including Santa Barbara, Montecito, Malibu, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo.

The firm's underlying capability is a structured, three-phase service methodology—Dream It (programming, space planning, and conceptual design), Design It (construction documentation, finish material selection, lighting design, and custom millwork), and Build It (construction management, FF&E procurement, and project photography direction)—delivered by a team of approximately six designers with prior tenure at Cearnal Collective, Gensler, HOK, DLR Group, nbbj, SFA Design, and DesignARC. MN Studio emphasizes collaboration with long-standing architectural partners (Cearnal Collective, A34 Studio, Kevin Moore Architect) and developers rather than building proprietary technology tooling.

MN Studio generates revenue through project-based professional services fees, with no publicly disclosed pricing tiers or transaction-based revenue. Go-to-market is sales-led via direct outreach, referrals, and architect/developer relationships; the firm has built a recurring client roster in hospitality (notably Good Lion Hospitality across four-plus venues), luxury residential, and select commercial accounts (Sotheby's International Realty, ABC Clio, Blackline Global Headquarters, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital's Hospitality House). The firm is privately held by its two founders with no disclosed institutional capital, parent company, or acquisition activity, and remains small by design within the boutique California interior design segment.

Name

MN Studio

Legal name

MN Studio Interiors

Website

https://mnstudiointeriors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MN Studio is a Santa Barbara-based, full-service interior design firm founded in 2018 that delivers custom residential, workplace, and hospitality interior design across the California coast for developers, homeowners, and boutique hospitality operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Interior Design Services

NAICS

Interior Design Services (54141), Custom Architectural Woodwork and Millwork Manufacturing (337212)

SIC

Household Furniture (2510), Office Furniture (2520)

akta.pro primary industry

Space Planning & Workplace Design (BPAHAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Interior Fit-Out (Multi-Family & High-End) (IMAFANAE), Custom Cabinet Design & Build (HSAPAIAA), Joinery, Millwork & Casework Installation (Cabinetry, Built-Ins) (IMAFANAJ)

Keywords

• Interior design services
• Custom residential design
• Commercial interior design
• Hospitality design
• Construction project management

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Interior Design Professional Services: MN Studio generates revenue through professional interior design fees, encompassing the full project lifecycle from programming and conceptual design through construction management and procurement. Services include custom residential, workplace/commercial, and hospitality projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

MN Studio is a full-service interior design firm offering professional design services from concept to completion across custom residential, workplace/commercial, and hospitality project types. Services span programming and space planning, construction documentation, finish material and lighting selection, custom millwork design, and interior construction management including turnkey procurement of furnishings, accessories, and artwork.

Product overview

MN Studio is a full-service interior design firm offering professional expertise on projects from concept to completion. The company operates three core service areas: Custom Residential Design (Home projects), Commercial Design (Work projects), and Hospitality Design (Play projects). Their service delivery follows a three-phase methodology: 'Dream It' (programming and space planning), 'Design It' (documentation and material selection), and 'Build It' (construction management and procurement). The firm specializes in custom residential, workplace, commercial, and hospitality project types, handling projects of all sizes including new construction, renovations, and interior styling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Residential Design Full-service interior design for custom residential projects, including new construction and renovations, creating unique spaces that reflect each client's lifestyle and taste for homeowners in coastal California.
• Commercial Design Creative, brand-centric workplace and commercial interior design services aimed at increasing customer traffic, retention, employee recruitment, and employee satisfaction for business owners and companies across offices, storefronts, and commercial spaces.
• Hospitality Design Design services for hospitality environments including hotels, restaurants, bars, and bakeries, creating memorable spaces that generate buzz while maintaining operational functionality for developers, hoteliers, restaurateurs, and hospitality operators.

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cearnal CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMN Studio's founders previously led the interior design division at Cearnal Collective, a long-established architecture firm in Santa Barbara. MN Studio continues to collaborate with Cearnal Collective on projects including West Beach Townhomes, Mason Beach Inn, and Hospitality House.
• A34 StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA34 Studio is the architect on the Yama House project, a hilltop residence on the Central Coast merging California Ranch aesthetics with Japanese style architectural influence.
• Good Lion HospitalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGood Lion Hospitality is a recurring client and strategic partner, operating multiple hospitality venues (Lion's Tale Bar, Jaguar Moon, Petit Soleil Hotel, Condesa at Petit Soleil) that MN Studio has designed.
• Lilac PatisserieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLilac Patisserie is a boutique bakery client for whom MN Studio designed their flagship location and subsequent 2021 expansion. The project was a collaboration with Andrulaitis+Mixon (architect) and Evans Construction (contractor).
• McGillivray ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMcGillivray Construction was the contractor on the Hospitality House project at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, a pro-bono transformation of an apartment complex into 12 residential suites for patient families.
• GenslerminorOthersSenior Associate Gina Soohoo previously worked at Gensler, bringing experience with large-scale workplace projects to MN Studio.
• HOKminorOthersFounder Melissa Mohr Brown previously worked at HOK, bringing experience in workplace, hospitality, and sports facility project types to MN Studio.
• DLR GroupminorOthersFounder Melissa Mohr Brown previously worked at DLR Group.
• DesignARCminorOthersSenior Associate Brianna Knudsen spent nearly two decades at DesignARC, a Santa Barbara architectural and interior design firm.
• Santa Barbara State Street Holiday Window WalkminorOthersAn annual event co-founded by MN Studio founder Natalie Greenside in 2018, which reimagines vacant storefronts through the eyes of local interior designers and design industry partners.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• DISC Interiors: Los Angeles-based interior design firm working across residential, hospitality, and commercial projects. Comparable as a California boutique interiors practice with similar residential and commercial scope.
• Studio Shamshiri: Los Angeles-based interior design firm specializing in high-end residential and hospitality projects. Comparable as a California-based luxury interiors practice with similar project types and client demographics.
• Wick Design Group: California-based interior design firm focused on commercial and hospitality projects. Comparable for the boutique California practice model serving design-forward commercial and hospitality clients.
• Cearnal Collective: Santa Barbara-based architecture and design firm where MN Studio's co-founders built the interiors division and continue to partner on flagship projects (West Beach Townhomes, Mason Beach Inn, Hospitality House). Direct comparable in geography, project type, and luxury coastal market.
• AvroKO: Hospitality-focused design firm known for distinctive hotel, restaurant, and bar interiors (similar in spirit to MN Studio's work on Lion's Tale, Jaguar Moon, Petit Soleil). Comparable for the boutique hospitality segment and design-driven F&B projects.
• Jamie Bush & Company: Los Angeles-based interior design firm serving luxury residential and select hospitality clients. Comparable for high-end residential interior design, West Coast positioning, and founder-led boutique model.
• DesignARC: Santa Barbara architectural and interior design firm where Senior Associate Brianna Knudsen spent nearly two decades. Comparable as a long-established regional design practice serving California coastal residential, hospitality, and institutional clients.

Broad incumbents

• HOK: Global design firm where MN Studio co-founder Melissa Mohr Brown previously worked on workplace, hospitality, and sports facility projects. Comparable as a broad incumbent that MN Studio competes with in the commercial and hospitality segment.
• Gensler: Global architecture and design firm where MN Studio's Senior Associate Gina Soohoo previously worked. Comparable as a broad workplace design incumbent that delivers commercial interiors at scale; MN Studio is a boutique alternative in the same market.
• DLR Group: Global integrated design firm where MN Studio co-founder Melissa Mohr Brown previously worked. Comparable as a broad incumbent with workplace, hospitality, and custom residential practices that overlap with MN Studio's commercial and hospitality offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mn-studio-interiors

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MN Studio