Santa Monica & Santa Barbara, CA — Appleton Partners LLP, an architectural firm founded in 1976 by Marc Appleton, is proud to be included on the inaugural Forbes Best-in-State Residential Architects List. This recognition places Appleton Partners among the nation’s most distinguished residential design practices, honoring its enduring influence, and exemplary architecture.
With offices in both Santa Monica and Santa Barbara, Appleton Partners is led today by partners Ken Mineau and Andrew Scott, supported by an accomplished team of architects, designers, and project managers. The firm has completed more than 900 projects nationwide and internationally, specializing in custom residential, institutional, and commercial architecture.
Appleton Partners’ work reflects a deep respect for context, embracing place, time, and landscape. Whether contemporary or traditional in style, the firm resists a “signature look,” instead shaping design solutions that are regionally sensitive, timeless, and authentic. This approach has led to accolades including:
2025 AIA SB Design Awards: Santa Barbara Heritage
2024 Julian Morgan Award
2024 National & Regional SARA Design Awards
2022 Lux ‘Red’ Awards
2022 Arthur Ross Award for Excellence in the Classical Tradition (Institute of Classical Architecture & Art)
Architectural Digest’s AD100 List (1991–2016, under Marc Appleton’s leadership)
Design Leadership Award (Design Leadership Network, 2014)
Westweek Star of Design Lifetime Achievement Award (2011)
The firm’s recent portfolio includes projects that embody its design philosophy, such as the Horse Ranch, Vineyard Residence, and the Florestal Residence, recognized with the 2024 Julian Morgan Award. Each project embraces authenticity and regional precedents marrying structure and setting into a harmonious whole.
“We’re honored to be recognized by Forbes,” said Partner Andrew Scott. “This achievement celebrates not only our legacy but also the creativity, collaboration, and dedication of our entire team.”
Appleton Partners LLP continues Marc Appleton’s vision of design that is thoughtful, enduring, and unpretentious architecture that doesn’t shout, but speaks with quiet confidence and timeless appeal.
