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About 

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FAM Design is an interior design, interior architecture and creative design studio founded in 2020 and based in Denver, Colorado. Specializing in a wide range of hospitality and hospitality leaning projects, FAM Design’s philosophy is rooted in meaningful and creative storytelling, supporting community and executing projects using a positive, collaborative approach. Co-founders Frank Mataipule and Megan Freckelton have more than 40 years of combined experience, and they’ve completed projects in 25 states, 
with the majority of their clients returning for repeat business.

 

With their vast hospitality design experience, Frank, Megan and their 
team have a deep understanding of the balance necessary to create design-forward environments, while recognizing the importance of an establishment’s operational goals.

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Denver MWBE, SBE Certified

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Services offered:

  • Complete interior design and interior architectural design;

  • Programming and space planning;

  • Visioning and concept design;

  • Brand development and implementation;

  • 3D visualization;

  • City approval process coordination including permitting, zoning, historic neighborhood reviews, and documentation;

  • Finish specifications, detailing and documentation;

  • Furniture, fixture, art and accessory selection, specifications, and procurement;

  • Staging and styling;

  • Bid and construction documents;

  • Consultant coordination;

  • Construction observation and documentation;

  • Architectural or interior design peer review. 

Team

One of the largest architecture firms in Colorado brought Frank And Megan (FAM) together where they spent 13 years and 12 years respectively, leading and co-managing the design of various restaurant concepts, hotel and resort projects. In 2017, Frank and Megan accepted in-house Co-Design Director roles with a rapidly expanding national restaurant group recognized by Fast Company as one of the most innovative companies in the world. There, they established and grew a design department to support its growth in the restaurant and hotel sector.

 

They are now co-founders of FAM Design.

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"The team at FAM doesn't just design; they possess an incredible storytelling superpower that cuts straight through the noise, uncovers the exact heart of our brands, and creates deeply meaningful connections that really resonate. Megan & Frank are highly creative, wildly engaging, and an absolute joy to collaborate with. Working with them is a partnership we always look forward to!"

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- Lisa McGee, Vice President, Design & Construction

  Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants & Piccolo Buco

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Frank Mataipule, AIA, NCIDQ, LEED AP

CO-FOUNDER PRINCIPAL

With more than 24 years of experience spanning architecture, interior design, and construction, he brings a comprehensive understanding of the built environment to every project from early concept and space planning through detailed design, documentation, and installation.


Frank’s career began in large-scale resort and hospitality work, where he developed a deep fluency in the complexities of hotel, food and beverage, and amenity-driven environments. He went on to serve as Design Director for a nationally recognized, award-winning restaurant group, overseeing interior design, interior architecture and build-out of a rapidly expanding portfolio of hospitality concepts. His work now includes projects across 25 states encompassing hotels, resorts, private clubs, spas, and more than 50 F&B concepts with a particular focus on memorable guest-facing spaces that define a property’s identity.


Known for a positive, collaborative approach and a natural ability to bridge design ambition with operational reality, Frank brings both creative range and a contractor’s pragmatism to the work. A devoted world traveler, he draws continual design inspiration from the cultures, landscapes, and sensory experiences encountered abroad.

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Megan Freckelton, IIDA

CO-FOUNDER

PRINCIPAL DESIGNER

With two decades of experience across hospitality, resort, and food and beverage design, she brings a research-driven creative vision to every project, grounding each concept in the culture, history, and character of its locale.


Over her twelve years within a large-scale architecture and interiors firm, she led the design of hotels, resorts, and restaurant concepts nationwide at the associate principal level. She went on to establish and grow an in-house design department for a nationally recognized restaurant group, named by Fast Company as one of the most innovative companies in the world, where she helped lead the design of twenty large-scale locations, each with a hyper-localized concept rooted in its surrounding community. That body of work sharpened her instinct for translating a sense of place into immersive, narrative-driven environments.


Megan is the storytelling voice behind FAM Design’s creative direction, known for her ability to identify the design concept unique to each property and shape it into spaces that feel both of-the-moment and deeply connected to their surroundings with timeless appeal. She is passionate about advancing the next generation of designers, having served on both the IIDA Rocky Mountain Chapter Student Affairs Committee and the NEWH Rocky Mountain Chapter Scholarship Committee.

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Jessica Thomas

INTERIOR DESIGNER

A full time creative, Jessica spent many years on the interior design team at OZ Architecture while spending her free time creating her own handmade jewelry line, Crow Jane. Eventually her handmade goods were so sought after she committed to Crow Jane full time, while also teaching at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, in their CIDA accredited BFA interior design program. In 2017, she began working as a contract interior designer for the in-house Punch Bowl Social design team and was integral to the success of many project openings across the country. In 2020 Jessica joined the FAM team, and is involved in all facets of the design process – concept to execution. 

"What a pleasure it was to work with FAM! Megan and Frank are the perfect team - they have a unique ability to capture exactly what you want even when you don't know yourself. Their guided, collaborative process helps you to clarify your own ideas, and their creativity and great taste ensures that the end result will be both gorgeous and unique. Can't wait to work with them again!"

- SHANNON BYRNE, LOCAL MOTIVE | CLIENT

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Park Hill Home - 2022 IIDA BESTaward - Live : Residential

Punch Bowl Social Stapleton - 2019 ASID Crystal Award - Hospitality 10,000 SF+ *

Punch Bowl Social Stapleton - 2019 ASID Crystal Award - Commercial Merit Award *

Punch Bowl Social Stapleton - 2018 Mayor's Design Award *

Harvest by Kelly Liken - 2016 IIDA BESTaward - BEST in PLAY *

Green Garage - 2013 IIDA BESTaward - BEST in Innovation + Creativity *

Green Garage - 2012 ENR Award of Merit - Tenant Improvement *

Boy's & Girl's Club, Owen Teen Center - 2010 Colorado Facility Awards of Excellence - Pikes Peak Chapter of IFMA *

*While at OZ Architecture

We are

Good listeners. Ensuring we have a deep understanding of your objectives then working with the criterion associated with those goals is our process.

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Storytellers. We believe in the power of every last detail to build a memorable experience.

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Forever curious. We never stop learning and there are always numerous solutions to every challenge - creative or technical.

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A collaborative team focused on your goals and your style, we do not specialize in one specific look and have a large range of experience in client-focused design to best execute your vision.

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Experienced. We have established a great group of trusted industry partners, experts and consultants to ensure those we bring to the table to help execute are the best in the biz. 

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Creative. We love to think outside the box. We love a challenge.

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So thankful to do what we do. At the end of the day, we love design, we love architecture, we love creative and we love helping people bring their vision to life.

“Frank and Megan’s creative capacity and novel problem-solving skills have been the keystone to our working relationship. For north of 8 years I’ve been able to collaborate while trusting their design instincts with respect to the concepts I’ve developed since we first met. Their keen eye and commercial wisdom helped me scale a local Colorado brand to a national-level accumulating numerous design accolades along the way.” 

 

- ROBERT THOMPSON, JOY TRADE 

What we do

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LET'S
CHAT

Denver, Colorado    info@design-fam.com

FM 303.875.5755    MF 720.300.1721

© 2020 by FAM Design. 

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