‘I appreciate landscaping with a strong design statement. One of my primary considerations when designing is the connection between the home and environment.’
—Matthew McKelligon

Matthew McKelligon is the owner and lead designer for Hillrise Design. Born in Newport, Rhode Island, he grew up in a military family and traveled and lived extensively throughout the world; primarily in Mexico, Japan, Switzerland and Germany. His love for gardening, design, and architecture surfaced early on in life, and he feels fortunate to be able to express and share these passions with others. Graduating summa cum laude from the School of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley, he describes himself as having ‘the design sense of an architect, but for the outdoors.' 

With an appreciation for the region’s often small lots and urban challenges, he knows that exterior and interior spaces must often be viewed as one and the same. To better enjoy an outdoor area, the yard can become an extension of an already inviting space in the home. Specializing in harmonizing the architectural style of the home with the natural lay of the land, and resolving many unique landscaping issues, such as a wildly overgrown tree, or a unusual stone sculpture, he often chooses to call attention to these adversities. Matthew likes to use them as the basis for the design, rather than trying to remove or hide them. This helps to make each project unique.

He also likes to avoid popular and often fleeting trends and materials, which often result in a design that doesn’t age well. With a keen eye for the future, he ensures that your beautiful new outdoor space will be enjoyed for years to come. Available for a multitude of projects: from drought-tolerant landscaping to conceptual site plans and furniture design, clients will appreciate Matthew’s easy, friendly and approachable manner, and may find themselves enjoyably participating in the design process.