When interior designer Ann Ludwig needed wallpaper installed in a luxury Minneapolis home, she turned to the team she describes as excelling "at every step of the process." This endorsement from a design professional captures what M. Carlson Painting has built over more than two decades serving the Western Twin Cities metro. CEO Matthew B. Carlson founded the company in 2001, and today the operation runs over thirty painting crews trained by an in-house Training and Development Manager.
The company specializes in interior and exterior residential painting, cabinet refinishing and millwork enameling, wallpaper installation and removal, drywall services, and commercial projects. Each project is assigned a dedicated Customer Experience Manager who serves as a single point of contact throughout the process. The fully licensed and insured team maintains both general liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage.
Based in Wayzata with a secondary location in Minneapolis, M. Carlson Painting serves Lake Minnetonka communities including Minnetonka, Orono, Excelsior, Deephaven, and surrounding suburbs. The company is EPA lead-safe certified for work on older homes and offers a one-year warranty on decking and a three-year warranty on exterior jobs.
Customers consistently praise the cabinet work as exceptional. Dane Ludolph notes his cabinets look like a "factory finish" after work by Alex and Jacob. David Peterson describes his formerly brown-stained cabinetry as now having "exactly the look we wanted," calling the transformation "marvelous work." Kristin Nobs, who has used M. Carlson four times, says her kitchen cabinets are "gorgeous" with "attention to the details" that is "incredible."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Reviews frequently mention painters and project managers by name because the company uses in-house crews rather than rotating subcontractors. Customers reference Ramiro, Francisco, Henry, Alex, Jacob, Jesus, Saul, Eric, Serghei, and Ivan among the painters. Project managers Kyle, Vinnie, Matt, Ryan, Adam, and Kelly appear throughout reviews. Sara Gaitan notes she was "so fortunate to have Henry's team" while Emily Kocian-Dery praises how "Ramiro and his crew arrived and did an amazing job."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
The company has developed expertise in wallpaper installation and removal, including difficult historic home projects. Casey describes having a "very tricky wallpaper patching project" in a 115-year-old Minneapolis home where "only Adam at M. Carlson Painting was up for the challenge" and the result was "way better than I expected." Kerry McCabe, who works in interior design, confirms they "know how to troubleshoot efficiently when challenges arise."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Every project is assigned a dedicated Customer Experience Manager (CEM) who maintains contact from estimate through completion. Rebecca Scheig notes "His team arrived on time both days and did impeccable work." Sara Gaitan describes project manager Vinnie as "a great communicator" who "was here when he said he would be at intervals throughout the project." Tim F says for his commercial project, "communication was excellent" from start to finish.
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Cleanup is mentioned repeatedly across reviews. Linda Bermea notes her painter Jesus "cleaned everything up when he left and was so quiet I forgot he was here." Mollie Wise describes how the crew "cleaned the entire garage, carried away the debris and presented us with a sizable container of touchup paint." Erin L was "very impressed with communication, pricing and cleanliness of workspace."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Customer retention is notably strong. Michelle Kozora has used M. Carlson on "3 different occasions" (updated to 5 projects as of 2026) and says "they will always be the only painters we use." Kristin Nobs has returned "for the fourth time." Brandon Larson reports using them for "at least 15 projects over the years." Wes Bonine has been using "Kyle and the team for as long as we have been homeowners."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
The company demonstrates accountability when problems occur. Olson Construction & Remodeling, a general contractor, describes initial issues with an exterior project including "inconsistent project management" and "concerns about quality." After voicing frustrations, "the owner personally reached out and truly made it right" with the contractor concluding, "how a company handles issues speaks volumes."
-Review Snippet Sources: Google Reviews
Yes. M. Carlson Painting Inc holds Minnesota Residential Contractors and Residential Remodeler Contractor License No. CR735715, verified active through the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry with an expiration date of March 31, 2027. The qualifying person is Matthew B. Carlson. The company maintains current liability insurance (expires 03/02/2026) and workers' compensation insurance (expires 08/01/2026). The business is registered as a Minnesota corporation (File No. 1183214-2) with the Secretary of State, showing Active/In Good Standing status. M. Carlson Painting is also EPA lead-safe certified for work on homes built before 1978.
-Verification Sources: MN Dept of Labor & Industry (user-provided screenshot), MN Secretary of State