Kitchener’s Highland Cannabis retail store has won first place in the Commercial Design category in the 2021 Decorating and Design Competition held by the Decorators & Designers Association of Canada (DDA Canada).

Owned and operated by Niki and Owen Allerton, the nearly 3,000 square foot store was designed by longtime friend Benjamin John Ouellette in collaboration with Montgomery Custom.

Some of the store’s interior design elements include suspended wooden features, moss walls and custom display cases.

In a news release, Owen said Ouellette was one of the first people they called and when they started working on the design of the store.

“We had worked with him in the past, but this was the first commercial project,” explains Owen. “We described our operational model and the feeling we wanted to achieve, and Benjamin not only brought it to life with his exceptional design, but also played a critical role throughout the build-out process, assisting with fit and finish selection, lighting plans, fixture design and creative input.”

Ouellette, who traditionally works in the kitchen, bath and interior design spaces, had to work within the provincial guidelines for cannabis retail stores while also bringing the couple’s vision to life.

“It was a challenging yet rewarding process to use the psychological elements and principles of design to create this space and guide customers through an inviting, safe and aesthetically pleasing retail environment,” said Ouellette. “I am thrilled that the Canadian DDA Design Award judges saw this as the top commercial design of 2021.”

Wayne Montgomery, of Montgomery Customs, said all the elements, including the wooden features and moss walls, were built with parts sourced from local partners.

“We’re thankful to have worked with such a wonderful team to build our store — it feels like family built it. Benjamin John Ouellette’s vision exceeded our expectations and Wayne and his team were able to bring that vision to life,” said Owen. “We look forward to their future projects and are honoured that they are an integral part of Highland Cannabis’ identity.”