What is the biggest consideration licensees should give to facility design?

What is the biggest consideration licensees should give to facility design?

While there is no “one size fits all” in most design, Studio KC focuses on designs being approachable and accessible to all client types that is vital to provide an inclusive experience:

  • First and foremost, consider a design firm with experienced and certified Interior Design capabilities along with Architectural and Engineering resources to ensure your project is feasible in all aspects. 
  • Consider a consultation and education room for patients that may not want to discuss their cannabis questions in an open environment due to noise levels or lack of acoustical privacy.
  • Seating at the cannabis consultant stations should be available for patients that may be unable stand for long periods of time or just relax and enjoy their shopping experience. 
  • Think about your exterior surroundings to include lighted parking for security, possibly a rear parking lot for people that want to shop discreetly.  

 

Ramsey

What inspires you when designing a facility? 

The branding and logo design of a client are a driving force for us. SKC incorporates branding, marketing strategies, and logos into the “feel” of the space. Is it edgy and contemporary? Spa-like and medicinal? Warm and inviting? What do you want your clients to feel when they shop at your facility?  We enjoy the process of exploring the answers to these questions with our clients, we are comfortable with this process and we know how to make it fun and interesting.

 

What should licensees should know about working with an interior designer?

It’s not like HGTV! Seriously though, it takes a little time to create a beautiful, cohesive, and functional space and the process should be enjoyable. Collect and provide pictures and images that you like from visits to cannabis facilities and internet searches.  A variety of examples from any type of location, material or scenery can be helpful to convert your preferences into a unique product SKC designs just for you. 

 

How did you come to designing cannabis facilities? 

A very important client invited us to join New Approach Missouri, a remarkable organization connected to the passage of the Medical Marijuana Program in Missouri.  We support the program as a firm because we have family and friends that have benefited from medical cannabis and CBD in the treatment of serious conditions. We also joined the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association, a terrific resource for business entrepreneurs and service providers in the industry.  Connecting with the cannabis business experts, it became evident there is a real need for professional design services in the industry. 

   

SKC invested heavily in the cannabis industry through consulting partnerships, owner relationships, and trips to hundreds of dispensaries, manufacturing, and cultivation facilities in the U.S. and Canada.  We know what works in the industry, we have seen things that don’t, and we are open to new approaches!  

Our 60 years of interior design, architecture and engineering experience in health care, industrial, corporate, hospitality and retail brings value to our clients in this emerging cannabis industry.  We are absolutely entrenched in this work, we love it, and we have worked hard to become experts in the field.  

 

What is an interior designer? What do you offer clients? 

The definition of a licensed interior designer is as follows: “NCIDQ Certified interior designers have distinguished themselves by demonstrating a specific set of core interior design competencies, supported by verified work experience and a college degree. They have proven their knowledge of current standards established to protect public health, safety and welfare, as well as mastery of aesthetic considerations. They have earned the industry’s highest standard of proficiency in interior design principles by successfully passing the NCIDQ Examination.” – Council for Interior Design Qualification

But it’s more than that. We apply creative and functional solutions within a space, create an environment that is not only functional and code-compliant, but also beneficial and enjoyable for the occupant. We help create the emotional vibe or “feels” of a space, creating an environment that people WANT to revisit again and again. We understand budgets. We understand timelines. We are your advocate. 

At Studio KC, we are about quality projects, quality relationships with our clients, and never losing sight of the fact that the space belongs to our client – not our egos. We deliver all of this at arguably the most competitive rates in the country, you won’t find the “green markup” at SKC. The combination of all of that makes for loyal clients that often become friends; and we could not ask for anything better than that!