Haliburton County’s ACM Designs struck gold at the recent Decorators and Designers Association of Canada’s (DDA) national design competition, scooping six first-place awards.
The event was held in Toronto Oct. 1 and is one of the premier competitions recognizing decorating and design excellence across the country. Accredited awards were dished out for whole home design, interior decoration, kitchen and bathroom design, renovation, commercial design and specialty honours for best website, most effective marketing campaign and top custom product.
Different from other celebrations, the DDAs look beyond the finished product to consider all aspects of a project, including blueprints, design sketches, and other prep work. All submissions are peer-reviewed by people who work in the industry.
Saqib Abdullah, ACM’s interior architectural specialist, won in three categories – interior decoration over $150,000 for a cottage on Drag Lake; universal kitchen for a makeover of a Spruce Lake property; and whole home for a new build on Salerno Lake.
Senior designer, Mina Zeighami, earned gold in the ‘universal bathroom’ category for an ensuite design on Redstone Lake. In custom products, Rachael Carney (intermediate designer) and Cedric Butz (carpenter) won for a beverage centre they created for a Paudash Lake project earlier this year.
Katie Woodward, another senior designer, took top billing in the ‘kitchen over $150,000’ category for a project on Canning Lake.
ACM Designs’ owner, Andria Cowan Molyneaux, said it was a big deal to see her boutique firm competing among the country’s elite when it comes to designing and decorating.
“Lake properties come with their own challenges and rewards, and it’s an honour to help families create spaces they’ll gather in for years to come,” Cowan Molyneaux said in a media release. “We’re incredibly proud to see this work recognized nationally, and even more proud of the people who made it happen.”
This is the fourth year the local firm has placed at the national contest, earning three top three finishes in 2023, five in 2024, and two in 2025.
